A generation ago, caring for young children was a “no brainer”: While one parent worked, the other played the role of a stay-at-home caregiver. Everything a child needed to learn, they learned from the parental care provider – which sometimes also included extended family and friends. With the changing face of families today, and with both parents now participating in the workforce, 100% parental care is no longer a viable option. This afterschool program in Potomac is filling that void in providing much-needed childcare and support to families.
Changing Times Bring Changing Childcare Needs
Back in the seventies, just a fifth of children participated in day care programs. Today, that figure is close to two-thirds of the young children population. Working parents depend on the services provided by these institutions. In all respects, this day care in Potomac, MD has acquired the status of an essential social service: Families with two working parents/partners, or those that can’t provide full-day parental care, can’t function without the service!
Changing times have also brought about an evolution in child care needs, and day care programs have evolved to satisfy them. Today, instead of simply being a “drop off place” for kids – while parents work – high quality, professionally-run child care centers:
- Offer developmentally appropriate play-based care programs for infants, toddlers, preschoolers and school age kids.
- Include both before and after school caregiving services, to support working parents who start their workdays early, and may end later than a typical school day.
- Provide special events, such as summer programs, so kids that have no access to a full day of parental care during vacation season, can benefit from fun and learning in a safe and moderated environment.
Kids attending this after school program in Potomac also benefit from a wide array of activities such as arts and crafts, social skills building, swimming and field trips. What was just a safe place for working parents to drop-off kids prior to work, and pick their children after work has, over time, evolved into a mainstream level of learning and education for young children.
Recognized and Approved
Today, children attending day care programs are part of a well-managed, professionally-run network of early childhood education centers. The staff have professional designations, and are highly qualified in providing personalized levels of care needed for each child. Children of diverse skills and backgrounds come together at these centers, and benefit from multiple areas of learning and development including:
- Social-Emotional
- Physical, Language
- Cognitive
- Literacy
- Mathematics
- Science and Technology
- Social Studies
- Arts and Crafts
- and English Language Acquisition
The choice of day care matters a lot, especially if parents can’t provide 100% parental care during the working week. Programs at the day care in Potomac, MD operate under the Creative Curriculum® – a curriculum that’s approved by the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE). Interactive, and play-based in its philosophy, the curriculum focuses on planning for school readiness based on the unique needs of each child. Kids learn by exploring their surroundings; by playing with toys and participating in group activities; and by undertaking physically and mentally stimulating activities in a safe and supervised environment.
