Education

5 Things To Look For In An Early Education Centre

Early education centres are far more than just a place where you can leave a young child while you go off to work or run some errands. While some childcare facilities are designed to be babysitting services in a group format, early education centres are there to educate children on many levels, as well as offer a safe and secure place where they are looked after by adult minders.

If you want to enrol your preschool-aged child in an early learning centre, you’ll need to know what to be mindful of so you can choose the right one. Let’s list some things you’ll want to look for in an early education centre.

#1 – Find a Centre That Has a Positive Atmosphere

You won’t be able to gauge this simply by doing some online research, although you may find some positive recommendations on the internet. The best course of action is to actually pay a visit to the facilities that catch your interest. This way, you can have a chat with staff members while at the same time doing some observing.

If both the members of staff and the kids all generally seem upbeat and happy, then it’s a very good indication that the centre has a positive and nurturing vibe.

#2 – Do They Train Kids In the Basics of Academics?

Not all facilities follow exactly the same curriculum when it comes to early childhood education but if you are going to send your child to an early education centre, you’ll want to know that they’ll receive at least some basic instruction in core subjects such as mathematics, English and science, at the very least.

Ideally, you’ll look to choose a centre that incorporates both the THRASS and STEM early education systems, as these two systems have been proven to be extremely effective in giving kids the basics in core subject matter before commencing primary school.

#3 – Does the Facility Offer a School Readiness Program?

School Readiness programs have been created and designed to make the transition into the school years a lot smoother, easier and less stressful for young children. Not only will kids be grounded in the basics of academic education, but various activities involved in a school readiness program are also designed to build a child’s levels of self-confidence, along with developing positive social skills and the ability to communicate with both adults and other children.

Being more ready for school results in less anxiety among kids when their first day of primary school arrives. They can enter the school grounds already feeling somewhat familiar with what to expect and having high self-esteem. Another result of all of this is an increased sense of independence, which is a necessary trait when commencing the school years.

#4 – Are Meals Provided and Are They Nutritious?

Some centres provide meals and snacks as a part of the fee while others may charge additionally for meals, or require kids to bring a packed lunch. This is something you’ll definitely need to be aware of before enrolling your child in an early education centre.

If the centre does provide meals, is the food fresh and nutritious? Can you ask to see a menu of what is regularly served? This includes drinks as well as food.

Quality early learning centres will often have an on-site cook or chef to prepare healthy and delicious meals that kids love to eat. Some centres even go so far as to have the kids plant, nurture and harvest their very own vegetable patch, something that teaches kids fabulous life lessons and gets them more interested in healthy eating.

#5 – Finding the Right Centre Near You

One of the quickest and most convenient ways to fund an early education centre near you is to hunt online. As a simple example, if you’re in Concord in NSW, you could try searching the following terms and see what comes up:

The Wrap

While there can be many things to look for in a good early education facility, this post has highlighted important points to be mindful of when searching for a centre that suits you and your child.

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