I remember being called to help out in a childcare center and as soon as I stepped into the door, I knew we had a problem. The few things posted on the wall were all bought and all posted at adult level. There were only 3 books in the room for a classroom of 20. The toys were dirty. What was going on?
What do you look for in a childcare center?
I look for happy children.
I look for busy classrooms, not too quiet and not a lot of screaming.
I look for children’s art work posted.
I expect to not smell anything bad.
I expect to see children working at a variety of tasks.
I hope to see some space.
I expect to see a plant, an artful picture.
I expect to see adults talking to children at eye level.
I expect to see a wide variety of things ot play/work with including art materials, blocks/insets, housekeeping equipment, dolls & trucks, matching & sorting games, large & small muscle activities — and I expect to see so many of them they they must be stack in shelves.
What would you tell parents, or a new worker, to look for in a good childcare center?