Quote Originally Posted by Love&care View Post
Hi,

My 1st daycare is openning, haven't heard many calls. My age group is 2 - 5 years. Now I am thinking maybe I should change my age group to 1.5 - 5 years. i have experience working with 1 year old before and I have lot of experience wit 2.5 and up.

Just be safe, I need more tips on how to take care 1.5 to 2.5. What do i need to be aware of & can do with these age group. Any tips would be great appreciated.



Thanks in advance!
Before taking on a younger group, consider why you decided that age 18 months and upwards was your original preference. If you weren't comfortable with that age group before, why do you feel more comfortable now - all the tips in the World aren't going to increase the actual experience you have.

To answer your questions :

1. bathroom time
I toilet train at 2 years old - the first business day after their 2nd birthday, we begin. That said, I know I train them far younger than many other day homes or centers.
If you are toilet training this young, you do need some experience. If you have none, then realistically for most children, there are no bathroom breaks for this age group.

2. how often do you clean your toys, i can imagine they put toys in their mouth
Every day but that's nothing to do with this age range. I have always cleaned all toys daily and consider it vital. Many illnesses begin with no symptoms and for a lot of them by the time the symptoms appear, the contagious period has passed.
Toys are sprayed with Lysol mid-day at nap time. Toys are sprayed again and/or wiped every day after closing.
I keep a bucket with disinfectant solution in, in the kitchen and if a child has mouthed a toy, it's placed into that and left there for the duration of the day.
Every week, anything that has been used goes into a tub of hot water and bleach/disinfectant and is then allowed to air dry. If you read the instructions of your sanitizing produce, most will tell you that they kill 99.9% of germs but that requires prolonged contact with the product and a quick wipe over doesn't meet that criteria.
Soothers (for the children who have those) are limited to nap time only and are kept in the designated crib for that child only to prevent cross contamination. Likewise, that is why children here are allocated a crib/cot. Bedding is laundered every 2-3 days.

3. nap time
Children age 12 months often require two naps. My goal is always to bring a child into our schedule not to change ours to match an individual child.
Younger children are given a power nap of max of an hour soon after arriving in order that by 9am they are up for morning snack and we then head outside. If they nod off again in the stroller/wagon, I limit how long they are napping for. This means that after lunch, they are still able to nap at noon with the core group.
I do not permit a child this young to come later than 8am in order that this morning nap can be fit into the schedule.

4. how do you manage for outdoor play, while you have some older kids
Exactly as everything else is done all day. Children are never left unattended. I interact with all the children on the floor if we are home. More time is given to whatever child is demanding the attention at the time.
Do not fall into the trap of picking up a new youngster when they cry. Interact on the floor with them but avoid picking them up unless there is reason to (lifting into high chair, diaper change, hurt). Make every effort to pick them up when they are calm and content only so they know they won't lack attention. If you pick them up every time they whimper, you are re-enforcing that whining = immediate attention which will come back to bite you when the next infant joins the day care.

5. Do i really need to buy high chairs and cribs for the little ones? what other furniture do i need to get?
Yes. Depending on how badly some are babied, many can sit up but aren't hugely stable. They need a high chair to secure them in place because when they lean to perform a task, pick up a toy etc, they will topple and fall quite often.
Yes, you need a crib too. It's a safety issue. If a child gets hurt and there wasn't suitable age appropriate equipment, that's negligence. Negligence is when you could have avoided an accident through simple common sense safety issues and failed to take them.
You will also need a stroller with a 5 point harness not just three across their laps. Or a wagon with a 5 point harness. Likewise for outside time, this age are not always walking so you will need a baby swing or some suitable play equipment. You can't just plop this age group on the grass and expect them to entertain themselves.

Why do you think you aren't getting calls?

You have to consider what might be turning people off your service.

Are you an inexperience provider?
Maybe don't even have the experience of own children combined with not having come from a child care related background?
Is there no demand in the area?
Are your prices realistic compared to your competitors?
Are you offering the hours/program that people want?
Do you have any references that are suitable? Having been a long term babysitter isn't good enough in my area as a few hours care of children in their own home, is very different that a full day of care in an unfamiliar environment with a group of others too.
What is the feed back you are getting?