Childcare Center Tour | LTP 2023

Summary

Julie from Learn to Play gives an updated tour of her Child Care Center, showcasing the various rooms and recent changes. She walks viewers through the young toddler, older infant, and preschool rooms, highlighting new flooring, updated classroom setups, learning areas, and themed decor. The video also covers the gym, outdoor playground, and kitchen, explaining classroom ratios, summer camp plans, and curriculum updates. Julie shares practical insights about day-to-day operations, classroom management, and improvements made since the center opened. The tour provides an authentic glimpse into the center’s environment, routines, and activities, reflecting both the challenges and successes of running a childcare facility.

Takeaways

• 🏫 Julie provides a full updated tour of her Child Care Center, showing changes and improvements over the past year.
• 🎨 The center is currently decorated for Valentine's Day, with seasonal decorations rotated throughout the year.
• 📋 The entry area includes a Procare sign-in system, newsletters, a sick kids poster, and bins for kids’ artwork and documents.
• 👶 The young toddler room serves children aged 24 months to 2.5 years, with two teachers, tables, dramatic play, circle time, and updated flooring.
• 🍼 The young infant room accommodates children six weeks to 12 months, with cribs, feeding schedules, gates for safety, and a washer/dryer.
• 🌳 The outdoor playground has been updated with new mulch, and the gym has winter-appropriate slides and climbing structures for the children.
• 🎓 The preschool room combines three and four-year-olds, featuring multiple learning centers (science, math, writing), dramatic play, a reading nook, and organized artwork display.
• 👶 The older infant room is for 12 months to nearly two years, with cribs, high chairs, tables, sensory and reading areas, and safety measures like alarms on doors.
• 🍳 The kitchen area, managed by Miss Halley, includes cleaning procedures, a freezer, and preparation space for meals and activities.
• 📅 The center uses the Creative Curriculum, hosts summer camps for ages 5–8, and carefully manages teacher-to-child ratios and staffing needs.
• ⭐ The center recently earned its first star rating, reflecting improvements and quality care.
• 💻 Julie plans to be away for five to six weeks and uses her desk as a prep area, showing ongoing administrative organization and planning.

Q & A

Who is giving the Child Care Center tour in the video?

Julie from Learn to Play is giving the updated Child Care Center tour.

How long has the center been open at the time of the video?

The center has been open for almost a year at the time of the video.

What system do parents use to sign in and out at the center?

Parents use Procare with a barcode scanner to sign in and out.

What age group is in the young toddler room, and how many teachers are there?

The young toddler room is for children aged 24 months to about 2.5 years, with two teachers in the room.

What recent changes were made to the flooring in the center?

New flooring was installed in the young toddler room, infant rooms, and hallway areas, although the installation process was complicated and delayed.

How is the infant room organized for mobile and non-mobile babies?

Gates separate non-mobile infants from mobile infants, and the room has cribs, changing stations, and organized containers for bottles, bibs, and blankets.

What special activities or programs does the center offer for children?

The center offers dramatic play, art areas, Circle time, a Dolly Parton Imagination Library, summer camp, and private preschool sessions for three-year-olds.

What is the age range and staff-to-child ratio in the older infant room?

The older infant room is for children aged 12 months to nearly two years, with a 6-to-1 staff-to-child ratio.

How is the preschool area organized and what activities are included?

The preschool area accommodates three- and four-year-olds, featuring dramatic play, reading nooks, a whiteboard, art areas, block play, science, math, and writing centers, with dividers to organize the space.

What is the center's plan for summer camp and how will it differ from last year?

Summer camp will be for children aged five to eight years, unlike last year which included ages five to eleven, with activities transformed into a more school-like setting for the older kids.

What challenges does the center face regarding staffing?

One teacher is on maternity leave until March, and due to staff-to-child ratios, the center may need to hire an additional staff member to meet ratio requirements.

How does the center manage meals and sanitation?

Each classroom has a 'yuck bucket' for toys that need cleaning, a kitchen area managed by Miss Halley, gates separating rooms, and proper storage for bottles and dietary needs.