Sharing With Others

July 17, 2019/in Uncategorized /by bright_access

“Sharing is caring,” is a phrase that gets thrown around a lot for new parents trying to teach their children how to share. Does that mean a child who doesn’t like the idea of sharing doesn’t care about others and will grow up to be selfish?

Not necessarily. It probably means you have a young child who’s going through a healthy set of developmental stages. Here are three tips for teaching children how to share.

Let your sharing shine

Learning begins with observation; children have to see something first, to do it later. If mommy laughs when daddy plays with his food, expect the spaghetti to fly the next night. The same works with sharing.

Whenever there is an opportunity to share something with your partner, make sure your child hears what’s going on and sees how happy both of you are after the exchange.

Keep in mind though, if you want your child to learn how to share, you’ll have to share a lot of things. Make sure both you and your partner are prepared for that and plan how these “sharing moments” will go.

Watch carefully

Problems will usually arise during group play-time. As embarrassing as these situations can be (and scary for parents, when worries of how they’ll grow up begin to creep in), they should be seen as fantastic opportunities to learn more about your child. The point is, look to see what kinds of influences might have taught your child how to behave in such ways.

Don’t force sharing

To us, Mr. Booboo is just a teddy bear. To your child, he is a friend, valuable beyond measure. There are some things in life that are just too important to part with. The fear of loss (and understanding loss itself) is extremely important in a child’s development. The last thing you’d want to do is create resentment early on in life.

Understand the barriers and build from there. Be reasonable about what can be considered priceless and what you can separate from your child. This, too, will have a huge impact on their ability to prioritize.

No two children are exactly alike; not even twins can be parented the same way! These are just tips to consider when teaching your children how to share, but it’s ultimately up to how you want to mold your child. Some methods will work better than others, so it’s really about being attentive and learning as you go.

Sharing at Parker-Chase

At Parker-Chase Preschool, we believe in exposing children to real social interactions where sharing is beneficial to fulfill their potential as individuals. With guidance from our loving and dedicated teachers, we aim to help our students develop a sense of self-worth and responsibility, as well as enthusiasm and belonging.

Social Skills for Preschoolers

July 3, 2019/in Uncategorized /by bright_access

Social skills are important for a child’s healthy development, but they don’t always come naturally. As parents, we need to foster and guide their growth, so your child can reach their fullest potential in life. The best way to teach your child social skills is by modeling them whenever possible.

Here are a few topics to consider when teaching your child social skills.

Saying Hello

Almost all social interactions begin with some kind of greeting, so it’s important to have that skill perfected. Practicing some easy greeting phrases with your child like, “Hello, how are you?” or, “Good morning!” is a great way to start.

Along with learning to say hello, your child can also practice making eye contact when speaking to someone. Eye contact shows that your child is interested in what another person has to say. Since people don’t usually like to feel ignored, teaching your child to look someone into the eyes when speaking or listening to them is a good habit.

And if appropriate, teaching your child how to shake hands can help them get a head start in learning professional skills. Eye contact, a proper greeting and a handshake leaves a very good first impression!

Table Manners

At dinner time, be mindful to practice your best table manners. Proper table manners should be modeled at both restaurants and at home.

Using utensils the way they were made for, wiping your mouth with a napkin, chewing with your mouth closed and waiting to speak after you swallow are all things you can do to offer your children a proper guideline for table manners.

Handling Emotions

Managing emotions can be challenging for your child, so it’s important to teach them how to handle their emotions healthily.

Teach your child how to express their emotions with words. They should practice pausing to explain how they feel and why, and use “I” statements that describe their perspective rather than simply accusing others.

Interacting in Social Settings

As your child begins to interact with others in school, it will become increasingly important to teach your child social skills for a group setting.

Teach them about having healthy conversation, using indoor voices and not interrupting others. You may also want to teach your child about other people’s personal space and how to actively listen, which is a valued skill nowadays.

Social Skills at Parker-Chase

At Parker-Chase Preschool, we focus on developing social skills in order to prepare our students for lifelong success. All of our meals are served family-style so that children can practice their table manners and conversation skills. Children also have countless opportunities to learn, communicate, and play with their peers, both in and out of the classroom.

The “Do It Now” Approach

June 17, 2019/in Uncategorized /by bright_access

Procrastinating is a natural part of development for some children. Though it’s not the best quality to have, you should expect it as a parent and be ready to help your child grow out of it. Getting children to stop procrastinating is not always easy, but teaching your child the “Do it now” approach can help guide them through the process.

Why Children Procrastinate

The reason procrastination occurs is not that simple. Children don’t always procrastinate because they’re lazy. There are many reasons children could procrastinate.

Most times, when you ask your child to do something, they don’t follow through because the task doesn’t seem relevant to them. The idea of having to stop what they’re doing to put their toys away or make their bed, or something else that isn’t important in their mind, lowers the chances of your child completing the task.

Sometimes your child’s attention is divided between things they like to do. Sometimes children aren’t always fully conscious of what you ask them, so it may seem like your child is forgetful!

The bottom line is that procrastination is not always a character flaw. It can be changed with guidance and practice.

The “Do It Now” Approach

The solution to procrastination could be using the “Do it now” approach. The “Do it now” approach states that the longer you wait to do a quick chore, the harder it becomes.

When your child remembers a chore you asked them to complete, they should learn to complete the task immediately. Generally, what you ask your child to do is a simple task. By telling your child to complete the task as soon as possible, your child will begin to view the task as relevant and will learn that they should not put it off in the future.

Nobody likes to be interrupted during their free time. Encouraging your child to go the extra step when completing a task can make a world of difference!

“Do It Now” at Home

Let’s look at a few examples. Washing dishes is such a boring and time-consuming chore, especially when there’s a mountain of plates to clean. Teach your child to rinse their silverware after every meal. It takes less than a minute, without interrupting free-time, and helps develop a habit of cleaning up after themselves.

Another example of an easy chore to teach is taking out the trash. When your child is throwing something away and they notice the garbage bag is almost totally full, you can show them how to shove down the trash to make space or walk the bag outside.

Starting Early

Starting early on in your child’s development is the key to making the “Do it now” approach stick. Having your child put their toy away before they take another one out makes the transition between play-time and clean-up time almost seamless. Imagine, your child playing and putting things back in the correct place, at the same time!

The “Do it now” approach can be a very helpful developmental tool for parents of preschoolers and young children. It can build healthy habits that will combat procrastination and offer your child benefits that will serve them well in the future.

How Parker-Chase Battles Procrastination

At Parker-Chase Preschool, we dedicate ourselves to helping each child realize their fullest potential through a broad curriculum, opportunities to build responsibility and a personalized approach to the teaching/learning process.

Dealing With Nightmares

June 7, 2019/in Uncategorized /by bright_access

Nightmares are not pleasant, but we have them sometimes. Perhaps something was on our mind before going to bed, or we remembered a scene from a scary movie. Whatever the cause, nightmares are only our imagination. However, they can seem very real for children.

It can be harder for children to cope after having one. Nightmares can be traumatizing and make it difficult to go back to sleep. And in some cases, the line between reality and nightmare can be blurry for children right after they wake up.

Here are a few ways to help your child cope with having nightmares, and how to prevent them:

Reassure them

As parents, we are the safety nets for our children. The first thing your child does after having a nightmare is run to us in the middle of the night. At this point, your child needs to be reassured that the nightmare is over and they are safe.

Turn on the lights and give your child a hug. Give them a comfortable, familiar feeling they can hold onto, and speak to your child in a soft voice. Reassuring them that can always come to you to feel safe will help them to better cope with nightmares by themselves in the future.

It’s never fun to be woken up in the middle of the night but it’s important to remember that your child was woken up by something much worse in their mind. No matter how nonsensical it may be to us, it was real to them.

Help them face the fear

Facing the fear of a nightmare can be a difficult ordeal for your child, but they can manage it with your support. Listen to what the nightmare was about and ask question about what scared them. The case might be that they are afraid of something in real life, and the thought of it leaked into their nightmare. That’s when parents come to the rescue.

Rationalize the fear with your child to draw the line between imagination and reality. Be careful not to discount their fear though. Emotions should not be judged, especially by parents. Instead, let your children know it’s alright to feel scared and you are there to face the fear with them. You and your child can then reflect on it when the battle is won.

Create a safe sleeping space for them

Even if your child realizes the nightmare is not real and they can face their fears, a nightmare is still not an experience they will look forward to. The idea of bedtime leads to the possibility of a nightmare in your child’s mind, especially in the aftermath of a previous one.

Find a way to light their room bright enough for them to see everything, but not too bright that it keeps them up. Each night before bedtime, walk around your child’s room with them to look under the bed and in the closet. That will show your child that there are no monsters there.

Find the cause of their nightmares with them

Discovering the behavior, thought or food item that causes your child’s nightmares will not only prevent nightmares from terrorizing your child again, but will also further divide imagination from reality. Many parent blogs and forums online have personal stories like yours where parents have found what caused their child’s nightmares. Do some homework and you may discover a solution.

How Parker-Chase Helps Children with Nightmares

At Parker-Chase Preschools, creating a natural and comforting environment for children is important to us. We dedicate ourselves to the emotional growth and well-being of each of our students, and having a prepared environment where children feel safe is crucial. If one of our students has a nightmare during naptime, we respond quickly to notify the parents and assist the child in coping.

Manners Make a Difference

May 31, 2019/in Uncategorized /by nruiz

Manners seem to be in short supply nowadays. Where did minding our P’s and Q’s go? Sometimes it may seem like nobody holds the door open or covers their mouth when they sneeze anymore, which means guiding our children to be polite and courteous should make it back onto our parenting radar. Manners are almost always appreciated in most social interactions and are tools that help instill self-worth in every individual. And with good manners on their side, your children will usually make a good impression on classmates, teachers and anyone else who meets them.

Here are 5 ways in which you can help your child mind their manners:

1. Saying “Please” and “Thank you.”

This is one of the oldest courtesies in the book, and probably the first one your child should learn. “Please” lets people know they can be helpful somehow, and “Thank you” shows people how much their assistance is appreciated; if your child wants people to think of them in the same way, the first step is to say it for others. Practice this at home with your children until it becomes a natural habit. Show them how nice it is to hear “Please” and “Thank you” from them when they say it, and be sure to use it with them too.

2. Sharing is caring.

You’ve probably heard this saying time and time again, and yes – there is some truth to it! While some things might be too precious for children to part ways with, try to model behaviors of sharing whenever possible. No, we don’t have to share every single thing. But we should make it a point to share as much as we can when we can.

3. Apologizing.

Saying, “I’m sorry” communicates more to others than just asking for pardon. The value of apologizing only works when your children stop to reflect on what they did, realize it was not right, and try not to do it again.

Teach your children that they should always apologize if they do something that hurts another individual, either physically or emotionally. Even when they just can’t see what they did wrong, show them that apologizing makes everything better, faster. In time, and with instruction, they will begin to understand the importance of apologizing. Hopefully, they will learn not to do it again.

4. Making eye contact.

Looking directly into someone’s eyes when they speak shows the person that you care about what they have to say. And everyone wants to feel like what they have to say is worth paying attention to. A good way to start practicing this with your child is by asking them to notice the color of a person’s eyes and to report it to you later after the conversation has ended.

5. Hand-shaking.

It might be uncomfortable for some children to make physical contact with strangers, but it’s a sign of trust that will carry on through the rest of their professional and personal lives. You can teach them this trick to remember how to shake hands properly: show them the web of your hand (the area between your thumb and pointer finger) and explain to your children that they should touch the web of their hand to web of the other individual’s hand.

Remember, practice makes perfect! Incorporating these teaching methods in your every-day life will ensure the development of manners and the full potential of your child’s character.

How Parker-Chase handles Manners

At Parker-Chase Preschool, we believe that manners instill gratitude rather than a sense of entitlement. Our caring and dedicated staff practices manners and gracious behavior with your children by letting them experience real social interactions. Through these hands-on lessons, Parker-Chase can ensure the development of the whole child; from physical to emotional and social growth, we make sure the worth and potential of each child is developed fully.

How to Correct Your Child’s Bad Eating Habits

March 27, 2019/in Uncategorized /by nruiz

Some of our kids will refuse to eat their veggies. What is it about those green things anyway? Some of them will only eat mac and cheese and hotdogs. What are hotdogs even made out of? And still others will fill up on candy and sweets before dinner. Why do we keep letting them do that?

We keep on kicking ourselves for letting these habits continue but we’re so stumped about how to break them that it seems like an impossible feat. The good news is – there are solutions, you just have to be willing to stick with them.

How to get them to eat their veggies

Try a topping – Adding a topping, such as shredded cheese, to the veggies may make the veggies taste delicious to our child. Broccoli and cheddar cheese, cauliflower au gratin, or baked asparagus with parmesan are all great ways to make those veggies irresistible!
Add a dip – Your child may not like the veggies by themselves but with their favorite dip, such as ketchup or ranch dressing, it’s a game changer.
Get creative – Allow your children to help you make an appetizer tray full of veggies and arranged in any way they want. Include some hummus on the side so they can enjoy the fun and flavor of dipping!

How to keep them from snacking throughout the day

When your child is nibbling nonstop on unhealthy snacks throughout the day, it means they won’t be hungry come mealtime. To get them to break this unhealthy habit, try the following.

Set a snacking schedule – It’s recommended to serve two to three snacks daily, and all around the same time; for instance, midmorning, midafternoon, and bedtime (optional). Children will thrive with this structure because their hunger will become more regulated and predictable.
Prepare snacks ahead of time – When you set aside time to prepare your child’s snacks for the day, you will have time to think about making the snacks healthier and more filling. Snacks that are high in protein tend to keep kids satisfied longer. For example, you can try healthy combinations like bananas and peanut butter or apple slices in yogurt.
Get rid of or hide the junk food – When your child sees the junk food on display in the kitchen, that’s the first thing they will ask for or try to grab when they get hungry for a snack. Keep these foods hidden or get rid of them altogether – out of sight, out of mind. Rearrange your refrigerator or pantry to have the healthy stuff in the front, so that’s the first thing they will see when they open it.

How to stop them from eating too much sweet stuff

Limit their intake – It’s not practical to make a child quit eating sweets cold turkey, but it is feasible to limit their intake to once or twice a day. Because they’re not going to like this policy at first, its important to give them some choice in the matter. For example, you can ask them, “Would you like to have a chocolate muffin now or two small chocolate squares after dinner?”
Make replacements – Not all sweet treats have to be unhealthy! You can find healthy sweets such as fruits and yogurt or bananas sprinkled with cinnamon. Cereals and fruit snacks that are high in sugar can be replaced with low-sugar versions that they will grow to love just as much.

How to get them to try new foods

Repeated daily exposure – Even if your child initially rejects the food, researchers have found that it takes between 10 to 15 exposures for a child to like the new food. So stick with it even if they don’t like it at first!
Offer non-food rewards – It’s important for us to offer praise when our children try new foods, but we should have a neutral stance if they decide not to eat it. You may also choose to offer a small physical reward such as stickers when your child accepts a new food.
Be a role model – You can’t expect your child to eat a food that you’re not eating yourself. Always eat the same food as your child when you introduce something new. Research has shown that children who have parents that model healthy eating habits tend to be less “picky.”

Eating at Parker-Chase

At Parker-Chase Preschool, we know that healthy students are happier students! We provide our students with daily chef-prepared meals and nutritional snacks. All of our meals are prepared with fresh produce and ingredients. With a different theme each week, our menu is diverse and gets children excited about eating!

Fun Things with Kids in Plano and Carrollton

10 Fun Things to Do with Kids in Plano and Carrollton

February 8, 2019/in Uncategorized /by nruiz

If you have kids, you probably spend a lot of time looking for activities to help keep them entertained. If you happen to live in Plano or Carrollton, Texas, you will have no shortage of options to choose from. Plano and Carrollton are neighboring cities located in the north suburbs of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metropolitan area. Plano was ranked #1 on the Forbes list of America’s Safest Cities, and Carrollton was ranked 15^th Best Place to Live Among Small Cities by Money Magazine. Both cities are great places to bring up children, with plenty of fun indoor and outdoor attractions nearby.

Here are several of the family-friendly places that you can take your kids to in the Plano and Carrollton areas of Texas:

Heritage Farmstead Museum This living history site is a great way for your family to learn all about the history of the Texas Blackland Prairie region. With over 10,000 objects and archival materials, the Heritage Farmstead Museum has plenty of collections and exhibits that will spark your interest.
The Interurban Railway Museum From children’s story time to scouting programs, the Interurban Railway Museum is a great place to go with your kids to experience interactive exhibits on electricity, science, and Plano’s history. Best of all, its free admission!
Oak Point Park and Nature Preserve With over 800 acres of scenic land, Oak Point Park and Nature Preserve is Plano’s largest park and features 7.9 miles of paved paths and 5 miles of soft surface trails. The park also welcomes kayakers, canoeing, and paddleboarders, which is great for families who enjoy an outdoor adventure!
Amazing Jake’s Fun and Food This indoor attraction was made for the kids, with go-karts, mini golf, laser tag, rock climbing, bumper cars, and more! To top it all off, the exciting establishment also offers an all-you-can-eat-buffet!
Mill-Again Stables A-state-of-the-art horse riding school located in Plano, this riding academy will teach lessons to riders of any age, so it’s a perfect outing for the whole family!
Jump Mania Not only does Jump Mania have 5 inflatables for hours of bouncing fun, but they also have an arcade with 16 games, bumper cars, mini golf, and mini bowling.
Nickelmania You’ll want to bring your nickels and your game face to this establishment, so you can enjoy over 125 new and classic video games, win tickets, and get prizes!
Arbor Hills Nature Preserve Hiking and biking trails weave their way through this beautiful 200-acre nature preserve peppered with pavilions and a playground.
Main Event Entertainment From billiards and bowling to karaoke and laser tag, this could easily become your go-to destination for regular family outings. It’s also a great place for parties and events and has a full-service menu as well as an event menu.
The Rose Gardens of Farmers Branch Located in the neighboring town of Farmers Branch, this antique rose garden is a must if you are looking to take some beautiful family photos. When the roses are in bloom, it’s absolutely picturesque with multiple rose gardens, a butterfly garden, and a bird sanctuary.

At Parker-Chase Preschool, we believe that it’s important for families to spend time together regularly. Doing fun activities with your children is a good way to strengthen your bond with them. Children who have close relationships with their parents are often more likely to listen, help, and open up about any problems that they may have in their lives.

Parker-Chase Preschool has two convenient locations in Carrollton and Plano. Both locations are just a quick drive away from these attractions and more, offering endless opportunities for family fun and bonding!

Bedwetting Solutions for Your Kindergartener

October 29, 2018/in Uncategorized /by nruiz

Once you’ve gotten past one of the most difficult stages in early childhood development – potty training – you may find yourself facing something just as challenging – bedwetting. Nighttime involuntary urination usually becomes a concern around 5 or 6 years of age, often when children enter kindergarten. This is also an age when children can become embarrassed by the issue, and parents simply become exhausted with having to change the sheets every night.

Below are some bedwetting solutions that you can try to help your child stay dry throughout the night.

Adjust daily schedules.

Make sure your child urinates right before bedtime and on a regular basis throughout the day. Also, increasing your child’s fluid intake earlier in the day, and reducing it later in the day, can help decrease nighttime accidents.

Stay calm and reassure your child.

The worst thing to do in a bedwetting situation is to get angry and blame your child for the accident. This will just result in more anxiety and pressure for your child. Instead of making a big deal out of the issue, try comforting your child instead. Reassure him that bedwetting is very common among children his age, so he knows that he is not the only one going through this.

Check for constipation.

Your child’s bedwetting problems may stem from constipation since the bladder is located right in front of the rectum. Pay careful attention to your child’s bowel movements. If you notice that she isn’t going regularly, or that the stool is hard, encourage her to drink more fluids and increase her fiber intake. This will ease the constipation and get her system up and running again.

Try an alarm.

If all else fails, you can buy a moisture alarm and attach it to your child’s underwear. The alarm will go off the moment any moisture is detected, and your child will be woken up so that he can get up and go to the bathroom to finish urinating. The bedwetting alarm works best with children over the age of 7. Eventually, in about 12 weeks, your child should be conditioned to get up on his own to use the restroom during the night, or better yet, become able to make it until the morning.

Our approach at Parker-Chase:

At Parker-Chase Preschool, we strive to help each child develop cognitively, socially, emotionally, and academically. We understand that bedwetting is a part of growing up and that accidents at home or in school may make children feel insecure, especially at the kindergarten age. As loving educators, it is our goal to instill confidence and feelings of self-worth in each child. We work with parents to build self-esteem in our students, so bumps in the road like bedwetting can be handled together confidently.

Preschool Parenting 101: How to handle a picky eater

August 10, 2018/in Uncategorized /by nruiz

Picky eating is normal during the toddler and preschool years. Luckily, it is typically a phase that will pass! There are many creative ways of handling a picky eater. Below are some tips to help you deal with your picky eater in a positive way, while maintaining a balanced and healthy diet.

Put your goals into perspective:

Oftentimes your child’s rejection of food has less to do with the food itself, and more to do with underlying developmental advances. For example, your child’s refusal to eat what you put on her plate may not be because she doesn’t like the food, but really because she is exercising her newfound independence as she enters the preschool age. She may feel that you are taking that independence away by forcing her to eat the foods you serve. If your goal is to get your child to eat his food, then you should try putting that goal into the perspective of how your independent little one may respond at mealtime.

A good way to do this is by giving her some control over the menu. For example, you could have a make-your-own-taco night and lay out all the ingredients on the table – corn tortillas, flour tortillas, ground beef, rice, beans, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, shredded cheese, diced avocados, onions – and have her pick and choose what fillings she wants in her burrito. Your child will be able to exercise her independence in this situation, and will be more willing to eat what’s on her plate if she was the one who made it!

Be a role model:

It’s important to have meals together as a family so your toddler can see you, your partner, or older siblings, eating a variety of foods like champs. By exposing your little one to family mealtime, they can see what mealtime is supposed to look like. Serve the same food that you are eating to your toddler, and encourage him to eat a few bites of it.

Try foods in different forms:

Sometimes what your child might not like about the food isn’t the taste at all, but rather the texture. If your child doesn’t like a certain food, try serving it in a different form. For instance, your child may not like cooked peas, but you could find out he loves eating frozen peas right out of the bag after steaming! You can try serving raw veggies if your child doesn’t like them cooked and vice versa. You could even puree the food and serve it in this form first to get your child used to the taste first, before serving it in its whole form and natural texture.

Eating at Parker-Chase Preschool

At Parker-Chase Preschool, we strive to create a healthy learning environment that is also appealing to our students. For children to reach their full learning potential, we believe that they should be consuming a healthy diet on a regular basis. That is why we have an onsite chef providing delicious and nutritious meals served family style for the children to enjoy!

How is preschool different from daycare?

July 5, 2018/in Uncategorized /by nruiz

Choosing the right early childhood education center for your little one can be difficult. This decision is critical because you want to set a good foundation for your child starting at the youngest possible age. From daycare centers to preschools, there is no shortage of options to choose from. However, many parents are left wondering if there are really any differences between a good daycare and a good preschool? And if there are differences, do the benefits of one outweigh those of the other?

We’ve broken down some typical differences between a traditional daycare center and preschools to make this big decision a little easier for you and your family:

Ages

Every childcare center is different. However, many centers that refer to themselves as a ‘preschool’ may not accept kids younger than the age of 2 or 3. The focus of preschools is often to provide a solid educational foundation for children between the ages of 2 ½ through the year they enter kindergarten (typically at age 5 or 6). Daycares, on the other hand, often accept a wider age range of children, from infants who are just weeks old, up to children who are about to start elementary school.

Parker-Chase Preschool offers a strong educational foundation for even the youngest children and preschoolers, offering a wide variety of child care options based on your child’s age. We offer programs for infants, toddlers, preschool, and pre-kindergarten-aged children.

Curriculum

Strong preschool programs tend to place emphasis on cognitive development and early childhood education. Daycare centers strive to ensure kids stay healthy and happy while away from their parents or caregivers. Preschools often have a curriculum in place that is based on a specific educational philosophy such as Waldorf, Montessori, or Reggio Emilia. Most daycare centers will incorporate educational games and activities, but may not have a set academic curriculum or educational philosophy. Whether the facility is called a preschool or a daycare, all childcare centers should provide quality childcare.

Our educators at Parker-Chase Preschool are dedicated to fostering the development of each child’s social-emotional, cognitive, language, physical, and creative abilities. Our curriculum is built on our knowledge of the developmental process, the individual child’s interests and needs, and the child’s family culture.

Kindergarten and Elementary Preparation

One of the main goals of a preschool is to lay the foundation for what a child needs to know before starting kindergarten or elementary school. A daycare may or may not have a preparedness plan for higher education.

At Parker-Chase Preschool, we provide a pre-kindergarten program with a focus on developing pre-literacy and pre-math skills. Through challenging and developmentally appropriate play-based activities, we nurture our pre-kindergarten students cognitively, socially, and emotionally so they are more than ready to start kindergarten when that day comes.

Hours of Operation/Scheduling

A fundamental difference between daycare centers and preschools is often the hours of operation. Daycares typically open much earlier and stay open later than most preschools. Preschools may only run for half days or part-time schedules. Daycares are often open year-round, unlike many preschools which close during the summer and on holidays (or provide camps during these times).

Questions to Ask Yourself Before Touring a Daycare or Preschool

When you are looking for the right daycare center or preschool, an important step is to tour each of the facilities that interest you. Here are a few questions you should ask yourself before touring childcare centers that you will be considering:

What type of daycare or preschool environment would you feel most comfortable choosing for your child? For example, are you looking for a small, nurturing environment with just a few kids, or a larger program with many children and a larger variety of programs available?
Are you looking for a certain educational philosophy for your child’s daycare or preschool, such as a Montessori approach to learning or a more traditional approach?
What types of specific needs does your child have, such as toilet training, napping, or socializing? How does each preschool or daycare address these needs?
Are you looking for a preschool or daycare located near your workplace or your home? If the preschool is a private school, are the fees within your budget?
What kinds of needs do you have regarding your schedule? What hours would you prefer that the daycare center or preschool you choose be open to care for your child?

At Parker-Chase Preschool, both of our campuses are open from 7:00 AM to 6:30 PM. We also offer an exciting 10-week summer camp program at our Plano location to keep kids learning and having fun throughout the summer.