As a daycare business owner, it is my job to provide an environment that a child likes coming to. This means having, doing and saying certain things.
One thing that I think is important when taking care of multiple children is the acknowledgement that each one is unique. They might be on different developmental levels, have varying needs, likes, dislikes etc. Showing them that I get who they are and care for them no matter what, makes them feel good about themselves.
I wanted to talk about one easy way I try to make my daycare children feel special.
Personalizing meal time
Every child seems to like some kind of kid show and movie (PJ Masks, Frozen, Paw Patrol, Spongebob etc.) Although screen time has gone up a lot and should be reduced, I believe it is okay watch these things once in a while at home.
Even though we don't watch those things during our daycare day, I really like to get cups and kid plates with those images on them. If a child seems to gravitate towards one or more of the shows/movies, it is usually pretty easy to find them on meal time products.
This makes them feel special that I know who they are and what they like. They are coming to an environment that is welcoming and accepting of them.
They are safe with me.
The other benefit of personalized meal time products
Something else that comes out of doing this is that they are happier about meal time and they will sometimes try eating things that they normally don't like.
Having theme cups and plates makes the meals more fun with the visual element they provide.
To sum it all up
I strive to provide a loving and supportive environment for children in my care. Fun meal time products are one of the simple ways that I ensure a child's happiness when they are with me.
It might seem trivial, but it is effective!
Thanks for reading!
