Excellent Early Childhood Care Is Crucial In Child Development

Making sure that your children receive top class early childhood care is one of the best things a parent can do. And if a parent isn't in a position to provide full time care for their children through the first five years of life, then a quality early childhood centre can be an excellent option. Many parents these days would love to have their toddlers at home with them full time, but the economic situation means that isn't feasible. More and more parents these days find it impossible to make ends meet without at least working part time. And when you have young children to think about as well, it's important to make the right choices.

Experts agree that the first few years of life are crucial for optimum child development. Well resourced and well staffed early childhood centres can play an important role in that development. The key is to choose a centre that has the best interests of your child as a central part of its philosophy. Early childhood education can also be a fantastic preparation for school. It makes a big difference when it comes to transitioning children from being at home with mum and dad to spending a large part of the day in a classroom environment when they get to school age.

When considering early childhood care, it can be hard to choose the best place to ensure your child's developmental potential, but quality child care centres have several points of difference. One of the best ways to find a good centre is to ask other parents who live nearby. They'll be more than happy to tell you the pros and cons of the early childhood centres they have used. You can also feel free to visit as many centres as you choose. You and your child can immerse yourselves in the culture and spirit of the centre for a morning and get a feel for whether it's the sort of place that will bring out the best in you both. Ask yourself if you and your child feel comfortable there. Are you made to feel welcome? Do the other children and adults around you seem genuinely happy, involved and in good relationships with each other? Is there a good range of modern equipment that is clean and well maintained?

Leaving your child in early childhood care involves developing a bond of trust with the people who will be there in your place. A good quality early childhood centre employs staff members who are well trained and well suited to the role, so that the children in their care receive the very best informal education as they play. For a child's development, they need to form strong attachment bonds with the people around them, trusting them and feeling comfortable in their presence.

Don't feel guilty about putting your children in quality early childhood care. It can be beneficial to children socially and cognitively. But the keys to making it a good environment include quality interactions between staff and children, access to an array of wonderful books and other literacy materials and a wide selection of learning activities.