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Philosophies Behind Caring for Children

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If you’re feeling philosophical, you might say, “What is the meaning of child care?” Maybe right now, though, you're asking, “Is this program right for my child?”

When researching child care philosophies, the details can be overwhelming. There’s Reggio Emilia, Waldorf, Montessori and so many more. You might think, “What does it all mean? Do I need to understand these to find quality care for my child?” The answer is no. Learning the nitty gritty of specific philosophies is secondary to understanding a child care provider’s beliefs about children and their heart.

Beyond the Labels: Questions to Understand a Program’s Philosophy

Here are some questions you can ask about philosophy when you’re touring a child care program. These questions help you understand whether a provider’s philosophy about child care aligns with what you want for your children. If a child care provider follows a specific philosophy such as Progressive, Developmental or Cooperative, they’ll tell you all about it. If they don’t, you’ll know about their heart’s philosophy, which is just as important in the care of your child.

  • Belief: Children’s voices are important, and so is encouraging them to speak.

    Question: How does your program honor children by listening, documenting and letting them be heard? How do you invite ongoing dialogue with the children in your care?

  • Belief: From the moment a child is born, she is learning and making sense of the world.

    Question: How does your child care program support children’s development in their earliest stages as readers, writers, mathematicians and scientists?

  • Belief: Child care is for children first.

    Question: How does your program keep children at the center of curriculum development, daily activities, quality interactions, etc.?

  • Belief: Learning should be joyful.

    Question: What excites you most about how children are learning in your program?

  • Belief: Children should feel like they belong in child care.

    Question: How do you encourage building a community within each classroom and among the children within them? How do you encourage positive relationships to the curriculum, too?

  • Belief: Families should feel like they belong in child care, too.

    Question: How do you welcome and involve families in care?

  • Belief: Teachers should always be learning and growing, just like children.

    Question: How often and what type of professional development do your teachers receive? How do you grow and change because of what children teach you?

  • Belief: Teachers should strongly believe that they are doing good work.

    Question: What are you most proud of in your program?

  • Belief: Children learn a lot through play.

    Question: What do play-based opportunities look like in your program?

  • Belief: Learning from the outdoor environment is important.

    Question: How often do children go outside? What do they do if the weather doesn’t permit them to go outside?

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For more information on finding child care that fits your family, explore our Choosing Child Care guide.

Child Care Choice Guide