How To Choose The Best Daycare For Your Child

Discovering Montessori

As a parent, you want to find a daycare center with a staff that makes you feel at ease every time you drop off your child. You want to find the best daycare in Plano that stimulates your child’s thinking and imagination. Discover what qualities to look for in a daycare and learn about some of the merits of giving your child a Montessori education.

A Qualified, Dedicated Staff of Instructors

Instructors and staff members set the tone of a daycare. When evaluating a daycare’s staff ask about the qualifications of the instructors. Are they required to have college degrees? Or, do they have another type of training for work in the classroom? Sit down with the director of the daycare and ask about teacher qualifications to better determine the type of instruction your child will receive.

Ask the director if you can talk with the instructor who’d be teaching your child. This will give you the opportunity to ask about the teacher to student ratio to find out how much attention each student receives in a typical classroom. Talking with the instructor and any assistants in the class can give you a feel for how dedicated and excited they are about the important work they do.

A Clean, Safe Learning Environment

Cleanliness and safety are two other qualities to look for when looking for the best daycare in Plano. The daycare’s director will likely give you a tour of the facility. Are the floors, tables and desks free of dirt and stains? What about the bathrooms? Are they clean and well-stocked with soap and paper towels? Also, checkout the condition of the kitchen. Is it clean and well-organized for serving breakfast and/or lunch to students each day? A daycare that’s kept clean is less likely to harbor a lot of bacteria and germs that can spread illness through a group of kids. A clean facility is a sign that the owners care about serving students to the best of their ability.

A daycare with a safe learning environment has basic features such as a trustworthy security system, a playground with up to date equipment and a plan for evacuation due to fire. Staff members also play a role in keeping students safe. Be sure to ask some questions about the safety training of staff members. Are they required to have CPR and first-aid training? Do they know the Heimlich maneuver? The staff members of a reliable daycare will be well-prepared for emergencies.

A Wide-Ranging Program of Instruction

A wide-ranging program of instruction includes lots of subjects taught in an age appropriate way to students. When your children receive a Montessori education in Plano, they are exposed to many subjects including science, technology, engineering, math and language. These and other subjects and skills are taught while encouraging a child to be self-directed in order to discover his or her own talents. The best daycare in Plano will make sure that your child is more than prepared to start elementary school when the time comes.

Daycare Services for Kids of Various Ages

When choosing the best daycare in Plano be on the lookout for a place that serves kids of many ages. The daycare should serve children from infancy through kindergarten. That way, if you decide to register your child at the daycare as a baby or even a two-year-old, he or she can move up to the next class each year in the same familiar environment.

Great Instructional Materials

A first-rate daycare uses quality materials and supplies in the classroom. Books, paper, toys, writing utensils, art supplies and equipment used in simple science experiments are all modern, high quality materials. Not surprisingly, the quality of the instructional materials contributes to the success of the lessons taught in a classroom.

Excellent Communication with Parents

Take a close look at the level of communication a daycare maintains with the parents of its students. Is there always someone available to take a call from a parent even if it’s not an emergency? Is there a protocol in place for contacting a parent in the event that their child becomes ill? Does the daycare send out a newsletter giving parents the lowdown on upcoming events and activities they can participate in with their child? Maintaining a high level of communication with parents is a sign you’re dealing with the best daycare in Plano.

Have All of Your Questions Been Answered?

It’s a good idea to make a list of the questions you have for the daycare’s director. A clear sign of a reliable, professional daycare is a director who is more than happy to answer whatever questions you have about its services, classes, features, etc. The owner of a quality daycare understands that parents want to feel completely at ease with the staff and facility where their child will spend time. In fact, if you think of other questions after meeting with the daycare’s director, that person should be more than willing to answer those as well.

An Inviting Place to Learn

One of the most important things to consider as you search for the best daycare in Plano is the way you feel when you walk in the front door. Are you greeted in a warm way? Is it a peaceful atmosphere where staff members seem to be happy to see you and your child? Classrooms with plenty of natural light, activities and a friendly décor are definitely a plus. Walking into a daycare and taking a tour with the director or another staff member can certainly leave you with a solid impression of a daycare center.

We are proud to offer a Montessori education to young children who live throughout Plano as well as Carrollton, The Colony, Addison, Frisco, Richardson and North Dallas. We invite you to drop by our daycare for a complete tour and checkout all we have to offer you and your child!

Learn more:

Why Parents Need to Know About Montessori

Choosing Daycare Near Work or Home