This post is sponsored by KinderCare but all the opinions are my own

As we celebrate Kai’s 2nd birthday, the topic of school and education programs dominates our family’s conversations. The task of choosing the right school can seem so daunting and overwhelming. After all, education is the cornerstone of a child’s development. When the opportunity came up to work with KinderCare to help families navigate this critical time, we were totally thrilled to be walking through this process together. Today, I am writing down the top 3 things we look for in an education environment.

Purposeful Meaningful Play

We want Kai’s first exposure to education to be a positive exploration of self. So much of this comes from purposeful playtime to expand on gross & fine motor skills and cognitive skills. At KinderCare’s Toddler Daycare and Early Education for 1-2 year olds, every day is packed with meaningful play time that teaches Cognitive Development, Physical Development and Wellness and more. One of the examples I loved was their use of creative, pretend play. Children use toy gardening tools and prop plants and flowers to practice their imagination and motor skills.

Creative Expression

Kai showed an intense interest in music and arts at a really young age. I strongly believe the inclusion of creative programs into education curriculums can have immense benefits to a child’s development. Playing the toy guitar as young as 10 months old, Kai was able to practice her motor skills, learn to express her emotions through music and also learn social skills of playing music for a loved one. At KinderCare, creative expression is one of the main pillars of development. Kids 1-2 years old create art using materials like crayons and clay, move creatively with other kids to learn body awareness and build social skills plus explore music through games and songs.

Safety, Health, and Security

One of the hardest things to do is walking away from your child on the first day of school. In the back of my mind, the most basic yet important question is always going to be “is my child safe?” That’s why when exploring an Education Facility, it’s always a good idea to explore the safety protocols in places and ask critical questions to make sure your child is cared for the way you would. It’s a great idea to ask about emergency training of the staff, understand what security measures are in place. Lastly, ask about the certifications of the caregivers. It’s a good idea to know the extent of their early childhood development training and certifications. It’s also important for us to know if the caregivers passed a background check and have been properly trained in emergency situations. I loved the question checklist KinderCare outlined while evaluating child care centers. These are great thought starters and we will certainly make sure all are addressed at our visit.

This process can be such a huge step for our family. I’d love to know more about what it was like for your little ones! Head to Instagram to join the conversation! Also, be sure to check out KinderCare to learn more about their approach to learning and Inclusion Philosophy.