Preparing for the First Day of Childcare

In preparing for the first day of childcare, there’s lots to consider.  Here I share from my perspective as a parent and Upper Canada Child Care (UCCC) employee.

Preparing Emotionally

How are you and your child feeling about the transition to childcare?

You may both be feeling a mix of emotions; I know I did. Feelings about the transition to childcare will range by person. They may include things such as excitement, nervousness, sadness, and/or relief.

Talk About, Read About, and Visit Childcare

Before starting childcare, it can help to talk and read with your child about things what to expect. We also recommend doing pre-visits to meet the supervisor and educators.

Typically for a first centre visit, the child and caregiver(s) stay together. An environment specifically designed for children is often fun and novel at first.

The next visit, where you leave your child for some time and come back can be harder, on both children and their families.

Embrace Feelings

I clearly remember the day I had to officially drop off my little one at childcare for a whole day. We’d gone through the drop off process, but I’d had to go back to the car to pick up something I’d forgotten. When I came back into the centre, I saw our baby sitting in a group stroller, looking around alertly.

I assumed she was looking for us, and I felt so guilty, my heart hurt.

However, having worked in a preschool room, I knew prolonging the drop off process only makes it worse for everyone. So, I tried to be positive, and I made myself leave.

Then I went out to the parking lot and cried.

Name Feelings

Despite working in childcare and knowing what to expect, letting others take care of our baby was still not easy. I don’t think anything FULLY prepares you for the official first day of childcare, but it’s helpful and healthy for children and adults to be aware of and discuss feelings. For more on this see Naming Emotions – The Kids Mental Health Foundation.

We can ask children how they are feeling, and we can validate their feelings. It’s helpful for them to see us expressing our own emotions and showing our resilience.  For example, “I’m feeling lots of emotions: I’m happy for you that you will get to meet new people and make friends at childcare. I’m also sad because I will miss you during the day. But I’ll look forward to picking you up and hearing all about what you learned that day.”

In navigating the transition to childcare, I let myself feel the emotions. I also reminded myself that we’d made an informed decision that would support our whole family. Our child would have fun with other children and be cared for by trained early childhood professionals.

Knowing What to Expect: Read the Family Handbook

It’s important to get a sense of what to expect from the program and to understand the requirements and limits. In other words, what can and cannot change.

We recommend reading our Program Statement and Family Handbook, as doing so supports better understanding of how and why things are done and sets reasonable expectations.

What Type of Program Activities Will Children Do?

UCCC programs are play based because children learn best through play.

Families should understand that educators won’t be doing formal lessons and worksheets with the children.

Instead, educators engage with children, observe their emerging interests and developing skills, and then educators create programs accordingly.

How Much Outdoor Play Time Do Children Get?

Other things to be prepared for are the legislated requirements for daily outdoor play and to maintain appropriate supervision ratios (number of educators to children).

This means all children must come prepared to go outside in a variety of weather conditions. It’s in the best interests of children’s health. Click here for a video we made, addressing the myth that playing outside makes children sick, and suggesting ways to promote children’s health, including through outdoor play, and by practicing good nutrition and hand hygiene.

Outdoor play in all seasons supports mental and physical well-being, immunity boosting, resilience, adaptability, and making connections to nature. Things that are key to enjoying outdoor play include wearing seasonally appropriate clothing, using shelter, hydrating, resting, and being aware of how bodies are feeling. We always pay attention to the weather conditions and on particularly cold or hot days, our outdoor play sessions may be shorter. 

What’s the Approach to Mealtimes and Eating?

Equally important to understand is the centre’s philosophy and approach to mealtimes and eating. At UCCC, we promote children’s autonomy, independence, and self-help skills. This means we provide nutritious food options and ‘family-style’ meals, but children decide what and how much they will eat. Educators model healthy eating habits but they won’t be asking children to finish everything on their plate.

Our registered dietician who approves our menus shares more here:

How Responsive Feeding Helps Children – Upper Canada Child Care

7 Tips for Fuss-free Mealtimes – Upper Canada Child Care.

Packing the Backpack

Your childcare provider should let you know what to send and not send with your child.

Here’s a quick video we prepared on things to pack for first day of childcare!  Depending on your child’s age and development, they may require diapers, wipes, and a comfort item.

Everyone should bring a water bottle, indoor shoes, and seasonally appropriate clothing that facilitates active, messy, and outdoor play. In other words, children shouldn’t come to childcare in their best clothes. A change of clothes is also recommended. Oh, and label everything.

Yes, everything. 

With our changing weather, layers are always a good idea. Winter clothing essentials include hats, mittens, scarves, and waterproof boots to stay warm and dry. Send extra mittens, hats, and socks as they may get wet during outdoor play. In spring, rain gear is required. For summer, a hat, sunscreen, and footwear that supports active play are key. 

Whatever the season, kids grow quickly and are very active in our programs, so we encourage families to regularly check children’s gear for fit and function. 

Now, what else is necessary to prepare for the first day of childcare?

Setting Up Communication and Administration Channels 

To set up for success, I recommend getting connected to any apps the centre uses. At UCCC, we use ParentApp for billing and communication and Storypark to send photos / videos / written documentation. This way, you won’t miss any important information from the centre.

Also, remember to save the centre’s phone number and email in your phone as well. It can be a challenge to look this information up at the last minute to report an absence or illness; those days are busy enough!

Understanding the Type and Frequency of Communication

Another thing to understand is the frequency, amount, and type of communication families will receive. This will vary depending on the age and needs of children in the program.

For example, the infant program provides a detailed daily record of sleeping, eating, diapering. However, by preschool, a written record isn’t provided. Instead, information could be conveyed verbally or might include a posted schedule or a note on the cubby.

Similarly, while we offer access to Storypark, families should be aware that posting will only occur when possible. Educators’ primary focus is engaging with and caring for the children, ensuring safety and supervision. Individual needs of children and programs vary, meaning families’ Storypark experiences will vary too.

Planning for a Partnership

The importance of respectful two-way communication, patience, and developing a partnership between childcare providers and families can’t be overstated. Effort to understand each other goes a long way towards establishing trusting relationships. As the saying goes, it takes a village to raise a child, and I’m grateful to early childhood professionals for being a part of our village and the support the childcare has provided our family over the years.

I hope this blog helps you that you feel a bit more prepared for the first day of childcare.

Deep breath. It’s going to be ok.

By Christine Tyrrell, Communications and Marketing Coordinator