When it comes to the care and development of our children, picking the right daycare is a monumental decision for any parent. You know how crucial a role that early childhood education can play in your toddler’s development, so you want the center that best allows their little mind and body to flourish. But there are so many choices! Most of them have pretty good reviews! How can you tell which ones are just average, and which ones are truly exceptional? Hint: It has little to do with how much they charge for tuition! The most expensive daycares in the Lewis Center area does not automatically mean they are the best. Instead of price alone, here are 5 of the best things to look for as you go tour daycares:

1) Unique and Innovative Educational Curriculum

Education is the cornerstone of any stand-out daycare. Going well beyond basic supervised childcare, these schools integrate innovative educational programs tailored to your child’s specific developmental stage. These usually fall into two categories: Structured Learning and Play-Based Learning. With structured learning they sit at a table and are given a page to color, a craft to work, some construction paper to cut and glue, or other simple task that uses their hands and mind, developing fine motor skills and problem-solving. With Play-Based Learning, what looks like a toy is actually an education in disguise. Perhaps it’s building blocks, a memory game, or playing dress up. It’s imaginative play, physical excercise, and complex problem solving all wrapped up into one!

Penguin Crossing has a phenomenal curriculum, supplemented with rich extracurricular activities, that make bringing your child(ren) to school easy and fun! Schedule a Tour today and we can show you all about it.

2) Exceptional Teachers

The beating heart of any outstanding daycare is their teachers. After all, this is the person, or people, who will be spending the direct time with your child day in, and day out. It’s no secret that the childcare industry has been challenged lately with finding reliable, reputable teachers. When you tour, you’ll want to ask specifically to meet the teacher who will be watching your child if you join. You can observe how they act in the classroom, and you can note aspects like caregiver-to-child ratio (the lower, the better) and how much personalized attention each child is receiving. Most of all, you can visualize your child in that room, and ask yourself if it seems like a good environment and if they would be happy.

Penguin Crossing Academy has tenured, credentialed teachers that are passionate about early childhood education, including some that have been with us 5+ years! Our teachers truly love what they do. Contact Us and we’ll be happy to show you around.

3) Holistic Child Development

Like most things in life, there can be too much of an otherwise good thing. A childcare center that stands out among the others won’t focus purely on academic achievements. These are babies and toddlers after all, and school doesn’t start for another few years! Instead, these daycares will be careful to offer the right blend of academics and holistic development. What is holistic development? Things like physical activities, sensory play, outdoor actitivies, field trips, creative arts, or opportunites to explore new interests and talents. Exceptional daycares keep your child excitedly guessing at the day’s activities by always bringing in something new and unexpected. Many times these can be centered around the holidays!

For example, at Penguin Crossing, we are having a special Thanksgiving Meal, with the opportunity for these littles to try new and different foods, like pumpkin pie! Be sure and schedule a tour to check out what we’re cooking up for the next holiday!

4) Clean, Modern and Safe Facilities

The physical environment of a daycare is a big factor in how well it stands out. The best daycares re-invest in state-of-the-art facilities and resources that enhance the learning experience. When you tour, you can watch for things like: How spacious are the play areas? Do the toys look relatively new? How clean are all the surfaces? Is there anything that jumps out to you as risky or unsafe?

Penguin Crossing has been proudly serving the Lewis Center OH area since 2006, but we have just recently unveiled a new state of the art childcare facility, boasting a large outdoor playground! Check out some pictures of our facility, or Book a Tour and see for yourself!

5) Communicative & Transparent Parental Involvement

Effective communication with you, the parent, is one of the biggest indicators of a stand-out daycare. These centers will often use electronic communication platforms to send you daily photos of your child at play, your child’s lunch, or what they’re working on that afternoon. These apps will also often chart your child’s developmental progress in an easy to understand format. They will also encourage parental involvement in various take-home activities, started at daycare and primed for you to finish together at home, making you into a champ in your child’s eyes!

Perhaps the best evidence of Penguin Crossing’s excellence in this area is testimonials from parents themselves! Check out our testimonials page and hear parents in their own words share how we are “easy to talk to, and work with you and your family’s needs!”

Conclusion:

We hope this has been a helpful guide to choosing a stand-out daycare. Childcare centers like these are characterized by a commitment to exceptional childcare, innovative education, holistic development, state-of-the-art facilities, and strong communication with parents. These elements all work in harmony to create an environment where your child can truly flourish and develop into well-rounded individuals, ready for their transition to school.

As you explore the many different options for childcare centers in Lewis City, we hope you’ll keep Penguin Crossing Academy in mind. Penguin Crossing Academy is a leading childcare center and preschool proudly serving the Lewis Center area in Columbus, Ohio since 2006. We are committed to providing the best quality childcare service, and holding fast to our commitment to offer a safe and loving environment. We have tenured, credentialed teachers that are passionate about early childhood education including some that have been with us 5+ years. We offer a phenomenal curriculum, supplemented with rich extracurricular activities, that make bringing your child(ren) to school easy and fun! Our location is bright, clean and state-of-the-art, with large outdoor playground. Schedule a Tour today, we would love to have your child be the newest member of our family!

Many working parents rely on daycare to return to their jobs. Daycare is a blessing for many parents, but daycare is not a replacement for parental care. Children need their parents to care for and raise them, so children shouldn’t be in daycare all day, every day.

But how many days–and hours during the day–is best for children to be in daycare?

The answer to this question is largely based on the child’s age. Let’s look at some of the factors to consider when finding the ideal schedule for your child.

Infants

Infants under one year are still forming a parental-child bond. For this reason, infants shouldn’t be away from their parents or relatives all day, every day. Only a few hours every day or a few times a week is best.

It might take juggling work schedules with your partner or relative to accommodate this need. Luckily, since the pandemic, many occupations are willing to let parents of young children work from home. Perhaps you can arrange for a few hours in the office and the rest of your work day at home, or align your work schedule with your partner or relatives so they can watch your baby for a few hours during your work day. 

Even though it might be inconvenient to only have your infant in daycare for a few hours, it’s a decision you won’t regret in future years.

Toddlers

Although toddlers (aged one to three years) seem more independent, they need about the same amount of care and attention from their parents as infants do. 

Try to arrange or cut your work schedule to have your child in daycare for 20-25 hours per week. With the help of your partner, friends, and relatives, this is attainable for many families.

Pre-K and Kindergarten

Children four years and older have a greater capacity to be away from their parents. Hopefully, children this age will feel secure in their relationships with their parents. Their social skills and classroom friendships are stronger and usually allow them to not be anxious away from their parents.

Additionally, children of this age must acclimate to the length of school days. So while you may need to slowly lengthen the hours your child is in daycare, it is appropriate to have your child in daycare for a full-time schedule.  

Is It Okay for My Child to Spend More Time in Daycare Than the Recommended Amount?

A variety of factors come into play when answering this question. 

• Family’s needs: Some children will be in daycare for longer because the parents have to pay the bills. Parents in this situation need to give themselves grace and rest assured that there are still opportunities to bond with their children.
• Child’s personality: Some children have a higher need for peer interaction with others. If your child is a social butterfly, they may do very well with a full-time daycare schedule, even at a young age. 
• Sibling enrollment: Children who have siblings enrolled in the same daycare may feel more secure and therefore able to tolerate a full-time schedule better than a child without any siblings enrolled.

Full-Time vs. Part-Time at Penguin Crossing Academy

The advantage to full-time enrollment is it is a much more structured routine for your child. They know exactly where they will be and what to expect. With part-time enrollment, your child may be confused about when or how long they will be at daycare and who will be dropping off or picking them up. This may be upsetting for some children.

On the other hand, children enrolled in daycare full-time may miss out on important parental or family bonding opportunities. Children enrolled part-time will have more time with parents, family, and close friends and may experience greater family stability.

We offer full and part-time schedules at DAYCARE so you can find the best fit for your child’s and family’s needs. If you opt for a part-time schedule, we can be flexible on drop-off and pick-up times. 

Whether you’re a parent or pediatrician, there are many opinions on what age is best for a child to begin attending daycare. Some believe the earlier, the better, so there’s less separation anxiety. Others believe that sending the child to daycare when he is older allows for proper parental bonding.

There are a dozen other factors to consider, as well, such as the child’s immune system, social tendencies, and the parent’s work schedule. Some parents must go back to work six weeks after delivering a baby, while others can wait a few years and easily resume their occupation. 

While there’s no right or wrong answer, most pediatricians recommend children attend daycare beginning around one year old.

The Best Age to Start Daycare

Many pediatricians recommend children start daycare around age one. There are several reasons for this:

Immunity

Babies younger than one year have a developing immune system. Letting your infant’s immune system mature before enrolling them in daycare would help them stay well.

Parental Attachment

12 months could be the sweet spot for enrolling your child in daycare because it allows parental-child bonding but the child isn’t old enough to experience severe separation anxiety during drop off. 

Better Behavior

One study noted that children enrolled in daycare at 12 months behaved better than their peers who stayed home. This is because children at this age are budding socially and have ample opportunity to learn important social skills, such as sharing toys, playing with friends, and communicating with baby sign language. Babies who don’t have regular peer interaction miss out on opportunities to grow and integrate these social skills.

The Earliest Age to Start Daycare

Studies show there are benefits to enrolling a child younger than 12 months. Children enrolled at six months have better cognitive and social skills than peers who stay at home.

Penguin Crossing Academy enrolls infants as young as six weeks. We ensure quality care for these precious little ones and give them the care and attention they need to grow and thrive. 

The Worst Age to Enroll in Daycare

Knowing the best age to start daycare begs the question: is there a bad age to enroll in daycare?

Generally speaking, children aged three and four have the hardest time transitioning to daycare, especially if they’ve exclusively stayed home with a parent and not had other forms of childcare (like a relative or friend watching them part-time, or an early preschool program).  

This age is the hardest because children are used to spending all their time with their parents. Such a drastic change in routine can cause a lot of anxiety, hyperactivity, and behavioral issues in children. 

But this doesn’t mean enrolling your three-or-four-year-old will be disastrous! At Penguin Crossing Academy, we have compassionate teachers who will help your child quickly acclimate to a daycare setting. We have an excellent early preschool curriculum that lets your child get a head start on kindergarten skills.

Age Doesn’t Matter–As Long As Care is Quality

While there is much debate about the best time to enroll a child in daycare, the bottom line is that daycare can benefit children of every age–as long as the daycare provides quality care. There’s a huge difference between a daycare that lets children play all day and a daycare that provides predictable routines, age-appropriate education, nutritional meals, and creative playtime. 

Penguin Crossing Academy provides outstanding care to children enrolled in our program. It doesn’t matter what age your child begins daycare, at Penguin Crossing Academy, they will be cared for by kind and compassionate teachers who want to see them reach their highest potential. 

Children in our program receive age-appropriate education that grows their fine and gross motor skills, social skills, and early educational knowledge. We also provide ample opportunity for creative play, both outdoors and indoors, and emphasize physical activity.

Most parents know that reading to their children will benefit their future academics. However, new research indicates that math skills are more important than reading in predicting future academic success. In fact, experts are now advising that early math skills should take priority in early childhood classrooms over reading.

Here is what the research studies discovered about how math helps young children.

Math is the Best Predictor for Future Academic and Career Success

According to several studies, “Early math skills foretell higher aptitude in high school math and higher rates of college enrollment… [and for] both males and females, mathematical precocity early in life predicts later creative contributions and leadership in critical occupational roles.”

If you want to increase your child’s chances of college enrollment, creative contributions to society, and occupational leadership, then early math emphasis is essential.

Teaching Math in Early Childhood Improves Problem-Solving Skills

The purpose of math is to solve the equation. It only makes sense that methodically working through math problems improves your child’s problem-solving skills. The earlier children can solve math problems, the better they will be at math in school, and they will be able to solve everyday problems with ease. 

Learning Math Skills Early in Childhood Develops Logic Skills

Dr. Jie-Qi (Jackie) Chen has said “Math is the language of logic.” Your child’s brain matures logically as it learns math because part of math is figuring out which is the best way to solve the equation. Children who learn math concepts early in life have a head start on analytical and logic skills.

Math Develops Flexible and Creative Thinking

Math promotes flexible thinking because equations can often be solved in more than one way. Using creative and flexible thinking at an early age strengthens the brain to perform more challenging mental tasks later.

Math Teaches Perseverance

Math geniuses aside, most of us struggled with math homework. While it’s important to get math answers correct, perhaps the greatest lesson we learn from math is perseverance. Math provides ample opportunity for frustration–but also a great personal satisfaction of accomplishment upon solving the equation. The earlier children learn perseverance, the more resilient they will be in the real world.

How Do I Start?

How do you start including math concepts in your child’s daily routine? This depends on your child’s age and current math skills. It’s also important to remember that while teaching numbers is essential to understanding math, math is more than numbers.

Some creative ways to incorporate math skills include:

• Sorting shapes and colors or other toys (e.g. cars from trains)
• Discuss weight, size, shape, and height differences between objects (e.g., the height difference between a house and a skyscraper, or the weight difference between a basketball and a baseball)
• Build visual literacy using Dulpos, LEGOs, or other blocks with geometric shapes 
• Practice patterns through pattern games
• Strategically choose board or card games that include math, like Chutes and Ladders
• Put up various math-based posters, like a 100’s chart, number line, 2D and 3D shapes, analog clocks, and more.

Math Skills at Penguin Crossing Academy 

Penguin Crossing Academy teaches many early childhood math skills, as well as providing math-centered games, puzzles, and toys that develop your child’s brain so they receive all the benefits of early math skills. 

It can be hard to include your child’s math skills during a busy day. Thankfully, you can rest assured that your child receives age-appropriate and fun math skills at Penguin Crossing Academy. 

Penguin Crossing Academy is proud to offer an outstanding curriculum that is educational, fun, and prepares your child for kindergarten per state educational standards.

If you’re looking to give your child a head start in school, contact Penguin Crossing Academy today!

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