Providing age-appropriate learning activities for children in a child care program does not have to be expensive. Inexpensive or even free play and learning materials can offer valuable opportunities for children to learn. When selecting toys, it is important to consider the age of the children and their interests. Building your library of materials can be a gradual process, starting with basic and versatile toys, such as blocks, balls, books, puzzles, and art materials. These classic toys can reinforce a variety of skills and be used in multiple ways. To find inexpensive materials, consider recycling, visiting the library, shopping at discount stores and thrift shops, and asking parents for help. Rotating toys can also keep children interested and engaged. Ultimately, with creativity and a focus on learning goals, child care providers can offer children meaningful and effective learning experiences without breaking the bank. Here are some examples of inexpensive toys and materials that could be used in a child care program: Recycled materials: Empty cardboard boxes, plastic bottles, egg cartons, paper towel rolls, and other recyclables can be used for building and creating. Children can use tape or glue to connect the materials and create their own structures and creations. Nature items: Rocks, sticks, leaves, and other natural items can be used for sensory play and outdoor exploration. Children can create patterns or designs with the items, or use them to create art. Playdough: Homemade playdough is a great sensory material that can be made using flour, salt, water, and food coloring. Children can use their hands to manipulate the dough and create their own shapes and designs. Musical instruments: Children can create their own musical instruments using household items, such as empty water bottles filled with rice or beans, or pots and pans used as drums. Cardboard tubes: Empty toilet paper or paper towel tubes can be used for a variety of activities, such as building structures or creating tunnels for toy cars. Sorting and matching materials: Simple materials such as buttons, pom-poms, and colored blocks can be used for sorting and matching activities that help develop early math skills. Sensory bins: Sensory bins can be created using inexpensive materials such as rice, beans, or sand, along with small toys or other items for children to discover and explore. These are just a few examples of inexpensive toys and materials that could be used in a child care program. With a little creativity and resourcefulness, it is possible to provide valuable learning experiences for children without breaking the bank.

When parents are trying to make a decision about which child care they want to enroll their child at, they may consider the three E’s. Economy: getting a fair deal, fitting into their budget and justifying choosing one school over another. For some parents, the first consideration in choosing a child care center is cost. Parents want a fair deal, not necessarily the lowest cost. If your center is at the top of the market, parents will want to know what makes it worth the cost. Develop your marketing materials around what makes your school worth the cost for the parent and the child. Remember, you are selling a quality education for the child through the parents’ perspective. What are the demographics of your target parent? Figure out what they are looking for and add that to your marketing materials and training for those who are enrolling at your center. Parents are looking for ways the cost can fit into their budget. If you find that the parent feels the cost is greater than the budget, there are still options. Does your center offer ½ day or 2,3,4 day programs? You can always offer shorter days or less days to lower the cost. Many times, parents can adjust the schedule to meet their budget. Parents will comparison shop. They will look at many schools before making a decision to enroll their child. Budget, services and convenience will play a role in their decision. The physical environment, the teachers, the children, the curriculum, the safety and security, among other things, will play an important role in the parents’ decision. Make sure you are aware of the competition as well as the services and costs other schools in your area are offering. Comparison shop at least three competitors in your area no less than 3 times per year so you are aware of current information regarding your competitors. Efficiency: how convenient it is for the parents, as well as whether the services are offered when they need it. The location of your child care can’t be changed and some parents will make a decision based on the driving or walking convenience to their home or workplace. Most parents are looking for much more than convenience, however. They are looking for efficiency. What services do you offer that will help them in their daily lives? Is your parent communication app easy to use with information that parents are interested in receiving daily? What are your communication policies? What are your payment policies? Are these policies easy and convenient for the parents to use? Excellence: how satisfied the other parents are, whether the teachers have the necessary education/experience to provide excellence, as well as the school’s standard of excellence. Parents are interested in a quality education for their children. Share your standards of excellence with your prospective parents and explain how you achieve them. This may help parents finalize their decision for child care. Most parents want to know that they are making a good decision for their child. Parent referrals can help parents make a decision on child care. Make sure that you have parent referrals not only in a written format, but, also, on video. It would be even better if you could invite parents to speak to each other regarding the school. Don’t Overcomplicate Things Understanding the buying process that your parents go through is critical. However, overwhelming parents with too much information is a mistake that a lot of centers make. When using email or other written forms of communication, put yourself in the position of the parent you want to speak to and ask yourself if the content is truly a concise resource with important information or if it is too much information. The content should offer value and help parents reach a decision. Otherwise, it is not necessary.

As childcare leaders, being able to understand and consider the big picture can be an essential skill. A childcare center can be a chaotic and overwhelming experience at times. Sometimes all we can do is just make it through the day. Often, this leaves us frustrated and feeling like we didn’t accomplish anything. Yes, the children, staff and parents were cared for and everyone was safe and secure, but your expectations of the possibilities for the day may be shattered. Especially when this happens day after day. By developing a complete perspective of a situation and seeing the big picture, you can make decisions that drive long-term results, which can help you overcome the day-to-day grind and feel more accomplished. Seeing the Big Picture Have a vision. Project into the future. Vision is the ability to be forward-looking. What do you want your childcare to look like in the future? Look five or ten years into the future to understand what you hope to achieve by then. Vision statements are what we imagine in a perfect world; they are an idea we want to see occur someday. They are big ideas that address complex problems or situations. Consider all aspects of your childcare: finances, culture, quality, curriculum, communication, safety, health, how you can help your teachers, etc. Perhaps the best way to look at the concept of a vision is as a compass to help guide you to take the best actions and make the right choices that help propel you toward your goals. With a vision in mind, you are more likely to succeed far beyond what you could otherwise achieve without a clear vision. Share Your Vision. Share your vision and the rationale behind it with your teachers and staff constantly. Talk about the future and what you see that future becoming. Talk about your passions and dreams for the future while explaining the reasons and the whys behind your vision. Sharing your vision will help others understand it, which can become the greatest source of motivation for your team. Show the team the enthusiasm, initiative, commitment, loyalty, and competence that will be needed to obtain the vision. You can’t do it alone. Once you’ve developed and shared your vision, you need help to achieve it. Get the buy-in from your staff by communicating your needs. Ask for their help and listen to their suggestions. Help your staff feel that they are taking part in positive changes that will result in solutions to the day-to-day struggles and change the future. Through conversations, you can expose yourself to new perspectives, which may promote big-picture thinking. Informal conversation, including asking questions, giving honest answers and providing friendly suggestions can help you strategize about how best to approach a project. Delegate tasks Big-picture thinkers should delegate tasks or responsibilities in order to achieve their vision in a timely manner. Your time may be better spent on the broader perspective. Form teams that understand their part of the big picture. Set the next steps, goals and time frames to complete and accomplish tasks. Guide teams through the process by continually discussing the end result or the big picture. Monitor progress, celebrate successes, stay positive and changes will start to occur. To boost your big-picture thinking, create a list of what you'd like to get done. Then, organize the list into categories, such as: High to low-priority responsibilities. Short-term and long-term duties. Daily, weekly, monthly and yearly targets. Reserve time for reflection Rather than acting on short-term conditions, such as emotions, fatigue, time pressure or distraction, deciding based on the big picture can ensure you prioritize effectively and set achievable goals. Here are a few methods you can use to think about the big picture: Reflect on challenges. We learn more from our mistakes than our successes. What caused issues and how can they be overcome? Keep a written record of progress. Reflect on successes. What went well and why? Can it be repeated? By striving to achieve a big-picture perspective, you can ensure you understand the connections between basic tasks and long-term targets, which can make the goals you create more efficient and achievable.