Transitioning Your Child to a New Daycare: 9 Tips for Families

Transitioning your child to a child care centre can be challenging for children and their families. We as human beings tend to get nervous when encountering something new and unknown.

As a high-quality Reggio-inspired child care centre, Bambini has given extra thought to the process of transitioning children to a new daycare centre. We understand the importance of helping children and families feel comfortable throughout this process

Today we’re sharing nine tips to help ease the anxiety and make this exciting transition as smooth as possible.

SELECT THE DAYCARE PROGRAM AT LEAST A MONTH BEFORE CHILD CARE IS ACTUALLY NEEDED

Ideally, you will have selected a child care program at least a month before child care is actually required. Adjusting to a new program takes time. Allowing yourself and your child adequate time to adjust is essential.

READ AND FILL OUT ALL THE REQUIRED PAPERWORK (AND SUBMIT IT EARLY)

When you enrol in a child care program, the centre will provide you with an enrolment handbook (which is full of the daycare’s policies) and a registration form.

It is essential that you read the handbook in its entirety and complete the registration papers as soon as possible. High-quality, child-centred, Reggio-inspired childcare programs, like Bambini, rely on registration forms to assist in helping children adjust to the program.

These forms are also used to help plan activities that are of interest to the child. For example, if Sam loves trains (and this is indicated in their enrolment forms), the educators will make an effort to have materials such as trains and train books in the room for Sam’s initial visits to the centre. Hopefully, the addition of trains to the environment will capture Sam’s interest and make them feel more comfortable with the environment.

PLAN SOME VISITS TO THE PROGRAM AND YOUR CHILD’S ROOM.

The best way to feel comfortable with the new child care environment is to make several visits to the centre. By making visits at different times of the day, you and your child will get familiar with:

• the educators who will be working with your child

• the actual room and materials available

• the room’s routines

• the other children and families

During your visits, you will want to establish a friendly and trusting relationship with the educators. Greet the educators by name and ask them questions about the room. If your child sees you comfortably conversing with the educators, they will be more likely to trust and feel safe with the educators as well.

DEFER TO THE EDUCATORS

During your program visits, defer as much as possible to the educators. For example, if your child asks you if they can draw a picture, you can gently let them know they need to ask the educator. Even if you know the educator would say yes, it’s important to get your child comfortable with expressing their needs and wants to the educators.

TALK ABOUT THE NEW DAYCARE AT HOME

When at home, talk about the new daycare with your child. Include the names of the educators and the children in your conversations. Talk about the toys, the play yard, and any other observations with your child. For example, if you were Sam’s parent (from the previous example), you might talk to Sam about the trains you saw in the room and remind them of how fun it was to play with those trains.

WALK OR DRIVE BY THE NEW CHILD CARE CENTRE

Make some excursions to drive by or walk past the centre. Excitedly announce/remind your child that it’s their new child care centre. Hopefully, this subtle reminder will get them excited to return for another visit.

ASK THE DIRECTOR IF THERE ARE ANY ADDITIONAL MATERIALS THAT CAN HELP YOUR CHILD ADJUST TO THE NEW PROGRAM

The child care centre may have specific materials or resources that help a child transition to the program. Make sure to ask if there’s anything you require to make their first days at the child care centre a success.

Here at Bambini, our Reggio-inspired program offers a complete welcome package for new families which include important items such as:

a welcome letter with the name of the child’s room and their educator’s names in the letter; this letter also lists what to bring for your child’s first day

the room routine

articles about how we guide behaviour, encourage creativity, foster emotional intelligence, and document learning

BE SUPPORTIVE BUT CONFIDENT ON YOUR CHILD’S FIRST DAY

On your child’s first day, make the drop-off time brief but loving. Hug/kiss your child, tell them you’re going to work/school/errands, and tell them that you will pick them up later that day (if not you, then say who will be picking them up). Remind them that their educator (use the name) will be with them during the day and that they will be there to help them. Give another hug/kiss and then confidently leave.

Try not to hesitate or linger. Even if it’s emotional, avoid crying. It’s important that you convey that you trust the educators because your trust will help your child feel safe.

TALK TO YOUR CHILD ABOUT THEIR DAY

When you return to pick up your child, talk to the educator and your child about their day. Continue those conversations at home. Remind them of the toys they enjoyed, the foods they ate, or the friends they made.

Here at Bambini know that transitioning your child to a new child care centre can be very stressful. However, we know that with support, some time, and intentional planning, your child will eventually adjust to their new child care program.

Bambini Learning Group is a Reggio-inspired, holistic child care program located in Edmonton, Alberta. Their vision is to inspire families to live healthier, more meaningful lives. Through innovative, holistic, and supportive resources, Bambini is helping children live the authentic childhood they deserve. New locations coming soon! Contact Bambini for more information about their unique, holistic child care program at [email protected], or book a tour to see Bambini for yourself!