day care curriculum

sherthebear

I've heard people mention that a pro for a daycare center over in-home daycare is the curriculum. What kind of curriculum would they have for an infant? Just curious as I start to think about these things.

azuremama

Ours has very little curriculum for the babies and that doesn't bother me.  Even the toddler room is mostly free play, and I prefer that.  They still have some curriculum, like they sing songs, read stories, do art, etc., but I really believe that kids learn better from play for a long time.  I like daycare for the social reasons, and as DS gets older, the curriculum matters more to me, but as an infant, I can't say that curriculum meant much.

yellowcar

Ours uses a curriculum called "Creative Curriculum"

www.creativecurriculum.net

It's NAEYC affiliated, and they have specific outcomes.  Every activity that they do with the kids is linked to an outcome (like social/emotional development, gross motor skills, fine motor skills, etc) and the teachers constantly assess and report to parents and accreditation org's.  

Some of the activities that they do are extremely simple, like finger painting on a mirror (fine motor skills, self-awareness) or water play (cause and effect, gross motor skills), singing, dancing, etc.  Basically every activity has a purpose, a goal/outcome and skills assessment.

Can you tell my background is in training and I eat this stuff up?  The other parents are probably like, "yeah, whatever..."!

Maybride2

The curriculum for infants at our daycare was really simple and pretty repetitive, but dealt with infant development - rolling over, sitting up, motor development, baby signs, etc.

MrsAmers

It's considered curriculum for accreditation, but it is really just activities in my book.  Music class, art activities, reading time, holiday decorations and "crafts".  In our daycare, it is about exposing them to different activities and lots of times there are themes.  For example, they might have a week about animals and play with animal toys all week.  Or have a fall themed week and play with squashes and gourds one day.

It really isn't about structured play, it is about structuring the things they are exposed to, IME.

Taylor44

For infants, it is fairly simple, just your normal mobile functions.  Rolling, sitting up, crawling, etc.  It is once they reach the age of 1 that a "visible" curriculum starts.  I credit my DC with a large part of my son's learning.  A lot of people comment on his wide variety of words for his age.

mauceddie

Eh, I think people are deluding themsevles if they think a structured curiculum is benefitical over play and cuddles for kids who are under 12-18 months old.

AlisaS

It isn't that it is structured for the kids, it is that sensory experiences and specific interactions are organized and built in to each day.  It isn't some person who is simply babysitting your infant with the TV on all day.

For example, my daycare did lots of things with the babies - books, pictures, different types of objects to touch and explore. They had infant balls and little climbers, etc. They had little baby pools with cornstarch and water so the kids could play and get messy along with lots of other messy goo.  Balls, and scarves and mirrors....Older kids obviously do other developmentally appropirate activities.

It was very developmental. No one is saying daycare centers are having infants do calculus.......

 

Maybride2

mauceddie:

Eh, I think people are deluding themsevles if they think a structured curiculum is benefitical over play and cuddles for kids who are under 12-18 months old.

DS got plenty of play and cuddles as in infant in daycare as well.  Why do you think that having a curriculum means that there isn't play and cuddles?

Alisa said it well - I liked looking on DS's weekly "curriculum" sheet to see all of "activities" they did with the babies.  I knew he wasn't being put in a swing and left there while the caregiver updated her Facebook and watched Soaps.  And they did all sorts of things with him that I wouldn't have thought of doing at home.

mauceddie

Maybride2:

mauceddie:

Eh, I think people are deluding themsevles if they think a structured curiculum is benefitical over play and cuddles for kids who are under 12-18 months old.

DS got plenty of play and cuddles as in infant in daycare as well.  Why do you think that having a curriculum means that there isn't play and cuddles?

Alisa said it well - I liked looking on DS's weekly "curriculum" sheet to see all of "activities" they did with the babies.  I knew he wasn't being put in a swing and left there while the caregiver updated her Facebook and watched Soaps.  And they did all sorts of things with him that I wouldn't have thought of doing at home.

I dont' think that having a curriculum means that there isn't play and cuddles.

I just dont' think a curriculum is necesary at all for infants. Anyone with half a brain can stimulate an infant, IMO. Their needs are pretty basic.

If your daycare provider is just watching soaps and facebooking, then she doesn't have half a brain and shouldnt' be watching children.

yellowcar

mauceddie:

Eh, I think people are deluding themsevles if they think a structured curiculum is benefitical over play and cuddles for kids who are under 12-18 months old.

I really disagree.  And I think most child development experts would disagree too.  I think when a teacher can link activities with outcomes it helps with planning, organization, and school readiness.  I would much prefer a teacher who has a lesson plan (yes, even with an infant) than one who just hugs a child and lets them free play all day.  I know there are daycares with less of a structured model and more of a freeplay philosophy (Montessouri, for one), but that so would not have worked for my DD.

Every single thing an infant/early toddler does when awake is linked to learning.  I appreciate a DCP that recognizes that and focuses on it.  And talk to any kindergarten teacher--there is so much of an emphasis on school readiness now, that it is never too early to focus on teaching and learning.

AlisaS

I definately have more than half a brain and I am extremely appreciative of all of the things I have learned from my daycare providers. The activities, their knowlege of child development, and the incredible amount of affection they show my boys!

Sadly, there are many daycare providers who have no clue about child development or how to care for children. If I am paying someone to watch my kids, I want more than that. Will it make my kids super babies? No.

Is it better than some untrained person who doesn't understand the basics of child development? Uhm, I think so. I think there is an obvious difference between a trained, knowledgable daycare provider who has specific tasks and activities to do with their children..... and a babysitter.

 

mauceddie

yellowcar:

mauceddie:

Eh, I think people are deluding themsevles if they think a structured curiculum is benefitical over play and cuddles for kids who are under 12-18 months old.

I really disagree.  And I think most child development experts would disagree too.  I think when a teacher can link activities with outcomes it helps with planning, organization, and school readiness.  I would much prefer a teacher who has a lesson plan (yes, even with an infant) than one who just hugs a child and lets them free play all day.  I know there are daycares with less of a structured model and more of a freeplay philosophy (Montessouri, for one), but that so would not have worked for my DD.

Every single thing an infant/early toddler does when awake is linked to learning.  I appreciate a DCP that recognizes that and focuses on it.  And talk to any kindergarten teacher--there is so much of an emphasis on school readiness now, that it is never too early to focus on teaching and learning.

I agree completely. That includes your caregiver playing with your child. Seriosly, they are infants. Do you reall think that at 5 years old, ones that had structured learning before 18 months are going to be ahead of those that didn't? I am making the basic assumption that any cargiver will play with an infant, do games that help them rolloever, etc. I did ths stuff with my own baby with no training. I assume anyone in chidcare would have half a clue about this. if not, they shouldn't be in childcare. You said it, ALL play is learning for a child.

ETA: I should add that at my centre they only do a curriculum for the preschool kids. It doesn't mean the younger ones don't do any activities, or sing, or dance, etc...

jlw2505

My center has art projects, songs, stories with the infants.  It has been a bit since I was in the infant room but they have the little ones finger paint, they sing songs, read stories.  They have a monthly theme in the room.  They do sign language.  Yes, most of the day is free play but they do tummy time and group time but they also work around the babies schedules so while some are sleeping, some are doing finger painting or other games that invovle feeling different textures, hearing stories, singing songs.  It is great.  As the kids get older and move into the Busy Baby room and then the toddler and preschool rooms, it is mnore defined and scheduled but always includes a good amount of free play.  Dance parties are part of the fun including going outside twice a day.  When outside they have free time but also do group acitivites.

Maybride2

I think it's pretty obvious that we're all talking about the same thing. 

Just because my daycare has a "curriculum" for the infants doesn't mean that they have structured days with real curriculums.  It's just semantics.  They're doing different developmental activities with the infants during the day, and writing it down on paper as being their workplan so that it fits with the theme of a "Learning Center".  The parents get weekly curriculum plans just to know what kinds of stuff they're doing........but I'm sure that none of the teachers used it as the One and Only way to conduct the room that week.  And the curriculum was never much more than "rolling over, singing song, exploring sense of smell, etc."  Things that anyone with "half a brain" would be doing with their infant anyway.

Again, it's just semantics.

AlisaS

mauceddie:

yellowcar:

mauceddie:

.

 

I did ths stuff with my own baby with no training. I assume anyone in chidcare would have half a clue about this. if not, they shouldn't be in childcare.

If you did all of the types of activities with your child that they do at my daycare and have the same skills and knowledge base, you are fantastic and I applaud you.

I don't think a lot of people who provide childcare have a clue. Take a look at the Bump any day and you see a bunch of women trying to take kids in in order to SAH.  Any interest in child development and a curriculum is third, well behind $$$ and their own kids.

I am not paying someone good money to cuddle and tickle my kids and wave some books in front of their faces.

Again, infants aren't being taught advanced mathematics. A curriculum helps to ensure accountability and structure for the providers  - and the kids get to benefit, too.