Childcare Benefits

An infant will pass many milestones during the first several months of their lives. Parents who choose to place their infants in a daycare program are often concerned about the program’s ability to help foster their child’s development. By designing a program that positively impacts perceptual and motor development, an excellent daycare program can reassure parents that their little one is in great care. Other than accommodating parents’ specific requests in caring for their children (feeding and sleeping schedule, etc.), it is vital that a daycare has scheduled activities to promote developmental growth. Regardless of the age of the infant, gross motor skill improvement is essential. Postural control is the building block of gross motor skill development (Adolph & Joh, 2009). Younger infants can engage in belly time, a designated time in which the infant is placed on their stomach to encourage independent head and neck movements. As the infant progresses in this area, other activities during playtime throughout the day will encourage the baby to sit up independently. Most of the gross motor skills can be acquired through purposeful play activities with toys and equipment that is specialized for infants. The environment of the daycare plays an important aspect of development as well. Having a clean, yet visually and auditory stimulating atmosphere for infants will assist in their visual and auditory growth. A significant portion of their day will be spent with a child care worker reading to them and using prompts such as pictures and storybooks to help them engage their focus. Toys (mobiles, rattles, etc.) will help infants recognize dimensions and texture of objects and will encourage them to reach for it. Daycare programs should have a combination of skilled workers who understand that quality toys and individualized time spent with the infant will maximize their growth and development. By frequently exposing the infant to various sounds and