| With the free Voluntary Pre Kindergarten or VPK | | | | in the form of play but are really expertly planned |
| Program of the government in the state of | | | | and designed according to specific developmental |
| Florida, children in the area are given more focus. | | | | goals. Through those activities of structured play, |
| Many of the best daycare centers have since | | | | the children are guided as they directly explore |
| then integrated the VPK preschool preparatory | | | | their senses and practice new skills. The |
| program into their own programs. Because of this, | | | | experiences are meaningful to the children while |
| the Florida Voluntary Pre Kindergarten (VPK) | | | | being appropriate to their particular developmental |
| Education Standards in its 2008 edition | | | | stage. |
| enumerates the desired characteristics that | | | | So what characteristics should parents desire |
| parents should seek from any daycare program | | | | from a daycare with Voluntary Pre Kindergarten |
| that applies the VPK Program. Parents in | | | | or VPK? |
| Carrollwood, Tampa, 33625 should take note of | | | | Parents should observe the children in the |
| this. | | | | daycare. They should be happily involved in the |
| In coordination with the Florida Voluntary Pre | | | | many activities of the center and should be |
| Kindergarten (VPK) Education Standards of 2008, | | | | healthy. Their activities should be in accordance |
| the government created a flipbook called | | | | with the Florida Voluntary Pre Kindergarten (VPK) |
| “It’s Okay to Play in VPK.” These | | | | Education Standards. These should be arranged in |
| two documents are complementary since the | | | | a well design schedule which covers a balance of |
| 2008 Florida Voluntary Pre Kindergarten (VPK) | | | | learning and playing indoors and outdoors. They |
| Education Standards identify the skills taught by | | | | should be administered by VPK teachers who are |
| the VPK Program to four year old children while | | | | kind, friendly, calm and patient. |
| the flipbook tells parents how to create the | | | | The daycare center should have enough space to |
| appropriate learning environments wherein the | | | | accommodate all the required indoor and outdoor |
| children can develop the said skills. Both | | | | learning centers and play activity centers. This |
| documents are intended for educators and | | | | should include a children’s library with a huge |
| parents alike. Parents should therefore also look | | | | book collection, an art center with all the art |
| for daycare centers that abide by the guidelines in | | | | materials children need, a center for dramatic |
| both documents. | | | | play, a music center, a water table, a sand table |
| According to the The Florida Voluntary Pre | | | | and manipulative toys, blocks and puzzles. The |
| Kindergarten (VPK) Education Standards of 2008, | | | | facilities of the daycare center should be clean, |
| the VPK program should cover eight | | | | safe and cheerful. All equipment should be in good |
| developmental domains, namely, Physical Health, | | | | working order and should not pose any hazards |
| Approaches to Learning, Social and Emotional | | | | to the children. |
| Development, Language and Communication, | | | | One of the childcare facilities in Carrollwood, |
| Emergent Literacy, Mathematical and Scientific | | | | Tampa, 33625 that likewise provides more than |
| Thinking, Social Studies and the Arts, and Motor | | | | just daycare to children from 6 weeks to 11 |
| Development. | | | | years old is the A Brighter Future Child |
| According to the flipbook “It’s Okay to | | | | Development and Learning Center which |
| Play in VPK,” the aforementioned domains of | | | | integrates the Voluntary Pre Kindergarten or VPK |
| child development can be supported through | | | | Program in its services for four year old children. |
| many types of children’s play activities that | | | | The Center also offers after school child |
| can be set up in the home, the community and | | | | development programs for older children in K1, |
| the classroom. Such play activities are actually | | | | K2, K3, and K4. Being a Christian facility, the A |
| techniques of active learning. They are based on | | | | Brighter Future Child Development and Learning |
| the principle that children have been found to be | | | | Center furthermore teaches children positive |
| learning a lot from hands on experiences that are | | | | values. |