by Amanda Jean Clothier

The search for the perfect childcare is highly subjective. Some parents are happy with a school that covers ABCs, 123s, some arts and crafts and a little music. Others want their 2- and 3-year-olds to become familiar with computers and start learning a second language. There’s no right answer, but the professionals agree on some basics.

Some Structure is a Good Thing

Early childhood education specialists agree that it’s important for
children to have some structure to their day. “A good to excellent early childhood program will have a schedule for how the day operates … it’s part of what makes children feel safe,” says Jerlean Daniel, deputy executive director of the National Association for the Education of Young Children. It’s also important for children to have choices. Since children learn through play, the experts say, they need time to explore and choose what they want to do.

Jeanne Ryan, mom to 3½ -year-old triplet girls, says that when she started looking for a preschool program a couple of years ago, she liked the idea of some structure so she wouldn’t feel like her kids were in a childcare atmosphere. “I wanted them to have fun, but I wanted them to learn something in the process. I wanted them to interact with other kids [since] they’re together all the time.”

While young children thrive on the predictability of routines, make sure a program isn’t trying to focus too much on academics. For example, 2-year-olds shouldn’t have handwriting lessons, says Daniel.

Educational psychology professor Stacey Neuharth-Pritchett, who teaches at the University of Georgia, goes even further. “Early care and education programs where the focus is too directed and too narrowly defined on academic programs are programs that, research suggests, induce stress on young children and are inconsistent with where children are developmentally.”

The Importance of Play

Don’t underestimate the importance of play. “Children learn through play. They don’t learn through rote drills,” says Neuharth-Pritchett. Children don’t need to be doing the same thing at the same time in preschool or what’s commonly known as a Mother’s Morning Out program. “If I saw all of the kids sitting on carpet squares [for an activity] for a long period of time, I would think something is wrong because 2-year-olds don’t do that,” she says.

What to Look for in a Program

The child/caregiver relationship is top priority. It’s key to observe how your child reacts to a particular environment and how you, as a parent, feel there too. When Ryan started looking at preschools, she remembers, “I didn’t like some of the ways the classrooms were set up. Some of them were cold. They had [play] stations, but you didn’t get that warm and fuzzy feeling.”

Pay attention to those feelings. “Ask yourself, ‘How responsive is the adult to each child’s personality?’ And look for [a teacher’s] ability to give that child a nudge in growth and development,” suggests Daniel. “You want your child to be in an environment where adults ask open-ended questions.”

It’s also wise to check out the teachers’ educational backgrounds. For example, a teacher may have a bachelor’s degree, but what if her major was in biology? Has the individual completed any coursework in early childhood education? These are the questions to ask.

Decide What’s Important to You

There are plenty of private and church-run childcare and Mother’s Morning Out programs across metro Atlanta with varying degrees of structure. Some centers, like Crème de la Crème in Alpharetta, offer a Spanish room and a computer room for kids as young as 17 months. Other programs, like The Kingswood School in Dunwoody, run by Kingswood United Methodist Church, offer music and a movement program but hold off on foreign language until children reach the age of 4. If parents are interested in teaching a second language early, Daniel says, it needs to be reinforced outside the classroom, and children must have multiple opportunities to use it.

What is NAEYC Accreditation?

The National Association for the Education of Young Children was founded in 1926 as a research-based organization focused on the quality of care and education for young children. Since then, NAEYC accreditation has become a hallmark of quality care. If you find a school that suits your needs but you’re concerned that it’s not accredited, you can download an accreditation checklist from the NAEYC website and use it to judge for yourself. Visit www.naeyc.org/academy/standards/

Don’t rely on where your friends and neighbors are sending their kids. Just because there’s a waiting list doesn’t mean it’s the best place for your child, says Daniel. It’s also easy to be wooed by fancy playground equipment and expensive toys, but don’t overlook the relationship between teachers and children.

The bottom line is some structure is good, but too much structure can be stressful for young children. Seek out more than one program and take the time to observe different environments. See how your child fares in each. Trust your instincts, not just word of mouth about which program is the best fit for your family. And after you’ve done your research and made your observations, make the final decision. After all, as a parent, you, more than anyone, know what’s best for your child.