It is necessary to have a schedule when operating a daycare center. Children feel more comfortable when there is a consistent schedule. Parents should be provided a copy of the daily schedule and should be informed when it changes. Naps, meals, diaper changes and playtime should remain consistent.
Curriculum provides a guideline of what the children will learn. A successful daycare center focuses on teaching and not just baby-sitting children. It is important to understand the developmental characteristics of children and devise a curriculum to suit learning needs. A preschool curriculum should teach basic skills and appropriately challenge the child to prepare him for kindergarten.
You will need a safe outdoor area in which the children can play. Children should get some outdoor activity daily when weather permits. A fence is needed to enclose the play area of the yard. The fence should be tall enough that children cannot climb over it, and it should also have a child-proof lock.
An area of the daycare center will need to be devoted to sleeping and eating. Sleeping accommodations should have cribs for the babies and cots for toddlers at nap time. It should be in a quiet area of the center with minimal distractions. The eating area should have appropriately sized tables and chairs for the children.
It is important to provide children with a variety of toys and activities. Children learn from play. The toys and activities should stimulate learning, interaction and investigation. Learning centers ---a valuable asset to provide a themed approach to learning---should have puzzles and games for the child's level of learning and interests. The learning centers should not be permanent fixtures, but should become more challenging as the child develops.