Tips for Planning a Daycare Schedule

Despite recent trends, there are still some daycare centers that don't really offer a lot in the way of a program for the education and entertainment of the children they care for. For some business operators, daycare is just about catering to the physical needs of children and providing just enough in the way of toys and playground equipment to keep them entertained.

Thankfully, most daycares are now recognizing the need for at least some structured curriculum. The environment that a child under six is exposed to is so important in influencing their mental and physical development that we owe it to them to take daycare more seriously.

Planning a daycare schedule is an important part of running a child care center. Parents will want to know what their children are doing while they are with you so a well thought out schedule will keep them happy and informed. Children need structure and will benefit from a diverse schedule that provides for their needs and allows them to enjoy their days. Children that are kept busy with stimulating activities are also less likely to get bored and should display better discipline. Daycare business owners and employees will also benefit by having a schedule as it will make management, administration and organization easier.

Good planning and scheduling also makes good business sense as programs full of activities look great when it comes to marketing a daycare center to parents.

Here are some ideas and tips for structuring a program for your daycare business that should keep both parents and children happy.

Allow for Schedule Deviation

Have a schedule written up each week for children and parents to see the basic program for the following week but also make it clear that you give staff permission to deviate from the program depending on the mood of the children.

The Right Balance of Activities

Have the schedule balance rowdy activities with quiet activities throughout the day. For example, when kids wake up from their mid-day nap and are still a little sleepy you can read stories to them. Rowdy and more independent activities can be organized for mid-morning when kids are feeling fresh and have a lot of energy. In the afternoons when they get a little restless you can organize activities that are more focused and supervised.

Life Skills

Allocate small blocks of the schedule for children to learn 'life skills' such as brushing their teeth or carrying their empty plates to the kitchen.

Group and Individual Activities

Have a schedule for the group as a whole but also allocate time for individual learning. Give kids a chance to develop any particular interests that they may have and support and encourage them. It is worth learning some more about the Montessori approach to early childhood education and adapting and implementing some of the theories in your daycare.

A Daycare Schedule with Variety

Design a schedule that is well rounded in activities. Depending on the age of your group, a full schedule may include music, story time, art classes, play dough and physical activities outdoors. Guest speakers can be invited to your daycare to talk to the children and you can even organize excursions if you can organize transport safely and you get permission from parents.

Limit Access to Improve Concentration

Don't allow access to all the toys and activities at one time. Too much access will end up meaning that they get bored with all of it and don't learn to concentrate on one thing. Instead you can rotate toys and activities to offer variety and maintain the interest of the children.

Timing

The timing of activities is very important. You want to finish before children get too bored with the activity but you also want to give each child the chance to explore the activity fully. It is important that children are able to develop their attention spans so jumping from one thing to the next too quickly is not a good idea.

Allow for Rest Time

Allow for plenty of rest time in your schedule. Depending on how long children are with you it is important to set aside time for them to recharge their batteries.

Take it Easy

Don't be too ambitious with your schedule when you are just starting out. Children often take much longer to complete activities then you would expect. For some activities you will also have to allow time for cleaning up.

Daycare Licensing Requirements

Don't forget to incorporate licensing requirements into the schedule such as the provision of food at certain times throughout the day.

Outdoor Playtime

If at all possible you should schedule time for the children in your care to have outdoor playtime. Giving them the chance to get some fresh air and sunlight can only be good for their health.

Feel free to try out a variety of schedules to see what works depending on the group that you care for and the resources that you have available. Keeping kids busy and ensuring that all time slots have a designated purpose is the key to daycare business success. Make sure that you put in the necessary research and planning to create an exciting and educational schedule for your daycare group to grow and learn.

Additional Articles

Daycare Business License Regulations

Tips for Organizing a Home Daycare Center