How Does Daycare Encourage Child Development?
Research shows that an early learning center can positively impact a child’s school readiness, cognitive growth, and social-emotional skills. Plus, at daycare, children have space, materials, and experiences that encourage developmental milestones and caregivers who will cheer them on along the way.What Will My Child Learn at Daycare?
Even though every daycare is different, there are some essential skills your child should learn, no matter which daycare center you choose. Take a look below to find out what they are – and, if you tour centers before you enroll, include these skills in your daycare visit questions to help you gauge what your child will learn at each specific center.Social-Emotional Skills
Social and emotional learning should be a priority -- during the early years of a child’s life, they’re laying the foundation for social-emotional development. Building relationships, identifying and understanding feelings, and learning about themselves are essential for your child’s future success. So, daycare should incorporate social and emotional skill-building activities, conversations, and experiences into each day.Learning Through Play
Children learn best when they learn through play – and one thing daycare centers excel in is incorporating purposeful play into the daily routine. Playing outside can help children learn to observe their surroundings, explore nature, discover new plants and animals, practice motor skills, and more.Additional hands-on, playful activities can include science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). For example, making bubbles and playdough can double as a science activity; playing and building with blocks can promote engineering skills.
