Amy & Aron's

If you are on the hunt for the perfect early learning program, there are many things to take into account; of course, you want a childcare center that is reasonably close to your home, but there are many other aspects to consider.

The best approach is to search with Google for local childcare centers and browse the websites, then you can book a tour of institutions, and with that in mind, here are a few questions that you can ask the school principal.

1. What are the school’s values? Every school should have a vision and mission statement, which can usually be found on their website; however, when touring the school, it is a good idea to ask the principal about their values and goals. Once you visit a Blacktown childcare center, you should have a feeling that the children are the most important aspect of the organization; everything should revolve around the children and this should be apparent.
2. What are the school’s security policies? No unauthorized person should be allowed access into the school and if you ask the principal, they would be happy to outline their policies regarding security on the campus. CCTV should be evident and would cover every square meter of the campus. Most kindergartens and nurseries have card swipe access, with an intercom at the entrance. Visitors are only accepted by appointment.
3. Do you use active learning methodology? Active learning or learning by doing is the best way for young children to learn and every early learning program should promote experiential learning. Learning outcomes are much better with active learning techniques and the principal should be able to outline how they use active learning. Fun-based learning is the only way to go with young children.
4. Do you provide the parents with a daily record of their child’s activities? - It is very important to establish a daily dialogue with the parents, which might come in the form of a short conversation at the end of the day, or each student might have a notebook that carers use to pass on relevant information. Click here for tips on how to stay healthy as you age.
5. What kind of meals do you provide? - It is important that your child is given healthy nutrition and the principal would be happy to show you a few menus. Carbonated drinks are off the menu, of course, while all snacks would be of the ’healthy’ type. Children need the right kind of nutrition if they are to grow strong and healthy. Early learning demands a healthy diet, which a good facility would provide.

If you know what to look for, a single visit to a childcare center is all it takes to get an accurate assessment, and asking the right questions should put your mind at rest. Your child deserves the best start in life and with the right introduction to the world, they will acquire the tools they need for a happy and successful life.