5 Basic Daycare Tools For A Successful Daycare Center

Equipments and accessories need to be purchased when you decide to open your own daycare center. You can be guaranteed with good profit if you happen to decide on starting on your own daycare center now.

There are various things you have to keep in mind when starting your daycare center like the equipments that you would need your center to have. Make sure that your daycare center will be perfectly designed for children to play in and the like. Your daycare center should also have a separate area for dining and resting for children. You also have to make sure that you have your own private area in your daycare center.

You can best manage your daycare center if you have the best equipments that you can find. Some equipments that you might want to look at when it comes to your daycare center are playhouses, furniture for children, safety equipments as well as game tools that you children can play and have fun with. Research is important to the success of your daycare business. You must focus more on the durability and child safety as well as check out if any of the equipment can be hazardous to the child's health. That's why you must read this article and ascertain that these 5 must have day care equipment are permanent fixtures in your day care center.

Here are 5 most important day care equipment pieces that you must have:

• First Aid Kits - Kids love to play and have a tendency to scrape their knees, fall down, or run into things often hurting themselves. In your day care center you must have a first aid kit so that you can apply a band-aid or clean the wound and apply iodine if a child at your center hurts themselves.

• Sleeping Mats - In many states sleeping mats are mandatory. This day care equipment allows the kids in your day care to be comfortable while taking naps and allows you a break in the middle of the day to catch your breath and relax your feet.

• Various Toys – Make sure that you daycare center is filled with various toys that are safe to play with and are educational as well. So that children can have a fun time and still learn altogether.

• Educational Children's Books - Another day care equipment/accessory you must have are children's books. From fairy tales to comics children love to hear stories.

• Family and Guardian Photos – Make sure that the children are familiar with their guardians and family members whom are authorized to bring them to school and take them home. This is a very effective safety precaution for children so that they won’t easily fall into the traps of perfect strangers.

Finally, there are several other day care equipment pieces that will be required over a period of time. However, these 5 are must have in a new day care center.

For more information: How to start a daycare center

5 Kid-Friendly Tips in Preparing a Child For Daycare

Aside from learning about a child’s ability to adapt in an external environment, parents when considering childcare facilities should be familiarized with the activities, standard and safety of the daycare facilities presented to them. A good-quality daycare facility of choice does not need to be expensive; it may be a daycare facility in the neighborhood, which offers individualized attention, focused to the child like those larger daycare facilities.

1. You should start training the child on being away from the parents in order to prepare them for a daycare program. This should be done by assigning a known babysitter or family member to look after the child and explain to them that the parents need to stay away for a period of time, in order to work. Upon choosing a child-minder, you should consider the child’s need for a gentle, loving but firm presence. This is because a first impression influences the child’s ability to adjust to a more controlled environment such as a daycare facility. Ask other parents for babysitter recommendations – avoid those who have several bad reports.

2. If the other parents were not able to guide you, refer to a child specialist, the yellow pages or maybe the Social Services Department to obtain the list of daycare providers that are licensed within your area. When you have chosen a daycare provider, make sure you go to the place along with the child to inspect the facilities.

3. Take the child around the daycare to explore the facilities. Most daycare providers are glad to let new or potential enrolees play freely all over the place to experience the new atmosphere. Encourage the child to interact with the staff and play with other children in the daycare.

4. Meet all those who would be interacting with the child regularly. At first, the child may feel homesick. Spend more time and talk to them about how good it is to learn by themselves. Shift your focus on the positive aspects but take into consideration the negative aspects too (day care employees’ background checks, compliance issues, hygiene, safety) to make sure that your son or daughter is in the best day care!

5. You can ask permission from the day care’s authorities if your children can bring along with them their blanket or favorite toy during the first days of their stay there so they will feel more comfortable in the new environment. Most day care centres will agree to this and this can make your child’s adjustments easier, smooth and fun- filled for both the child and the parents.

For more see: How to start a daycare

Three Important Questions For Your Daycare

Opening a daycare center has many rewards that make it attractive to many individuals. The rewards are both financially and emotionally gratifying. There are many steps in starting your own daycare and it would be well to make sure that you do these steps properly to ensure the success of your business and avoid possible causes of headache for you. Before you begin your endeavor, you might want to ask yourself these three questions:

1. What do I intend to achieve in opening a Daycare?
Answering this question will allow you to set everything in motion. You will have to plan and see how you will meet your goals. Based on your goals you will have to determine how you plan to get there and the necessary steps that will make sure that your goals become reachable. This question will include how big you want your daycare to be and how much income you want to earn from it. It will also allow you to determine how many children you will be taking care of. This question will make you really think if you want to open a daycare or not. You have to be realistic since your answer to this question will affect the other two questions that follow. Think carefully and asses all the factors and find out if this endeavor will really make you happy since doing the job that makes you happy can make you go far.

2. How do I achieve my goals in opening a daycare?
Once you have set your goals, you need to think about the step by step process of achieving that goal. Make sure that the process is doable or you just end up making a disaster. Careful planning is required. You will have to do the step by step procedure in opening your daycare. You will have to consult your local government regarding rules and regulations and also the necessary licenses and permits that you need to open your business. You will also have to set all your materials and other important things that you will need to operate your business. In answering this question other questions will arise and you would need to deal with those questions as seriously as possible.

3. What do I need to make this all achievable?
This last question can be the most difficult to answer. It entails your making a commitment and standing by your decision. Opening your business is not only going to be difficult financially but it can also be emotionally and physically taxing since you will need a lot of things done. You will need to be really patient and have the necessary perseverance to overcome your obstacles. Opening a business is never easy and if you give up easily you will just be wasting your time.

Answer these questions as honestly as possible. Answering them truthfully and correctly will determine the success of your business. Don’t be afraid to ask help if you need it. There are a lot of resource materials and support groups you can use to help you out.

See: How to start a daycare business

Equipment Needed When Starting Daycare Center

Starting your daycare business can be financially rewarding if you do all the right things needed in this type of business. There is always a market for this type of business as more and more parents work full time, making it necessary for them to leave their children to daycare centers.

Daycare business involves kids, a lot of kids so it is necessary that you enjoy being with them aside from knowing how to handle them. While caring for a number of children can be fun, there will also be times when you find your hands full as they have various needs to be fulfilled. Children will be playing around so the risk of having some minor accidents will always be present. It is necessary, therefore, that first aid kits are readily available in your facility and that you or someone else have the proper training to administer them.

Toys are a must in a daycare center. They keep the children occupied and busy, having fun and learning at the same time. Think of having toys that will be educational but also safe for the children. Dangerous toys must be avoided at all cost. Hard toys, when thrown at a child, can knock him down. You must also make sure that the toys do not contain any harmful chemical that could affect the health of the children under your care.

Books are necessary in a daycare facility. Children enjoy when books are read to them; they have fun and they learn at the same time. Show them books with colorful pictures and make them interact with what they saw.

State regulations require sleeping mats for daycare centers. The children under your care must be provided with afternoon nap as this will refresh them and give them renewed energy for the rest of the day.

Photos of the children's parents or guardians must be kept in the daycare center. You need to make sure that the person picking up a child at the end of the day is the right person. You do not entrust the child under your care to strangers who will claim that they are the relatives or friends of the parents. To avoid this kind of situation, you must require parents to submit the names and photos of persons who are authorized to pick up the child from your daycare center. This could be done right during the enrollment period.

Daycare centers can be financially rewarding aside from giving you the enjoyment of being with children but it comes with a lot of responsibilities which you can easily handle if you know what you need to stay in business.

For more information visit: How to start a daycare center

Staffing A Daycare Center

A daycare center does not need so many occupations to be fully staffed. Aside from the Administrator, who is usually the owner of the center, and the Childcare Director, a daycare center needs only preschool teachers, teacher assistants, child care workers, and office and administrative support like clerks, building cleaners, cooks, and drivers. There could also be a number of volunteers but they usually come and go depending on their availability to work and the need for workers in the daycare center.

Daycare centers' staffing requirements are imposed by the State and by the insurance companies. While requirements vary from state to state, generally teachers must be at least 18 years of age and the Administrator and the Program Director must be at least 21 years old. Most states require teachers, teacher assistants and child care workers to complete a certain number of hours training every year in addition to the criminal record checks required of every staff member of the daycare center. Most states have the required minimum educational or training requirements for all the staff members beginning from the Administrator or Director who gets the most stringent requirement down to the child care workers and the support staff.

Daycare Center Managers
Comprising a mere 4 percent of the industry's workforce, Administrator and Child Care Center Program Director establish the overall objectives of the daycare center. They set the standards for service and instructions to be carried out in the center, provide day-to-day supervision of the teachers, teacher assistants, child care workers, and volunteers in the daycare center. The Administrator and Program Director share the responsibility for program development that improve the over-all performance of the staff in the center, as well as designing the marketing plans and strategies of the business aspect of the daycare center. They also take charge of other functions such as budgeting, staffing, and the day-to-day supervision of the staff.

In most states, a daycare director/administrator must have a college degree, accompanied with experience in a child care facility and training in early childhood development.

Preschool teachers
Preschool teachers comprise the largest number of workers in the child daycare business, accounting for almost 32 percent of the workforce. A preschool teacher is an early educator who teaches children from infancy to age 5, the period covered by early child education. Their main responsibility is to teach the children basic physical, social, and intellectual skills they will need by the time they enter primary school. Requirements vary from state to state but generally, preschool teachers are required to have credentials in Early Childhood Education which could come in the form of a Child Development Accreditation (CDA) or formal college units in Early Childhood or related subjects.

Preschool instruction refers to teaching in non-public centers and they could be in the form of a licensed childcare center, preschools, family day care center, home daycare center, and programs that are funded by federal money like Head Start and those that are funded or operated by non-profit or religious organizations. Preschool teachers need to work well with young children as young as 2 years and 9 months old. They should interact well with these young children whose attention span is very short thus requiring activities ranging from playing games, playing with toys, and listening while being read to by their teacher.

Teacher Assistants and Child Care Workers
Teacher assistants and child care workers care for and nurture children who are in the stage before entering formal schooling. Older children are also supervised before and after school when their parents are not yet home from their work. They attend to the children's needs while their parents are away from work or other activities by providing for the children's basic needs. They organize activities of the children while they are in the daycare center and they implement the curriculum that is designed to stimulate the children's physical, emotional, and intellectual growth. These workers help children discover and explore their individual interests and talents, build their self-esteem and learn how to socialize with other children.

Assistants and child care workers are usually required to have a high school diploma, and in some cases, a combination of college education and experience in dealing with young children. They may also be required to have training in early childhood development. In addition, they are also required to undergo training on health and first aid, fire safety procedures, and child abuse detection and prevention. In many cases, daycare centers hire only workers who are credentialed by a nationally recognized child daycare organization.

Office and administrative support
There are a myriad of activities and tasks in the daycare center that must be performed by a host of workers other than the teacher, teacher assistants and child care workers. The office must be staffed by clerks and receptionists who can attend to the needs of the parents, visitors, and those inquiring about enrolling their children in the daycare center. There are no specific requirements for office clerks other than the usual qualifications required of any office workers. They must be familiar with basic computer functions, must be adept at filing documents, and must be able to handle telephone calls and inquiries from the public.

The kitchen must be staffed by cooks and helpers who will prepare the meals of the children and help serve them later. They must possess the basic knowledge of cooking and kitchen work, with special emphasis on ability to follow the requirements of the health code in running a kitchen and keeping food supply safe from contamination. They must be able to prepare food according to the nutrition requirement of the children they are going to feed.

Cleaning staff must have experience cleaning a place inhabited by children, keeping the area safe and sanitized. They must be familiar with the upkeep of the toys and other materials the children use in the daycare center.

Drivers must have a valid drivers' license and must have a good driving record. They must be experienced with driving vehicles with children on board.

Just like the administrator, teachers, and child care workers, the support staff must have criminal record clearance if they will be in direct contact with the children in the daycare center.

Hiring the most qualified staff members in a daycare center can spell the success or failure of its operation so all efforts must be exerted in designing good recruitment and hiring procedures.

See: How to start a daycare center

On-The-Job Training For Daycare Center Staff

Personnel of every child care center must be competent enough to provide the services necessary to cater to the individual needs of the children. The number of personnel of the daycare center must be able to provide the services needed and must be commensurate with the number of children being cared for. The number of the staff shall be determined by the following:

• Needs of the client children.
• Extent and kinds of services provided by the daycare center.
• Physical management of the daycare center.
• Presence of an emergency or disaster.

The daycare center may avail of the services of volunteers in order to meet the personnel need as long as such volunteers are supervised and will not be left alone with the client children. Volunteers who will provide any element of care to children must be at least 18 years of age.

All staff members of a daycare center must undergo an on-the-job training and must possess relevant experience and skills in the following areas:

• Principles of nutrition, menu planning, and food preparation and storage. Children in the daycare center must be fed at the prescribed time with specific meal requirements, staff members of the daycare center must have a working knowledge of food preparation and food handling. They should be given basic training on meal planning and must know basic principles of nutrition which will be very important in the health and physical well being of the children they care for.

• Universal health precautions. Staff members of a daycare center must be given training on basic housekeeping and sanitation principles. They should be familiar with the commonly accepted principles in health precautions so as not to expose the children to health risks like diseases and infections.

• Child care and supervision. Daycare center personnel must be provided training in order to make them competent in supervising and caring for children in the facility. They must know how to handle problem children, especially those with disabilities and other health concerns.

• Assistance with medication. Daycare center employees must be trained on how to provide assistance to the children when they have to take self-administered medications. They must be trained to know the proper dosages of medication that the children will be taking.

• Recognition of early signs of illness. Staff members must be trained on how to recognize signs when the children are sick and they should know when it is time to call for professional or emergency assistance.

• Availability of community resources and services. Employees of a daycare center must be trained how to utilize the help of the community when there is a need for such. In times of disaster or natural calamities, they should know where to ask for help or assistance or where to go in the case of an evacuation.

A well-designed on-the-job training can prepare daycare center staff members on how to handle different situations that could be involve a life or death situation for the children. The training will prepare the members of the staff for any eventuality that could arise in the daycare center.

See: How to start a daycare center

Daycare Center - Fire Evacuation Drill

Fire could occur anywhere, anytime. Even in a daycare center.

One way of mitigating the effects of fire is by being prepared. Many casualties in fires are due to the lack or absence of preparation so by the time disaster strikes, people just panic. It is not uncommon to hear of cases of people jumping out of windows during fire - avoiding the fire but not the instant death awaiting below.

Daycare centers, just like any building or establishment, is susceptible to fires also. No matter how one tries to be careful, there could always be a reason for fire to start. Even with preparation there will be always injuries or casualties in fires and the situation gets even worse in a daycare center because of the presence of very young children who will not know what to do if such disaster will happen.

A fire evacuation drill involving the staff members and the children in the daycare center must be periodically conducted to prepare them for such eventuality. This will prevent panic attacks because each staff member will know what step to follow and where to go.

The fire drill conducted periodically must follow the following procedures:

• Establish escape routes. At the sound of the fire alarm, staff members must know the escape route to follow from every point in the daycare center. Each individual should know that if he is in a specific place or room in the facility, which escape route is assigned for that area. This will prevent confusion that could result to people running against each other.

• Children to care for. Each staff member should know which children he is supposed to gather and lead towards the exit point. Having specific children assigned to a particular person will minimize the chances of leaving somebody behind in the confusion that normally follows a fire alarm bell. This will also pinpoint accountability in case a child is left out.

• Orderly evacuation. Evacuation must be done in an orderly manner. The area that is closest to the "source of fire" must be evacuated first followed by the next area and so on. Practicing on an orderly evacuation can prevent panic and confusion when the situation is for real.

• Exit doors. Exit doors must be clearly marked for the purpose and they must remain unlocked while the daycare center is open for business. As much as possible, these exit doors must open outward for convenience and easy of exit. It will be difficult to open an inward door especially when there is a rush to get out.

• Designated evacuation area. There should be one designated evacuation area where everybody is supposed to meet and gather after exiting from the building. There could be an alternative evacuation area when the main area is not safe for evacuation.

While panic and confusion cannot be totally avoided in case of fire, constant practice of the procedure during fire evacuation drills give everybody in the daycare center a "feel" of the situation which will give them a degree of confidence handling a real emergency situation.

For more info visit: How to start a daycare center

Tax Write Offs For Your Childcare Business

A tax write off is a tax deduction. They are the expenses that are normally incurred in the operation of a business and therefore are deductible from the taxes you are supposed to pay to the IRS. By knowing your legitimate tax deductions can dramatically decrease your tax payment, leaving you more money for your income or business profit.

Tax write offs or tax deductions are available not only to large businesses or corporations but to home based business as well. Your childcare center, being a home-based business, is entitled to a lot of tax deductions. Having your childcare business in your home will free you from the expenses that normally go to rent payment and in addition, you can have a tax write off because of your use of your home space for your business. If you dedicate one half of your house for your childcare business, you will be entitled to a 50% write off of your rent or mortgage payments from your tax payments.

By allocating a specific portion of your home to your childcare center entitles you to write off the expenses for that portion of the house. The portion of the house should be specifically for the use of your home based business only and not for anything else, otherwise you will lose your tax deduction for that portion of the house. You utilities consumption for the portion of the house dedicated to your childcare business is also eligible for tax deduction. They include water, electricity, gas, and telephone bills if they are all used in the operation of your home based business.

Upgrades or renovations done on the portion of the house dedicated to your home childcare business can be tax deductible also. When you put dividers, added carpets or linoleums, repainted the daycare area, added more lighting fixtures, installed air conditioners, and other upgrade works will add up to the amount that will be deductible from the taxes you will pay the government.

Food supplies that are consumed by the childcare center are also tax deductible. When shopping for food supplies, you have to separate the receipts of those items that go into the childcare center from the items that your family will be consuming.

Another item that is tax deductible is mileage and gas consumption related to the operation of your home based childcare center. When you have to drive your client children around, like in a field trip or trip to the museum, your mileage and gas consumption will be tax deductible. Trips to the grocery in order to purchase food supplies for the children and trips to the bank to deposit payments made by the parents will be included also in this category of tax write off.

There are a lot more of items that you can deduct from your tax payments. All you need to do is do a little research to learn which can be included in your tax write offs. A good option is to avail of the services of a tax professional who can advice you on what to include in your tax write offs.

See: How to start a childcare business

Running A Daycare Out Of Your Home

If you are thinking of putting up a daycare business but are intimidated by the possible cost of buying the materials and supplies needed plus the cost of renting a place for your daycare center business, you can stop worrying now. There is a place that you don't have to rent for your daycare center - your home.

Running a daycare center right in your home will bring you extra income while at the same time you are taking good care of your own children. By having other children in your home will give your own children playmates and friends while at the same time you are earning money.

First thing to consider is what part of your house should be devoted to the daycare center. Definitely, you are not going to devote the whole house to the daycare center as you will want to preserve the privacy of some parts of the house. After deciding which portion of the house will be for the daycare center, the next step is to renovating such area so it will fit into the requirements of the business. You will need later to purchase books, supplies, toys and foods for the children you will be caring for.

After getting your house ready for the daycare center, the next step is to familiarize yourself with the rules and regulations governing daycare centers in your state. Be familiar with the required ratio of children to the caregivers so if you intend to accept a number of children beyond what you are legally allowed to care for, you should be ready to recruit and hire additional caregivers.

After knowing all the requirements and having everything ready in your home daycare center, you will have to apply for a license for your home-based daycare center. You cannot legally operate your daycare center with the state license and no parents will entrust their children to you unless you can show your license or accreditation.

Budgeting is an important aspect of your operation that you have to pay attention to as this will enable you to come up with the amount you will be charging your clients. Remember that you started your business in order to make profit so you should not be operating on the losing end. You should not be spending on supplies, utilities, and food more than what your clients are paying you.

Protect yourself and the children you are caring for by having contracts with their parents. The contract should include the amount of money the clients should pay you and the extent of services you are going to give them.

Getting liability insurance will cover you in case of any accidental injury or death in the daycare center. Children are accident-prone and no amount of caution on the part of the caregivers can totally eliminate the risk of accidents. In the eventuality of such accident, your insurance will cover the medical expenses as well as any other damages that you may be found liable to pay for later.

Running a daycare out of your house is no easy endeavor but it is doable as long as you do your research and you work hard.

For more info visit: How to start a daycare center

Hiring Child Care Providers

Once your daycare center starts its operations and you have shown to the initial clients that you really meant business, more and more clients will be coming in. Before you knew it, the number of clients you have is way too much to handle by yourself - you need help. You will have to hire additional child care providers to enable you to provide the same quality care to your clients.

Hiring personnel is easy but getting the right person for the job is a difficult matter. You must hire a person who will be able to care for the children in your center in the same manner that you do. The following are some guidelines when hiring a child care provider:

1. Experience is important but it should not be the only factor to consider in hiring. Character references provided by relatives or friends whom the applicant has babysat for will give you a good idea if the applicant can handle the job he is applying for. An applicant can have many years of experience but if he cannot provide any good character reference, you still cannot be sure if he is the right person you are looking for.

2. Ask if the applicant is willing to commit to the job for a long time. He might be interested only in getting some experience in your daycare center and leave afterwards. A daycare service should provide love, consistency, and reassurance that the children are in a safe environment. Constant changes of personnel will create the opposite impression. Parents will not feel secured every time they see a new care provider for their children. Children also will not feel comfortable in the presence of a new person caring for them.

3. Provide a detailed job description to the person you are going to hire. Before he starts working, you have to make clear with him what his duties and responsibilities will be. This could prevent any misunderstanding that might arise if the new hire is not really sure of what he is supposed to do. You have to be patient in explaining and repeating to your new employee everything that he has to learn and understand. You cannot relax until you are sure that he has the feel of his job.

4. Have a probation period, from 30 to 60 days, for the new hire to find out if he is really cut for that position. This is the period to observe your new employee to see whether he really has genuine interest and love of children. His patience with children will also be tested during this probation period. If the new hire is not performing well or is unable to relate to the children he is caring for, the best and only option is to terminate his services. Do not be afraid to do it as you are protecting the interest of your business as well as the interest of the children under your care.

Hiring the right persons to help you run your daycare center will guarantee the continuous success of your business.

See: How to start a childcare service

What Is The Childcare Industry All About

Researches and studies made toward learning more about the child care industry shows that child care providers such as pre school teachers, teacher assistants and child care workers make up about 80 percent of the wage and salary jobs. Mainly, these workers except the teachers do not really have any college degrees; this is considering the minimal training necessary for the job. It has also been observed that many of these child care providers are only working part time, while the other percentage works more than 8 hours a day. On the other hand, a high turn over rate in this industry is also observed due to the lack of benefits and small salaries.

Nowadays, most couple handles two or more jobs and their main concern is on finding quality child care for their children. These parents usually leave home early in the morning and finish work late and ensuring that the kids are well taken cared of is one great concern. Most of these parents too don’t have the option of having relatives to take care of their children so there is an increase in child care providers.

There are actually three categories of child care – inside a child’s own home or a nanny service; second is in a child care provider’s home and third is in an organized child care facility. Day care services provided by school and companies are included in the organized facilities. Some schools provide before and after school programs for kids whose parents need to work real early or would come home late from work.

If you are considering putting up your own child care facility, you are probably wavering between an organized day care facility and a home day care facility. More formal kinds of child care facility include preschools and day care centers located in business areas, building or commercial areas. But the bigger portion of this industry are home based day care providers which are basically home owners that welcome children into their homes for a fee and takes care of them while their parents are working.

While the demand for day care services is indeed large, the competition is also huge. Along with many paid child care services, many non-profit organizations also offer taking care of kids for free. Parents may find these in religious organization, the YMCA and other social centers, colleges and sometimes, even offices.

In some offices, employers provides a subsidized or free child care to make sure that their employees with kids can concentrate on their work and not worry about their kids. If these offices are not big enough to accommodate a day care facility, some employers would provide financial assistance for parents to afford day care, and this would be a great opportunity for day care business owners that are near offices and commercial areas.

There are a lot of advantages and disadvantages of formal and home based day care facilities. It is really up to you to choose between these two areas.

See: How to start a childcare service

What The Daycare Center's Parent Handbook is all About

This editorial is mainly suitable for parents who are looking for childcare and daycare proprietors who are constructing strategies on what their daycare center policy should be.

The major objective of a parent manual in the daycare setting is to set up rules and limits for the parent and daycare giver. Without limits and rules many subjects erupt which could have been shunned in the first place. It is tremendously important for you the parent to appreciate what your provider anticipates. As well as the provider, it is significant for you to lie along the ground work so that there will be no bewilderment lies between you and the parent.

Below is a directive that you may desire to follow concerning rules and standards recognized for your daycare center.

A parent manual about daycare centers ought to have the subsequent information:

1. Sick strategy: What are the guiding principles that the center will employ when a child turns out to be ill? When will the parent be called, how elevated does the hotness need to be for a parent to be asked to arrive and pick-up the kid? What if the child has an mysterious rash or loose bowel movements? Falls and strikes his/her head? What is the rule for re-entering childcare after being dwelling with sickness? What infectious diseases are not authorized in your center?

2. Pick-Up Child Policy: Issues ought to be addressed on who is fetching the kid, and what if somebody else shows up to pick up that kid and you don’t know about it. Are both parents as one or divorced and what is the agreement with custody. If there is a circumstances that a parent is not authorized to pick up a kid it would be shrewd to have authorized documents on sleeve stating the preparation by court. If a kid is walking from school or being picked up by your center there should be paper work on file stating these arrangements.

3. Tuition: A contract stating cost and payment should be packed out by both the parents and the daycare center. There ought to be a clear understanding of how several days the kid will go to and what the charge will be. There ought to also be an understanding of what charges there will be when a kid is not attending childcare.

4. Vacations and Time Off: Will the daycare supplier be taking off for a holiday and will the parents still require paying for childcare? What about urgent situation closings, what are the rules regarding this? What holiday’s will the center be stopped up and are they waged holiday’s or not.

5. Punishment and disorderly behavior: What are the regulations of the daycare center concerning punishment? What ages as well as what conducts does the center try to correct behavior? What is the daycare centers basis for cessation? What are the guiding principles established when talking to parents about troubles?

These are the basics of a day care parent manual. Remember that all concerns should be addressed in this manual; it is there to help the parent and the daycare center and particularly to protect the security of the kid.

For more information: How to start a daycare center

Why A Family Day Care Is Important

You probably have several reasons for choosing to hire the services of a family daycare other than other types of daycare available. This is due to the fact that there are countless experiences when it comes to the various risks and dangers children face at childcare facilities.

1. You can take advantage of quality care from a family daycare. Children will experience how it is to be treated like a true family member since the setting is just in a typical home. Children can also be given all the attention that they need and can therefore form bonds within the whole family daycare as well. Entering a family daycare can also help the child become accustomed to dealing with other types of people other than his or her immediate family which will help him or her become much more independent and sociable.

2. Family daycare services offers activities and educational knowledge. It is so much easier to work in a small group and create crafts and the like and play games as well. The caregiver will be able to help kids work on basic skills, and will be more involved with their safety and concerns. This can assist a child turn into a more confident, as well as to master basic skills for their age group.

3. You can enjoy field trips and outings in a family daycare center. Some activities that you can enjoy can be as simple as shopping and many others as well. You can have a much more enjoyable time doing this as well.

4. It is convenient to enter a family daycare because it has flexible rules and regulations. Compared to corporate centers, a family day care situated in the home may not charge you for being a couple of minutes behind or missing a day of care. They may even be keen to care for children for minor illnesses, allowing you to still report for work. They are usually more willing to work with you when there is a problem or conflict.

5. A family day care provider will get to be familiar with your child better than a well-built center. They will be more patient with your child, and will learn to handle their temper. A family day care giver will also be more receptive to your child’s needs. They will give more attention to allergies or special diets, and more thoughtful and reliable when dealing with unusual problems.

Overall, a family day care is the ultimate option for many thoughtful parents. A family day care provider can turn into a valuable friend and caregiver, and can help your child regulate without you better than a great facility. Your child will be a person in a family day care, not just a source of income.

See: How to start a daycare

Why Start a Daycare Business Now

There are several types of businesses out there you can venture in. But because many people have started their own businesses that are mostly focused on clothes, food, and beauty products, you have to realize that your business need to be focused on something else that is as saleable and as appealing as this other types of businesses.

Starting your own business requires great time and effort. If you are thinking of which type of business to invest your money in, you might want to consider starting your own Daycare business. This type of business could ensure you great profit because most parents nowadays are working too hard 5 days a week to provide a good life for their children. Therefore, your target market will automatically be parents of children who go to work early in the morning and arrive home late at night.

Working mothers need a safe place they could entrust their children to and this safe place is you Daycare. Therefore you have to make sure that you fulfill the demands of your customers by giving their children utmost care, experience and education at some point.

Starting your daycare business could be costly. There are several things you need to prepare for before you can actually start operating. Some of the things you need to prepare are the licenses and business permits required of any business to operate. Make sure that you are able to contact your local government and ask for a list of requirements they will require your business to have. Make sure that all your licenses, insurances and permits are authentic because Daycare business is a pretty serious and sensitive type of business.

Make sure that your Daycare Center evokes a homey and comfortable feeling to the children; like they are just at home learning and playing with their neighborhood friends. Children need to have a sense of security before they can actually feel at ease in a particular place therefore make your Daycare Center look colorful and child friendly.

Ensure that you have a variety of things you can offer to children to do like color, play, read and write. Make sure that you also have a special room where they could spend time watching educational shows and videos that they could enjoy and learn from at the same time.

Don’t forget that some parents require their children to take a nap in the afternoon so it might even be necessary for you to provide with relaxing mats or beds for the children to sleep on. Make sure that all the materials that can be found in you Daycare Center are child friendly and non-toxic to ensure the safety of the children.

In order for your Daycare Business to survive, make sure that you are able to establish a trusting relationship with your customers and the children. Make the parents feel secured and at peace to know that they entrusted their children with caring and loving individuals in a place that is more of like a home than anything else.

For more information see: How to start a daycare business

Your Child's on- site Interview Checklist

Here are some of the most important things you have to make sure of when it comes to a day care center for your child.

How does it LOOK?

1. Is it clean, colorful, and in good repair?
2. Is there a safe outside place to play?
3. Is it "child proof"?
4. Medicines and cleaning supplies are out of reach.
5. The fire evacuation plan is satisfactory.
6. Electrical outlets are covered or above children's reach.
7. Are there different areas for each activity and are you satisfied with the amount of space for each?
8. Are there at least 35 square feet per child of usable playroom floor space inside and at least 75 square feet per child of outside play space?
9. Are there sufficient numbers and a variety of toys that will appeal to your child and that are in good condition?
10.
Are the meals nutritious? Do they include foods your child will eat? (Ask to see a weekly menu.)
How does it SOUND?

1. Do the children's voices sound happy and are they at a reasonable noise level?
2. Are the caregivers' voices calm and caring?
3. Is there children's music or singing at some time during the day?
4. Are the staff talking in subdued tones?

The STAFF:

1. Are the caregivers actively involved with the children, not talking to each other, doing paperwork, or other unimportant things?
2. Is good and proper hygiene being practiced by the caregivers and everyone else in the center?
3. Are the parents encouraged to make unscheduled visits?
4. Do the caregivers establish rules that children can follow?
5. Do the caregivers spend time holding and talking to the children?
6. Are the caregivers warm and friendly toward the children?
7. Do the caregivers treat each child as an individual?
8. Is there a schedule of activities posted?
9. Is the discipline fair and consistent without yelling or hitting?
10. Are the children supervised at all times?
11. Do the caregivers talk to the children frequently, pleasantly, and in a way the children can understand?

The CHILDREN:

1. Do the children seem to be comfortable, happy, and enjoying themselves?
2. Are the children encouraged to be independent, allowed to "do it myself"?
3. Is there a balanced schedule that includes active and quiet times, group and individual times, and indoor and outdoor play?
4. Are the children comforted when needed?
5. Are the children actively engaged in a variety of "hands-on" activities appropriate to their age and interests?
6. Are the children allowed to make choices among a variety of activities and learning opportunities?

How do YOU Feel?

1. Do you feel your child will be taken cared for?
2. Do you feel the home/center evoke a safe and cheerful ambiance?
3. Do you feel your child can learn here?
4. Would you feel comfortable leaving your child here?
5. Would you feel comfortable calling or visiting unannounced at any time?
6. Would you feel comfortable talking and working with the caregivers?

If, after the visit, you are considering sending your child to this center or home, ask for several references, preferably parents whose children are already enrolled in that particular center of your choice. You might also want to contact these parents and ask them about their experiences with the center/home directly.

See: How to start a daycare center

Starting Family Daycare Business

One great business opportunity for women these days is to start a family daycare business. This is advisable for people who enjoy taking care of their kids, as well as earning money at the same time.

Here are some tips to start you own family daycare business.

1. PREPARE YOURSELF
You must be patient for you to last long in this of business since handling children can be stressful. Get first-aid and CPR training. Attend workshops and seminars about child care. This will help you especially on how to take care of children.

2. PREPARE YOUR HOME
Start by cleaning your home. See if you need to add a playroom and sleeping quarter. Paint the rooms with light colors. Fill it with stuffed toys, books, etc. Make sure that the rooms are childproof and there are no sharp objects and corners.

3. RUNNING THE BUSINESS
Give yourself a business name. You might as well get a business bank account. Make posters to advertise your business so that potential clients will go to your home. Start early to get all the requirements done.

Record all your daily transactions and keep all your receipts. Be organize. Set prices and fees, and stick with it. Create a time table for drop-offs and pick-ups. List the rules you want to implement. This could help your business to be on track.

Starting a Family Daycare could really exhaust you since there are a lot needed to be done. But always remember that taking care of children is a really fulfilling and rewarding job.

See: How to start a daycare business

Starting Your Own Daycare

Many mothers today are forced to find a job and they needed someone to leave their kids while they are at work. That is why they are seeking for daycare centers and demand for this business today is very high. If you plan to open a business, this is one opportunity you might want to consider.

The first step towards a profitable daycare center is the understanding of what makes them profitable.

Check out the regulations with local government. Most states require daycares to have a space for nap and play time. Some also requires a licensed teacher for every 15-20 children. Make sure to know the rules in your area, and your plan to meet these rules.

To start, you can operate first a small baby-sitting service with 2 to 5 kids. Even if you do have a large amount of capital to start with, it is recommended that you do start small and calculated operations on your day care center first, and then build upon your progressive successes.

Your daycare should be located on a main thoroughfare. Location is very important in a business since you want to attract potential clients without so much advertising.

Make sure to make rules for your daycare. List down all the transactions and keep the receipt. This could make your business organize and you will be able to see your progress.

Remember, a daycare’s priority is to make sure that all the children are safe and learning. In this way, you could guarantee your success in this business.

Like any other business, running a daycare facility entails costs, depending on the type of services provided. It can be as little as $500 for a home-based operation or more than $100,000 for a full-scale facility. Coming up with a budget is a must in order to assess what resources are available and determine the direction that the business is going to take. For those in the initial stages of putting up a daycare, a startup budget has to be drawn up.

Start-up costs are the expenses incurred before operations start or prior to opening. What constitutes a start-up budget? Foremost are fees for permits, insurance and equipment. Getting a permit costs just a few dollars a year while insurance premiums will depend on the size of the daycare. Equipment, which also includes furniture, certainly costs more but these are one-time purchases and can serve its purpose for a number of years. In addition, there are renovation and construction costs to meet licensing requirements and state fire and safety codes, major appliances, supplies and utility deposits for telephone, gas, water and electricity. Marketing expenses via newspaper ads and flyers should also be considered to reach out to more customers. Another essential budget item is personnel cost, including taxes, employee benefits. Auxiliary to this are the professional legal and accounting fees.

Start-up expenses for a daycare facility are proportional to its size and the range of services that it offers. Because of the numerous items to be factored into the budget, the costs can be overwhelming at the outset but could not compare to the potential earning possibilities and the reward of being able to work with children.

See: Starting Your Own Daycare

Qualifications to Start a Daycare

Many possess the entrepreneurial spirit and aim to have their own business. With the increasing number of children needing some form of childcare, starting a daycare is one opportunity that should be seriously looked into. Although it has a very good potential for profit, it is not for everyone. As with any worthwhile endeavor, a great deal of planning, training and determination is required.

Qualifications vary by state and the type of daycare provided. Most of those that provide home-based care don’t need college training in early child development to be licensed. For larger daycare facilities, a formal course or trainings in early childhood education is necessary, in addition to the years of experience in the field. Further, since running a daycare is a business, extra business courses would be helpful, although this is not a must. Fortunately, these courses are offered online so availing of them is more convenient for those who want to acquire more credentials.

Education and training are not the only prerequisites to be a good childcare provider. More importantly, she must make sure that she herself is suited in this type of career. Firstly, she must love children and possess the patience to be with them. Otherwise, caring for children on a daily basis would become very stressful to the emotions. Secondly, she has to be a people person. Running a daycare means dealing with parents as well and there will be times when opinions differ. This requires resolving conflicts and negotiating compromises in a businesslike manner. Thirdly, she must have a calm temperament to be able to handle the unpredictability of children. A daycare owner who has these qualities will find the business not only financially but emotionally rewarding as well.

With more and more women joining the workforce, an increasing number of families are now entrusting the care of their children to day care centers during working hours. The centers can be in the home of the child minder or a special facility.

There are three types of daycare programs that can be provided, depending on the number of children taken care of. The type that has childcare services for the most number is the day care center, which caters to seven or more children. A group daycare home renders its services to not more than twelve and the family daycare, from four to six children only.

A group daycare home can be a good source of income and the number of children to be attended to is very manageable. However, starting this kind of business is not easy because daycare centers are subject to several rules and regulations of the state where it is located. These have to be familiarized and complied with. Fortunately, the government provides information as well as assistance on licensing through the relevant social service agencies.

After the legalities, the childcare needs of the local area have to be determined, specifically the age group of the children and what time of day or what day of the week is care most needed. This affects the type of daycare program that a business owner will establish – one that could give the best service and at the same time be profitable.

Charge rates for the daycare have to be considered carefully, to strike a balance between having clients and being lucrative. It would be advantageous to know the going rate of daycares in the area and not charge more than this, unless an additional service is made available.

These are but a few matters that a potential group daycare service provider has to consider in advance; but, preparation would go a long way in making the business run smoothly.

For more information see: Qualifications to Start a Daycare

How to Start Your Own Daycare Center

It is easy to start your own daycare business but as all other businesses, you have to have enough money to do it. It is also good to have more than enough because you do not have to worry about getting short. If you are going to put up your own daycare center, there are several factors you should consider.

One, the students—who will they be? How old are they? Two, the parents—are they capable of putting their children to school? A daycare center is a school. Three, your location—is it accessible? Is it comfortable and safe? Four, security—will the kids be well-taken care of? Five, the tuition fees, books, and other miscellaneous fees—are they affordable? Six, the teachers or facilitators—who is going to teach? Are you going to hire teachers? How many? Seven, the school administration—who will be the principal or head of administration? Who will take care of the different departments? What are the departments to be established? Eight, business ownership—do you plan to have a partner? A corporation where you shall appoint a board of directors? Nine, the promotion and marketing—how do you plan to promote the center? What marketing tools do you need? Or do wish to promote it just by word-of-mouth? Ten, the registration and accreditation—who will fix all the necessary legalities needed for the center?

You may have realized now how it can be complicated to start a daycare center but that is only the beginning. Usually, starting is the most difficult. When you have established everything, it will be easier. A good well-thought business plan is what you need.

See: How to Start Your Own Daycare Center

How to Start My Own Daycare Business

A good business must be well-planned, well-established and well-promoted. Having a daycare business should have these three important elements. Since daycare business is already popular to many investors, it is imperative to have competitive advantage to gain more profits.

Even though it is difficult to set up a daycare business it is also considered to be one of the most exciting stage It should not have to be big at first. A group of six to ten kids would be a good start. In the learning industry, quality is the key not quantity. That is why, you should start with a blast.

Take note also of the basic steps in establishing your business. After careful planning, you can only see the results after implementation. By making all the necessary preparations such as securing a business permit and complying to the rules and regulations specified, you are on your way to success. Next, step is to organize your team by making specific committees who will handle specific duties needed by the business such as faculty, accounting, registration, and policies. The policy department shall be in charge of the contracts between school and parents, tuition fees, payment plans among other things. The faculty shall be in charge of the teaching module or lesson plans.

Your pilot batch or your first batch will be your best shot for marketing and promotion. If the kids enjoyed and the parents are satisfied, there is a good chance of your center being talked about, thus, creating a stir that shall bring more enrollees to your school for the coming years.

The first rule is universal and does not only apply to starting a daycare: Never start anything that you do not enjoy doing.

With the number of career women on the rise, daycare has become a lucrative business but it is not for everyone. For one, it is bound by many rules and regulations and there are many requirements to comply with to obtain a license. Hence, the daycare provider has to decide several matters beforehand such as the number of children, age group, government aid, food cost, insurance, to name just a few. Further, one must also be prepared for health codes to be followed, background checks and site inspections to be done by the state, personnel and record requirements, and certifications needed.

Someone who is thinking about operating a daycare should seriously think if she truly loves children. Loving her own children is not a good measuring stick because the children she will be taking care of in the center will not be related to her and she will be watching over them throughout the day, for probably five days in a week. In addition, since babies are part of families, there will be parents to deal with. Some daycare providers have shared that more problems arise between provider and parent than between provider and child. Sensitivity to these kinds of issues is essential so that relationship with the parents will not affect the care given to a child.

Others may possess the inherent gift of knowing how to deal with children and parents but nevertheless, limitless patience and experience is indeed needed.

See: How to Start My Own Daycare Business

How to Start a Home-based Daycare

The first thing to consider when starting a home-based daycare is that you need to have patience in taking care of children and a spacious home. Full-time housewives will benefit the most in running their own daycare. They will be able to spend quality time with their own child while watching other children and get paid for it.

Also reconsider the space that you need to use for a daycare. The place should be safe, free from exposed wires, and have no sharp corners. There should be an area for kids to play or nap. Decorate the rooms with toys and books. Some kids are really easy to please so you don’t need to spend a lot with the furnishings.

Now, decide on how you would like to run your daycare. Create a handbook, which state the hours of operation, the charges and fees, and your general policies. You will also need to spell out the requirements parents need to comply to get your services. For instance, they need to provide contact numbers in case of emergency. It is very important to have all of this noted to keep your business on track.

Another important step is getting first aid training. You might also want to attend child care seminars and courses. Many agencies provide these for free for people who are starting a daycare.

Last on your to-do-list is to advertise. Put up fliers at public bulletins. Give your business cards to friends, neighbors and relatives. There will always be a demand for reliable daycare!

Many of the families now are up to putting up their own businesses to suffice daily living. Though most of the husbands are working, housewives would need to contribute, especially if their children are sent to schooling already.

One of the best income generating home services is Daycare business. Here, your capital is mostly your home and patience with kids. Since the children are mostly out in the morning (maybe even the whole day) for school, you can have the whole space to house kids that can’t be supervised by their parents.

When you are decided with the home daycare business, it is advisable to get in touch with the local government or agency to at least register the said business. It will be more respectable if parents will know that you are a certified or a legal personnel to operate such kind of business. This will make them feel comfortable and all the more, trust you as the baby sitter of their own child. There are certain requirements that will be checked, so better adhere to prevent any kind of problem.

Start with a kid or two from an age bracket that you think can be handled well. Observe for about two weeks the habits and personal activities so you can adjust to their needs. At first, it might be difficult because they might be hesitant with you, but as a routine is established, they will get used to it and find enjoyment in the moments they stay with you. Patience is the biggest investment to reap good income!

See: How to Start a Home-based Daycare

How to Open Up and Start a Daycare

If you are looking for something to get busy on, browsing for a part time business and enjoying the company of children, then start a day care business. It will be worthwhile to earn when you do something you love or enjoy. Even how playful children are and you just have fun watching over them, then taking care of your young customers will definitely be not that difficult.

So you think this idea is perfect for you? It takes passion and determination to begin your new venture. So if you are ready, then take these pretty easy tips as you open up and start your very own daycare business:

1. Consult the community or local government unit regarding the requirements needed to put up the business (i.e. space, safety considerations, personal qualifications, registrations, licenses, etc.)

2. When you have qualified and achieved the requirements, scout for those who need your services through nearby schools, pediatric centers and neighbors.

3. Decide on the number. When you’ve got ideas as to who or how many needs daycare services, consider your capacity. Start with, say, one or two kids that you know. In that case, you can adjust better and easier.

4. Assess the efforts exerted, and if applicable, the materials you need in maintaining your services in good shape. From here, you would know how much is need to charge for your services. Make sure to propose a reasonable value so they can always consider your business.

You can now start your own daycare center if you have a spare room available inside your house or in your backyard. It should not be that big, unless you are really thinking of it as a profit-making business, then you should have bigger capital and it would be easier. But for those wish to start small, as long as you have enough space for the children to sit in, to play around, and to do their creative activities, you are good to go. The number of seats will depend on how many students you wish to handle. Six children will be a safe start. Strong plastic tables and chairs are very much advisable because kids love to run and play around, and hard wooden chairs could serve as hazards for them.

It doesn't have to be very legalistic at first. Your primary objective is to make an atmosphere of fun and learning because that is what the kids want. Always consider what are the kids' wishes. Before gathering the kids you could at least prepare the place to become comfortable and exciting as possible. You could put colorful paints or attractive wallpapers. A good idea is to use popular cartoon characters as a theme for your place. It is maybe common for adults but it works for kids. Decorate the room with big letters and numbers, and cut out pictures of known persons, animals, or things. This familiarity will help improve their memory. Arts materials should not be very expensive. Choose generic instead of the branded ones but do not sacrifice the safety of the kids from possible toxics.

Always remember that you are dealing with kids, so proper handling and gentle caring is all it takes!

See: How to start a daycare business