| Whether you are a parent or not, I am sure you | | | | opportunities for painting & colouring, paper |
| would agree that the welfare of children whilst at | | | | to draw on and cut and labels on things around |
| nursery, Pre School, kindergarten or any type of | | | | the home. |
| day care facility is vital. Parents need to know | | | | As a parent you are faced with many choices |
| that a certain level of care and protection is | | | | when it comes to the development and education |
| available for their children and luckily the pre | | | | of your children. At all stages of their life. One of |
| school child care industry usually attracts staff and | | | | the most important decisions any parent can |
| workers who carry out the highest levels of care | | | | make is what method of childcare they opt for in |
| at all times. Nursery Rhymes have been taught to | | | | the crucial period up to 5 years of age. |
| children for hundreds of years, with many dating | | | | The childcare provider makes sure they are |
| from the middle Ages. They are the earliest | | | | compliant there are really 4 main types of |
| educational tools that children use for learning | | | | childcare option available to parents and guardians |
| language and counting skills. Additionally they | | | | and the first of these is using a pre school. A Pre |
| combine movement and music teaching kids | | | | school usually operates on a sessional basis and |
| rhythm and melody. | | | | traditionally provide childcare for children aged |
| Any nursery rhymes were originally political | | | | between 2 years 9 months until they begin school |
| commentaries from a time when free speech | | | | although they can take children younger than this. |
| was punishable by imprisonment or even death, | | | | The second option available to parents looking for |
| especially if you criticized the government of the | | | | childcare is a nursery. A nursery is more likely to |
| day. Other rhymes allude to current events of | | | | appeal to working parents as they offer |
| the day. In terms of deciding when to send your | | | | extended childcare arrangements including being |
| child to playgroup or nursery; this will depend on | | | | open most of the year and being open for longer |
| their development and your knowledge of your | | | | hours. Nurseries are usually run privately, by local |
| child. You are the best judge of this and you will | | | | educational authorities or by a chain of owners. |
| know when the time is right. The sudden change | | | | This differs from pre schools that can be run |
| from the safety of home to an unfamiliar place | | | | privately or managed by a committee of |
| and people can be an unsettling period for your | | | | volunteers. |
| child and you. However, staffs are experienced at | | | | Another option available when it comes to |
| easing the most reluctant children into new | | | | childcare is to employ a child minder. A child |
| surroundings and involving them in activities within | | | | minder differs from pre schools and nurseries in |
| the room. This opportunity for children to interact | | | | that they are often individuals who provide |
| with others will help them become aware of their | | | | childcare from their home and they are |
| needs, not just their own. They soon join the | | | | extremely flexible. Whereas a pre school or |
| class activities, make new friends and begin their | | | | nursery sticks to set times a child minder can be |
| journey of discovery, as do you. The home | | | | part time, full or pretty much anytime providing |
| environment is the first in which a baby is able to | | | | they can reach an agreement with the parents of |
| explore and learn from. An environment in which | | | | the children they are looking after. This can even |
| a baby is stimulated will encourage them to | | | | extend to weekend and overnight childcare cover |
| experience and learn things for themselves. | | | | which for a parent can be extremely welcome. |
| As children grow they become more curious | | | | The final option available to parents is to employ a |
| about the world around them and begin exploring | | | | nanny to provide childcare for their children. A |
| further. Providing surroundings which are | | | | nanny will usually provide childcare in your home |
| constantly presenting new learning opportunities | | | | so you can benefit from the numerous |
| help children become accomplished at many basic | | | | advantages of this set up. Making sure our |
| skills. Things that can help development include | | | | children are safe and protected at all times is |
| alphabet freezes, 'hands on' toys teaching shape | | | | clearly crucial to any modern society. |
| recognition, numbers displayed around the house, | | | | |