10 Tips to choose your child creche! 

What a mission! Finding the most appropriate childcare option to suit our family needs is definitely not easy. If you have decided for putting your child in a creche; this can be a very hard job.

Having worked for more than 10 years in the early years sector didn't make my job easier to choose a setting. I was probably looking for a perfect place - what is impossible to have even if you have a very good one. 

It was my partner's words that brought me to reality: any childcare arrangement will have challenges; so you must weight it all at the end. 

Now, having experienced both sides: being an early years teacher staff and a mother; I finally feel ready to share a few tips I consider very important when it comes to choose a creche. 

1) Friendly and interacting early childhood teacher; who is usually well qualified: interactions play a massive role in children's development. Child/child interactions; child/adult interactions. You know your child has been well looked after when the setting has early year educators that are responsive to the child's needs, using any moment of care to interact/teach/learn. It is through interactions that children develop relationships. 

2) Outdoors time: not only a large outdoors space but also a real garden. Children need as much contact with nature as possible. So many places are locking up children without giving them space to run or touching grass or  mud. I believe mains points are spending time outside; playing outside; doing inside activities outside. 

3) Valuing cultural diversity: our society is clearly cosmopolitan and we want our children to grow knowing and respecting differences. Celebrating festivals; welcoming traditions; seeing the value of cultural diversity are aspects I would watch out for. 

4) A curriculum and a room layout that allows children to play! Yes; if you think that young children have the freedom to play in any setting you would be surprised to see how little time they get at some settings. Children learn trough play and play is the way they create sense of the world. A child playing must be respected; and she/he should have the space to follow her/his interests. This is a serious business!

5) Definitely not a place only focused in literacy and numeracy: the early years of a child life are the foundation of learning. As much more exposed a child is to different themes and subjects, facilitates the exploration of the world for these young children. They can learn letters and numbers through play. They will surprise adults of how much they can learn. But they are not in the development age to sit down and read and write. They have the entire school life to do It! 

6) A place with low levels of staff turnover: I have seen places with different staff every day. Young children needs consistence. They also need time to bounding with staff. I would watch out for how long the staff is working in the premises. 

7) Working with parents; listening to parents: parents are the main educators of their children; and their voice should be listened in the early years settings. 

8) Less or no screen time. Children learn from interactions. 

9) A place where children's voice/interests/likes is followed: it is the adult responsibility to guide and support children's interests in their environment, help them to develop it and explore it further. 

10) Can we have it all? At the end of the day you want your child safe and happy. My last tip: Listen to your heart. Your heart will tell you where is the best place for your most precious one.