Do You Drive the DCKs Anywhere??

[SunflowerMama]

I wasn't going to open this can of worms with my daycare and was just going to walk if we went to the park but the kids and I would love to do some other things around the area.

The only problem I'm running into is that the park is close to a mile away and I can only go if I don't have kids and have a smaller, more manageable group. Max I ever have is 6 and I've only ever taken all of them once and it was nuts on the way back...just too far for 3 year olds.

I'd love to be able to just drive them to the park or the library or other activities that are close by. We are within 2 miles of multiple parks, library, splash pads, etc.

Does anyone drive the dcks around? Do you just have a waiver they sign or is there more involved? With booster seats I can get everyone safely secured in a child's seat for possible short trips.

I just think getting out of the house will be good for all of us.

[tymaboy]

I have car seats for all the kids. I take the kids to the museum & zoo during the summer when I do not have more then 2 kids (all the room in my car for the seats) I had the parents sign a permission slip saying that it is OK that I take them on field trips.

[nannyde]

No. I have never put a dck in my vehichle in the 16 years I have done day care.

[originalkat]

Yes,we take field trips. I always have another adult come along as well. I have 6 kids including my own two. I am very close to museums, parks, zoo, library. All of them are within 2-3 miles. It is a pain to take trips as I sometimes get stressed out. However, it is worth it and the parents love it. This Friday we are going to the zoo and my hubby is coming along. Will pack sack lunches. Next month we are going to the Children's Theater to see "The Three Little Pigs" and one of the parents is volunteering. They serve pizza there as part of the price and so we will eat there as well.

Last school year, my goal was 1 trip per quarter(every 3 months) so we went to:
Fall- Pumpkin Patch
Winter- Children's Museum
Spring- Zoo
Summer- Children's Theater

I was thinking of doing more, but I dont know. It is a lot of work. I was thinking of doing 1 per month. Some ideas I had were

Pumpkin Patch
Library Storytime
Art Museum Childrens Hour (hands on art activity)
Botanical Gardens
Zoo
Nature Center
Children's Museum
Dentist Office
Outdoor Living History Museum

I was thinking of just buying the carseats to go in my vehicle. That way the night before I could put all the seats in and I would know how all the buckles fasten. I hate getting other peoples carseats in and out on the day of the trip. I also am getting one of those walking ropes so each kid has a handle when we are out in public in parking lots etc...

My home daycare home insurace covers field trips as well.

[lilrugrats]

I love field trips, it breaks up the monotony(wow sp?) of the days that run into the weeks. I have 8 kids plus my own two school agers. I have a 3rd row seat in my car and my assistant takes some too. In WI we need the vehicles inspected every year and I have both of those vehicles. Also I have the car alarm ( like buses have ) and have transportation forms that the parents must sign. It is not required that the parents sign something everytime we go somewhere, but if we leave the area I do make a list up.

Some places we have gone are:

*Jelly Belly ( a favorite! )
*Museum with trolley ride
*Library
*Food Folks and Spokes. ( its like a fair put on one friday a month and all the local schools/daycares are always there. They give away helmets, and have bike races, magic shows, etc., another favorite)
*Zoo
*Large Park/Petting Zoo area near here

[jen]

Yep, we have to take a car seat safety class in MN. My husband and I have both taken it....

We've gone to:

The State Capital
Como Zoo
Beach
Oliver Kelley Farm
Dominos (for $2 per kid they get to make their own pizza, anything they want!)
History Museum
Children's Museum
Mill City Museum
The Walker Art Center
Movies...

Truthfully, my hubby normally does the field trips while I stay home with the little ones. Except the beach, I always do the beach.

[tenderhearts]

I have them sign something giving their permission, but myself I prefer not to take other peoples children in the car. It would be nice to do field trips but I don't feel comfortable doing it. Years ago I had one daycare child and she and my son were both 6 so I did take her to the store once with us but that's all I've ever done.

[Lucy]

We sometimes go to the library for storytime on Fridays. Every now and then we'll go to McDonald's to play in their indoor play area. (We don't eat there, just get drinks.) Or maybe a park. We have regular play parks and one where you can feed ducks. All of these listed are within a mile and a half of my house. Parents sign a trip consent at enrollment and I have a folder in my car with copies of everyone's consent, as well as their medical info and releases. It just stays in my car. I I never take more than 4 kids at a time, so this doesn't happen all that often as I have up to 8 kids at times in the summer. I provide the necessary car seats or boosters, nobody sits in the front seat even if they are a large 10 yr old kid. I usually end up texting a picture to the parents just to show that their kids are having fun. Parents love it and it causes a more positive outlook on the fact that they might be nervous about their kids. Almost always, I mention my plans in the morning when the kids are dropped off. If it's a last minute thing, a couple of them want me to text or email, but my 2 long-termers (8 yrs) are fine with it.

[bre1313]

I require that the parents sign off on my dh and I driving. On a normal day we do not go anywhere, no car pooling. But as a parent myself sometimes I need to go to the school or pick up something during the day. There have been odd days where we do go some place like story time at the library, the mall so the kids can go in the free play place. For a while there I had a 4 year old boy and a bunch of younger kids. My dh would take the boy to the park, while the other kids napped.

[mac60]

No transporting here. Some of my parents asked that question at the interview, they did not want their child in a vehicle. I don't want the responsibility. I can't imagine doing it anyways with ages ranging from infant thru preschool up ages 7/8.

[safechner]

Yes, I do take the daycare kids to go anywhere. Of course, I do have permission from the parents. They trust me very well. I always give them one week notice. I have doing this for 8 years. I have clean records with DL and Insurance. I have no problem.

We go to:

Petting zoo
Waterpark
Library for story time every Wednesdays
picnic
park
out eat like McDonalds
Target or Wal Mart stores (they can learn about fruits and veggies)


I have a lot of safety car seats in the garage.

[safechner]

Never mind I dont know why it shows up twice. Sorry..

[MarinaVanessa]

Yup I also drive the kids around. We have trips to the zoo, other parks, school playgrounds, museums etc. I also pick up my little girl from school and drive her there. Kids are always in carseats appropriate for their age. Over the years I've accumulated a total of 6 carseats for different age stages. I just have them sign a waiver giving me permission to transport.

[mac60]

We really don't have anything in our town to go see since we are small. Even if we did, I would think long and hard before I did it, especially with mixed age groups.

[kdparadise]

Well, I'm a newbie, but this has been a BIG hot topic for me. I've been struggling with trying to figure it out, so some of these comments have been great. I haven't opened yet, still working on things...

Bases / seats: I'd put in my handbook a request that parents leave me an extra base and or carseat depending on age / size of child. I thought that might be asking too much of the parents and well I don't like the idea.

I'll accept infant to Pre-K should I take that clause out and just, as I get the kids buy the appropriate seats/base for each child? I know a couple of places that sell them used...

Regarding help when you go on outings: I've been having trouble finding a person that could be an in home daycare sub. I want to find someone that will come at least every 2-3weeks for a 1/2 day or for several hours when I need to tend to an appointment for self or my own child during hours or other matters or I just need some time off. I'd like this person to potentially be able to come along on larger formal field trips if possible.

Part of the issue of the trouble I've had with finding this person is that I'm registerd now, but am going to get licensed and licensing requires subs have the following: background check, cpr/first aid training, 45hr early education class. If I stay registered for a while than I'd thought that person would need to be retired or semi-retired b/c stay at home moms want to bring their own kids and that's not possible when they are alone and substituting.

Well, I don't have any relatives or friends or hubby that can really do this....