Friday, February 13, 2015

What babies do in daycare?

A started daycare when he was almost 5.5 months, when I resumed my job. So what he does full 8hrs in there?
For infants no structure is followed usually. They follow the baby. Eventually all babies fall in routine more or less.
Actually there was no fixed time table, it was more of freeplay. Half the time he used to be sleeping. He used to take 2naps one morning one afternoon. Rest of time feeding, changing etc. In evening they used to take all kids and babies out in playarea. Elder kids used to play. Babies used to watch, that itself is learning activity. It was playschool cum daycare. Playschool had less kids 6-7. So many  times babies also will be in classroom in morning. They will be singing rhymes etc When A started moving/ crawling he will play with other babies. Maids will play simple games like peek a boo, go n fetch the ball etc.
When A was around 13months I changed job and changed his daycare. He was walking with support then. He had shifted to only one nap a day. Here there are more kids in daycare and many more in playschool. Here in daycare there is rhyme or story session once. 1hr playtime outside, he plays on slide, in sand pit or in car/scooter etc. Thats very good for physical development. Sometimes there is art n craft session. elder kids will do activity, he wil watch. In dance practice also he will stand n watch n try to do. There r many toys etc to play n keep thm engaged.
Maids dont play or engage babies that well like we can. They cant exactly follow parenting style we follow. Some difference is always there.
Heard there are sm gud day cares where maids are educated and very well trained. But we have to choose based on many other factors. For us we got pretty good daycare next to my office. That was our priority.
A wil start playgroup this June. He will be approx 22months then. I am planning to enroll him for summer camp also in April. He will learn something and enjoy.