If you are just starting your daycare, you'll need to create a daily schedule. The sample schedule below goes from 7:30-5:30. I chose these hours because, in my experience, many parents seem to work 8-5, so giving them a half hour travel time seems pretty convenient.
If you find that you're not getting clients, you may need to reconsider the hours that you're open. I understand that you have a family life as well, but most people looking at daycares work full-time, and a daycare with hours such as 8-4 is not convenient for parents working full-time.
If you live near a hospital and are a morning person, you may want to consider hospital hours, which are sometimes 6:30-3:30. You could contact someone in human resources to ensure that they do not have an on site childcare center and to determine your hours. Then see if you could post a bulletin advertising your daycare to the hospital staff.
You could also do this if you live near a large company. You could see if the company could recommend your daycare to their employees. Of course if you're a home based daycare and only licensed for a certain number of children, you may not want to do this with too large of a company.
Sample Schedule:
7:30-8:00: Free play / awaiting for children to arrive
8:00-8:30: Hand washing & Breakfast
8:30-9:00: Coloring / play-doh, breakfast cleanup
9:00-9:15: Morning Circle Time
9:15-9:45: Art project
9:45-10:00: Diaper changes / hand washing
10:00-10:15: Morning snack
10:15-10:45: Group activity
10:45-11:45: Outside time (weather permitting)
11:45-12:45: Handwashing / Lunch
12:45-1:00: Diaper changes / handwashing
1:00-1:15: Story time (preparing for nap)
1:15-3:00: Nap time
3:00-3:15: Diaper changes / hand washing
3:15-3:30: Afternoon Snack
3:30-4:30: Outside time (weather permitting)
4:30-5:00: Movement & Music
5:00-5:30: Diaper changes / hand washing / free play awaiting for parents
The above schedule may not work for everyone. And remember that your day may not always go as scheduled, but that's okay!
My general rules when creating this schedule are:
- Children eat every 2-3 hours
- Diaper changes every 2-3 hours (and as needed)
- Handwashing before children eat and after every diaper change
- Story time or some other wind down activity right before nap.
I also think it's important to let children know what is going to happen. For example, 10 minutes until nap time, or 5 minutes until clean up. This helps prepare children in advance, and it helps them to understand time. They'll eventually realize that 5 minutes isn't a long time.
Feel free to post comments and/or your daily schedules!
- Michelle