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Clinical Reference Systems: Pediatric Advisor 10.0

Day Care: Questions to Ask About the Program

Does the program help children develop physically by:

  • providing daily outdoor activities where children use their whole bodies?
  • offering indoor movement experience set to music?
  • furnishing sturdy climbing and swinging apparatus?
  • balancing active, physical activities with quiet, restful ones?
  • providing ample rest and nap times?
  • prohibiting play that could quickly get out of hand?
  • maintaining an adequate staff/child ratio on the playground?
  • providing opportunities to use community sports facilities?

Does the program help children develop emotionally by:

  • encouraging children to express themselves?
  • patiently encouraging children to solve problems on their own?
  • providing ample opportunities for children to feel good about themselves?
  • helping children deal with feelings constructively?
  • providing security through a well-defined, predictable schedule of daily activities?
  • showing children how to help themselves as much as possible?

Does the program help children develop interpersonally by:

  • providing give-and-take opportunities to share toys and equipment?
  • balancing individual, small group, and large group activities?
  • allowing children to pursue some activities without being disturbed by other youngsters?
  • discouraging competitiveness by limiting the number of children participating in a particular activity, providing plenty of toys and materials, and overseeing sharing and turn-taking?

Does the program help children develop creatively and intellectually by:

  • encouraging children to use art and play materials in their own way?
  • providing plenty of time for children to complete their projects?
  • fostering curiosity through opportunities to see new things and try out new ideas?
  • nurturing self-expression through art, music, drama, and literature?
  • providing plenty of "hands on" learning experiences?
  • encouraging self-direction and self-pacing?
  • furnishing an environment rich with science materials, books, building equipment, musical instruments, toy and art materials, props for dramatic play, natural materials like sand, water, and clay?
  • balancing structured and unstructured activities?
  • developing a sense of satisfaction over completing a task or thinking something through?
  • designing graduated goals for each child?
  • planning field trips or inviting special visitors?
  • asking children themselves for ideas about programming?
  • encouraging language development?

Written by Donna Warner Manczak, Ph.D., M.P.H.
Copyright 1999 Clinical Reference Systems