Babysitting is the occasional temporary care of a child during the absence of his or her parents. Child care or day care is ongoing care during specific periods, such as the parents’ time at work. Child care can also take on a more formal structure, with education, child development, discipline and even preschool falling into the fold of services.

Some child minders care for children from several families at the same time, either in their own home or in a specialized child care facility. Some employers provide nursery provision for their employees at or near the place of employment.

Child care in the child’s own home is traditionally provided by a nanny or au pair, or by a extended family member including grandparents, aunts and uncles.

Family day cares can be operated by a single individual out of their home. There may be occasions when more than one individual cares for children in a family childcare home. This can be a stay-at-home parent who seeks supplemental income while caring for their own child. There are also many family childcare providers who have chosen this field as a profession. Local legislation will regulate the number and ages of children allowed per family child care home.

Some localities have very stringent quality standards that require licensure for family child care homes while others require little or no regulations for childcare in individual’s homes. Some home day cares operate illegally with respect to tax legislation where the care provider does not report fees as income and the parent does not receive a receipt to qualify for childcare tax deductions. Family childcare may be less expensive than center based care because of the lower overhead in family childcare. Many family childcare providers may be certified with the same credentials as center based staff.

Day care in the UK

The UK has a wide range of childcare offered, including child minders, day nurseries; playgroups and can also include pre-school education at school. It is regulated by OFSTED in England while it is CSSIW in Wales. These authorities operate the application and inspection process for the sector. The sector is primarily funded by the parents. However, the Nursery Education Grant (pre-school funding) can be used at some day-nurseries, playgroups and schools. The government introduced a childcare allowance by which employers could make payments for childcare, prior to tax, on employees wages.

Early years education in Wales is provided half-time for children aged 3-4 (Nursery) and full-time for those between the ages of 4 and 5 (Reception). Since 2005 it has been a statutory duty for all Local Education Authorities to secure sufficient nursery education in their area for children from the term following their third birthday.

Currently, the Early Years curriculum in Wales, produced by the Welsh Assembly Government Department for Children, Education, Life-long Learning and Skills, is set out in a booklet ‘Desirable Outcomes for Children’s Learning Before Compulsory School Age.’ However, a new ‘Foundation Phase’ covering 3-7 year olds is being rolled out across Wales from 2008, with a focus on ‘learning through play’, which covers seven areas of learning:

• Personal and Social Development and Well Being
• Language, Literacy and Communication Skills
• Mathematical Development
• Bilingualism and Multi-cultural Understanding
• Knowledge and Understanding of the World
• Physical Development
• Creative Development

Scotland

In Scotland children are entitled to a place in a nursery class when they reach their third birthday. This gives parents the option of two years of funded pre-school education before beginning primary one, the first year of compulsory education. Nursery children who are three years old are referred to as ante-pre-school whilst children who are four years old are termed pre-school. Pre-school education in Scotland is planned around the document “A curriculum framework for children 3 to 5,” which identifies learning intentions around the following five areas of development:

• Emotional, Personal and Social Development,
• Communication and Language,
• Knowledge and Understanding of the World,
• Expressive and Aesthetic Development,
• Physical Development and Movement

Responsibility for the review of care standards in Scottish nurseries rests with the Care Commission.

Advantages

According to researches, there are many social and economics benefits of nursery school, confirming that more investment in children at an earlier age is needed to supplement the role of the family.

The reasons given include the importance of early years in cognitive development, the trouble many families have in providing adequate early-childhood nurturing, and the advantage such programs give students starting the next step in their education. The study considered a number of early childhood educational pilot programs for at risk children..

Over 40 years of the children’s lives, participants showed greater literacy, higher grades, greater likelihood to graduate high school, higher post-high school employment rates, higher earnings, less need for welfare, committed less crime, and had lower rates of teen pregnancy.

Nursery schools in the UK

In the UK, pre-school education in nursery classes or schools is fully funded by the government and is generally available to children aged over three. Pre-school education can be provided by childcare centers, playgroups, nursery schools and nursery classes within primary schools. Private nursery education is also available throughout the UK and varies between structured pre-school education and a service offering child-minding facilities.

Each child in England at the first school term after their third birthday is entitled to five two and a half hour sessions per week. This entitlement is funded by the government through the local county council Pre-schools in England follow the Early Learning Goals for education produced by the Department for Children, Schools and Families which carries on into their first year of school at the age of four. This year of school is usually called Reception. The Early Learning Goals cover the main areas of education without being subject driven. These areas include:

• Personal, social and emotional development
• Language, literacy and communication
• Mathematical development
• Knowledge and understanding of the world
• Physical development
• Creative development

Until the mid 1980s, nursery schools only admitted pupils in the final year (three terms) leading up to their admission to primary school, but pupils now attend nursery school for four or five terms. It is also common practice for many children to attend nursery much earlier than this. Many nurseries have the facilities to take on babies, using the ‘Birth to Three Matters’, framework as a guide to give each child the best possible start to becoming a competent learner and skillful communicator.

Preschool work is organized within a framework that professional educators create. The framework includes structural (administration, class size, teacher-child ratio, etc.), process (quality of classroom environments, teacher-child interactions, etc), and alignment (standards, curriculum, assessments) components that are associated with each individual unique child that has both social and academic outcomes.

The area of development which preschool education covers varies from country to country. However the following main themes are represented in the majority of systems.

• Personal, social and emotional development
• Communication, including talking and listening
• Knowledge and understanding of the world
• Creative and aesthetic development
• Physical development
• Mathematical awareness and development

Allowing preschool aged children to discover and explore freely within each of these areas of development is the foundation for developmental learning. It is widely recognized that although many preschool educators are aware of the guidelines for developmentally appropriate practice, putting this practice to work effectively in the classroom is more challenging.

Preschool is generally considered appropriate for children between three and five years of age, between the toddler and school stages. During this stage of development, children learn and assimilate information rapidly, and express interest and fascination in each new discovery. Studies have proven that the most important years of learning are begun at birth. A child’s brain at this age is making connections that will last the rest of their life. When a child under the age of 5 years is educated and treated as a sponge they perform better in higher grades. Once a permanent connection has been made in the brain then you can not unconnected it. Having children in a quality childcare will give them the tools they will need to succeed in school later on in life.

Universal preschool is an international movement that has made access to preschool available to families in a similar way to compulsory elementary education. Various jurisdictions and advocates have differing priorities for access, availability and funding sources.

For a healthy balance of initiative and guilt, the child should be able to accept feelings of guilt while understanding that certain activities and situations he or she chooses may or may not be permitted by others. Children should also be encouraged to use their imaginations when taking initiatives that are related to adult roles, ultimately not feeling guilty for being different from the norm as a result.

The child should not feel guilty in using imagination during play since it provides him or her with learning how to be creative and to reflecting upon personal capabilities. For example, the child may be imagining he is a police officer and will form his play around this role; this concept could later develop into a future profession, of which the child is willing to take initiative in facing the challenging steps in becoming an actual police officer. Therefore, parents need to provide students with chores and small jobs because it will strengthen skills that reflect responsibility and future adult roles, such as tending to a younger sibling or helping wash dishes.

In contrast, children who are not allowed to complete tasks independently may learn that the activities and situations are beyond their ability and they are incapable of setting their own goals. The Child Development Institute suggests that a child with no responsibility, whether given by an adult or produced by the child, grows fearful in most situations involving change, excessively depends on adults, and is restricted from imagination and active play; these characteristics are a result of the child being immobilized by guilt or low feelings of self-efficacy, confidence, and frustration in abilities when a personal goal has not been accomplished.

In view of the fact that preschool toddlers require skills necessary to become independent and responsible, parents and teachers should learn how to assist in the child’s social development; this may include teaching the child how to be courageous, empathetic, self-disciplined, and loyal. There are many ways to create these types of values during a child’s moral development.

First, parents should respect the child in all aspects of his or her personality if they seek respect in return. For example, parents need to consider the child’s opinions and perspectives before setting discipline and behavioral standards. Parents should stay firm on their expectations, yet remind themselves that the child is a human being and deserves to be treated with fairness in order to develop a positive self-concept.

Parents also have the advantage of teaching good morality through discussion and example. By illustrating and discussing how to tolerate guilt, such as feelings of low self-efficacy, self-esteem, or self-confidence after taking initiative in accomplishing a goal, the child will learn that this type of behavior is acceptable. Hence, experts suggest letting children take on small tasks that gradually increase in difficulty as they grow older.

This may include helping prepare small meals, setting a table, or letting them choose their own clothing for the day; all of which builds confidence and assists in developing simple math skills such as counting and sorting. Finally, allow children with time to be free and do what they please within in the accepted limit.

The development of courage and independence are what set preschoolers, ages three to six years of age, apart from other age groups. Young children in this category, ranging between three to six years of age, face the challenge of initiative versus guilt. The toddler during this stage faces the complexities of planning and developing a sense of judgment. During this stage, the child learns to take initiative and prepare him or herself towards roles of leadership and goal achievement.

Activities sought out by a child in this stage may include risk-taking behaviors, such as crossing a street on his or her own or riding a bike without a helmet; both examples involving self-limits. The child defines his or her own boundaries when taking initiative in crossing a street or riding a bike with no helmet, such as deciding to cross a street without looking both ways or choosing to ride a bike at his or her own pace with no helmet.

Within instances requiring initiative, such as those previously mentioned, the child may also develop negative behaviors. These behaviors are a result of the child developing a sense of frustration for not being able to achieve his or her goal as planned and may engage in behaviors that seem aggressive, ruthless, and overly assertive to parents. Aggressive behaviors, such as throwing objects, hitting, or yelling, are examples of observable behaviors during this stage.

With aggressive behaviors as a result of frustration, the child may progress towards developing a sense of guilt for not establishing initiative in the decisions he or she makes or not being able to follow through with a set goal. When guilt develops, the child becomes more assertive, aggressive, inhibited, and overly dependent. These characteristics can be seen as far from the norm since the child engages in behaviors that do not show a challenge or are comfortable for the child.

Thus, the child does not take on new situations unless assisted by an adult. In concordance with guilt, parents often misjudge the situation and punish or restrict the child too much. However, children in this stage require some sense of guilt in order to guide their self-control and a healthy conscience.

The term Pre-kindergarten is often used interchangeably with the concepts of day care, and child care. However, the last mentioned two early childhood settings focus their goal on substitution care for children while their legal parents/guardians are absent as opposed to pre-K focus on skill building. They could involve academic training, or they could involve solely socializing activities.

Pre-kindergartens, though, differentiate themselves by equally focusing on harvesting a child’s

(1) social development

(2) physical development

(3) emotional development

(4) cognitive development.

They commonly follow a set of organization-created teaching standards in shaping curriculum and instructional activities/goals.

The term preschool more accurately approximates the name pre-kindergarten, for both focuses on harvesting the same four child development areas in subject directed fashion. The term preschool often refers to such schools that are owned and operated as private or parochial schools. Pre-kindergartens refer to such school classrooms that function within a public school under the supervision of a public school administrator and funded completely by state or federally allocated funds, and private donations.

Another term K-4 is often used interchangeably with pre-kindergarten. Although early childhood education experts criticize the use of the term as a way to rationalize utilizing a kindergarten model and teaching kindergarten skills in pre-kindergarten classes, public school districts continue to incorporate the term as a way to integrate pre-kindergarten into the stable of accountability.

Edible alphabets

Make alphabets soup from alphabet pasta and before the toddler consume it, use this to teach them the alphabet. Alternatively, you can use alphabet biscuits for the lesson. Your kid will enjoy learning the letters and eating them as well.

Alphabets decor

Use alphabets as decor around the house especially at your child’s play area or bedroom. Not only are they decorative but they also becomes a great tool in teaching alphabets for toddlers. Hand-painted or stenciled lettering can be applied to all kinds of things. You can start by putting your child’s name on the door followed by labeling drawers with their contents and so on. You can even have alphabets for pictures and frames.

ABC for kid in song

Most young children learn their ABCs with the help of a popular song - The ABC Song:
ABCDEFG … HIJKLMNOP …
QRS … TUV … WX … YZ …
Now I know my ABC …
Won’t you come and sing with me…

You can also teach alphabets by playing ABC scavenger hunt. Have the child hunt for items that starts with the desired letter.

Alphabet stamp

Use an alphabet stamp to learn the letters of the alphabet as well as coming out with new words and sentences in this alphabet activity.

Alphabets blocks

You can play lots of games with these blocks such as making new words, unscrambling words, sorting the consonants and vowels. You can also set up two little basket and have the child pitch the vowels into one and the consonants into another.

Other ways to teach ABC

There are many other ways you can use to teach alphabets such as:

• flash cards
• software’s such as the following:

Teach ABC for kid – Spelling and Math Games

This is an exciting educational software that lets you type in your own spelling lists, math quizzes and multiple choice quizzes. Using advanced speech technology, Merlin, Genie and Speedy the parrot then address your child by name, read out your quiz questions and provide lots of encouragement and fun.

Arranging alphabets

Make a set of alphabet cards bought from a shop or made by yourself, and have your child arrange the 26 letters of the alphabets in the correct sequence on the floor.

Alphabet puzzle

Cut out pictures from magazines that begin with each letter of the alphabets. Stick it on pieces of cardboard. Underneath each picture, write or print the first alphabet relating to the picture. Underneath the alphabet, spell out fully the name of the picture. To make it into a 2 piece puzzle for each of the card, cut in between the picture and the alphabet as creatively as you can for example, a curve or a zigzag line. Mix up the pieces and have your child identify a picture, find the alphabet relating to it and fix up the puzzle.

Missing alphabet

Lay out a set of alphabet cards in alphabetical order. Have the children close their eyes. Take one card away. Ask them to open their eyes and identify which letter is missing.

Words beginning with an alphabet

Pick an alphabet at random and get the child to come out with as many words as she can beginning with the letter chosen.

Alphabet Old Maid

You need at least three players for this game. Make two sets of alphabet cards, and include one blank card. Each player should have between 6 and 8 cards. The pack should be made up of pairs plus the blank card i.e. you will have odd number of total cards. Shuffle and deal out the cards. Each player checks their hands for any pairs, and places them face up in front of them if they have any. A player starts by turning to the player on his left, and takes a card without looking at it from his hand. If it makes a pair with one in his hand, he can put it down on the table. Play continues around the circle until one player is left holding the blank card and is called the “Old Maid”.

Upper and lower case alphabet games

Make two set of alphabet cards, one printed with upper case and the other with lower case. Mix up the pieces and have your child match the upper case card with its respective lower case card.

Matching alphabet games

Cut out pictures from magazines and picking a alphabet randomly, have your child identify pictures that starts with the alphabet chosen.

You can also use the computer to play alphabet games with your child. Check out spelling alphabet games that lets you type in your own spelling lists. Using advanced speech technology, Merlin, Genie and Speedy the parrot then address your child by name, read out your quiz questions and provide lots of encouragement and fun.