Great day care centers focus on the children's safety and illustrate to parents how their children are kept safe during the day. Require that all students bring hats, sunscreen and bug spray for outdoor play. Healthy Children, a safety program sponsored by the American Academy of Pediatrics, recommends that playground equipment have an appropriate material underneath it to prevent injury. Choose material that will absorb impact if a child lands on it. Metal equipment, particularly slides, should be placed in the shade to avoid burns.
If you have a small room apart from where children play, consider making it a sick or sleep room. If a child gets sick during the day, he can rest in that room---it should be furnished with a cot, pillow and blanket---until his parents or caregivers arrive to take him home. This keeps him away from other children to avoid spreading germs.
According to the "Occupational Outlook Handbook," requirements for being a child care worker vary by state. While some states only require a high school diploma, workers in other states must obtain a Child Development Association credential. Even if your state doesn't require it, ask that all employees receive accreditation from the licensing agency of your choice. Parents are more likely to choose a day care center that boasts high certification rates.
Parents are likely to prefer a child care facility that prepares their preschool-aged child for kindergarten, in addition to providing basic child care activities. Implement preschool-related curriculum, or simply plan a certain time every day when students focus on kindergarten readiness skills, such as letter and number recognition. Students can also learn music, multiculturalism and basic history. For instance, keep simple musical instruments at the center for daily use. Teach children basic songs. Help encourage sharing and multiculturalism with activities like a hand wreath. To make a hand wreath, students can cut out several of their handprints and give them to their classmates. Then, they can paste them on a paper plate to create a wreath. Students can discuss how everyone is different and why it's important to recognize differences.