What Sets Your Childcare Apart From The Competition?

There is so many providers out there these days with so many kinds of programs, what is it about yours that attracts the most clients?

[Sugar Magnolia]

1. Small group size, waaay under ratio
2. Zero % turnover, family owned AND operated.
3. Full preschool curriculum for ages 3-5
4. Multi-age approach to learning
5. Super, over-the-top clean. I spend 3-5 hours a week DEEP cleaning, not just surface clean.
6. Well organized materials.
7. We are a licensed center with a 4 star rating.
There is NOTHING more important than 1 and 2. We are a center, but a SMALL center and that is our #1 draw.

[Michelle]

Parents love it that we go on field trips!
Instead of just "reading" about dinosaurs and giraffes, we go see them at museums and zoo's. A lot of times kids will "tune out" a book you are reading. It's pretty hard to tune out a tyrannosaurus at the Nature History Museum
They ask a lot of good questions and get to touch them. They really learn well this way and the kids are better behaved because they don't feel so confined to just staying in the house or just walking to the park. We also offer a preschool program and I make D.V.D's set to cool music every year of all the places we go and things we do here.
They also love it that we provide hot nutritious meals.

[laundrymom]

Mine is,... Controlled insanity.

[SunflowerMama]

- Healthy Wholesome Meals (lots of fresh and organic produce, dairy and meats)
- Cloth Diapers (provided by me) for all kids in diapers
- All kid/pet friendly non-toxic toys, dishes, house cleaners, pesticides, etc.
- Very limited to no tv daily
- Plenty of exercise and solid naptime

[daycare]

ditto this... we cant stand being cooped up....All of our lessons are attached to a field trip. We have at least two field trips a month.
We have picked fruit
gone to a barn and milked cows
we have gone to the poilce station fire station, post office and got to sort mail.

I offer a preschool curriculum out of my home and have a small group, zero turn over in staff as I am the only one here.

I offer a free parents night out for every family and every child in thier family once a month.

Hmmm this is a great question and I think will help me advertise....lol

[nannyde]

The best CARE


Excellent nutrition (fully organic from scratch whole foods)
Excellent supervision (one adult to four child ratio from birth to five)
Excellent SLEEP
Excellent exercise (45 minute hike every possible day and floor based play)
Excellent toys
and a Nan that loves them very very much

[Michelle]

Originally Posted by daycare

ditto this... we cant stand being cooped up....All of our lessons are attached to a field trip. We have at least two field trips a month.
We have picked fruit
gone to a barn and milked cows
we have gone to the poilce station fire station, post office and got to sort mail.

I offer a preschool curriculum out of my home and have a small group, zero turn over in staff as I am the only one here.

I offer a free parents night out for every family and every child in thier family once a month.

Hmmm this is a great question and I think will help me advertise....lol

Imagine the look on a parents face when they say" Miss Michelle took me to pet a shark today!!" (LongBeach Aquarium) or I got to explore and run through the inside of a nose...( Discovery Science Center) they even had a display about how our body processes food and where it ends up! The boys loved that one. My favorite is the La habra Children's museum..they have a lot of cultural activities, digging for dinosaur bones, a real caboose, and a city bus cut in half that the kids can "drive".

We have always wanted to pick fruit, that's on our list...but we do go get pumpkins at the pumpkin patch!

[AnneCordelia]

Similar to the other daycares here...

*whole, homemade foods...strong emphasis on nutrition
*solid sleep routine
*music program (I teach piano lessons to older ex-DCKs too)
*informal baby sign program (fluent in ASL)
*exercise...we walk 4 miles a day for the school run and make a point to *go somewhere* every morning. Park, library, Early Years Centre, zoo, local farm, ect.
*we grow stuff. We all help in the daycare garden (for daycare lunches...eat what we grow). We hatch chickens, ducks, turkeys, quail and all forms of farm birds for my aunt's farm. There is always something in the incubator. We also raise butterflies, guppies, and tadpoles, season depending.
*under limits to have a smaller ratio

[erinalexmom]

Thats a great question. 1)small group same kids everyday the parents all know the names of every kid at my daycare
2) I do many educational activities
3) I also am a big supporter of the idea that children need an old fashioned childhood. Time to play, explore on thier own, teaching independence,ect (although that sounds like I dont do anything all day LOL its actually harder to teach them to do something than to do it for them believe it or not)
4) Although I dont advertise it I'm a nurse and I think that must bring some piece of mind to the parents (especially since I still work in the field outside of hours and my 2nd job is with special needs kids so I am all kids all the time LOL)

[MamaBear]

Mine are:

• A really clean home
• Our location is convenient & safe & near an elementary school
• Nice newer toys
• English speaking only (we live in Southern San Diego - so most daycares are spanish speaking around here)
• We're a military family
• All about the same age toddlers
• I offer "date nights"
• We do educational activities

[permanentvacation]

20 Years of Experience
Over-Educated in my Field
Over-Qualified in my Field
Numerous References from Previous and Current Daycare Parents
I Provide all Meals and Snacks - Including Dinner
I Provide a Preschool Educational Program
Almost Never Close
Open on Holdiays if Needed
Affordable Rates

20 years of experience, well over-educated and over-qualified for being a licensed provider. I am actually a certified infants and toddlers teacher, a certified preschool teacher, qualified to be a director of a daycare center with 20 children, and I am working towards earning my A. S. Degree in Early Childhood Education. Once I obtain my degree, I will be qualified to be a director of a center with an unlimited amount of children. My eduction and years of owning my own home daycare show parents that I am not some fly-by-night person who woke up one day and decided to babysit. It shows that this is my career that I take very seriously and plan to continue for many years to come.

I also have many written references from previous and current daycare parents. I know alot of daycare providers in my area and only one other provider that I know has one written reference from a parent.

I provide all meals and snacks. I am on the Maryland Food Program which pays me to provide meals for the children. So I actually make more money by doing so and the parents don't have to hassle with packing lunches.

I provide a fun, hands-on age appropriate preschool educational program that the children and parents love. My 2 year olds work on recognizing the alphabet and phonics. By the time my children are 3 years old, they are working on reading and writing. The majority of my children have been placed in the advanced level of kindergarten.

I have a part-time assistant who is able to work any time that I need to take time off. So I almost never close my daycare. I am also open on holidays if my parents need me to be.

My rates are very affordable. I charge $100/week for all ages 6 weeks - 4 years old. The average rate in my area for infants is $150 (home daycares) to $200 (centers) and for preschoolers $125 (home daycares) to $175 (centers). I used to charge the typical going rate and my parents often complained about the daycare rates. I didn't understand them because that was the going rate - EVERY daycare charged those rates. Then I became a single mother! Then I noticed the price of EVERYTHING! I realized that if I were a typical person going out to work for a typical $10/hour job, bringing home about $300 a week or so, there would be no way I could afford the 'typical' daycare rates. So after getting myself in a position where I could afford to do so, I lowered my rate to a more affordable rate.

[nannyde]

Originally Posted by permanentvacation

20 Years of Experience
Over-Educated in my Field
Over-Qualified in my Field
Numerous References from Previous and Current Daycare Parents
I Provide all Meals and Snacks - Including Dinner
I Provide a Preschool Educational Program
Almost Never Close
Open on Holdiays if Needed
Affordable Rates

20 years of experience, well over-educated and over-qualified for being a licensed provider. I am actually a certified infants and toddlers teacher, a certified preschool teacher, qualified to be a director of a daycare center with 20 children, and I am working towards earning my A. S. Degree in Early Childhood Education. Once I obtain my degree, I will be qualified to be a director of a center with an unlimited amount of children. My eduction and years of owning my own home daycare show parents that I am not some fly-by-night person who woke up one day and decided to babysit. It shows that this is my career that I take very seriously and plan to continue for many years to come.

I also have many written references from previous and current daycare parents. I know alot of daycare providers in my area and only one other provider that I know has one written reference from a parent.

I provide all meals and snacks. I am on the Maryland Food Program which pays me to provide meals for the children. So I actually make more money by doing so and the parents don't have to hassle with packing lunches.

I provide a fun, hands-on age appropriate preschool educational program that the children and parents love. My 2 year olds work on recognizing the alphabet and phonics. By the time my children are 3 years old, they are working on reading and writing. The majority of my children have been placed in the advanced level of kindergarten.

I have a part-time assistant who is able to work any time that I need to take time off. So I almost never close my daycare. I am also open on holidays if my parents need me to be.

My rates are very affordable. I charge $100/week for all ages 6 weeks - 4 years old. The average rate in my area for infants is $150 (home daycares) to $200 (centers) and for preschoolers $125 (home daycares) to $175 (centers). I used to charge the typical going rate and my parents often complained about the daycare rates. I didn't understand them because that was the going rate - EVERY daycare charged those rates. Then I became a single mother! Then I noticed the price of EVERYTHING! I realized that if I were a typical person going out to work for a typical $10/hour job, bringing home about $300 a week or so, there would be no way I could afford the 'typical' daycare rates. So after getting myself in a position where I could afford to do so, I lowered my rate to a more affordable rate.

What does overeducated mean? What degree do you have now? What kind of certification do you have to be a teacher ( certified infants and toddlers teacher, a certified preschool teacher)?

[WImom]

*really clean home
*preschool cirriculum
*only care for ages 2-5y so they are all around the same age
*really good website (noone has websites around here)
*eco friendly
*dedicated daycare space
*newer toys/tables, etc
*Non Cluttered (I see so many cluttered daycares around here)

[Crystal]

Originally Posted by nannyde

What does overeducated mean? What degree do you have now? What kind of certification do you have to be a teacher ( certified infants and toddlers teacher, a certified preschool teacher)?

lol....I was waiting for that! lol!

[nannyde]

Originally Posted by Crystal

lol....I was waiting for that! lol!

he he he

I am praying for some "my state" does this and this certification.

Take a look at Georgia.

[Blackcat31]

Originally Posted by permanentvacation

I am actually a certified infants and toddlers teacher, a certified preschool teacher, qualified to be a director of a daycare center with 20 children, and I am working towards earning my A. S. Degree in Early Childhood Education. Once I obtain my degree, I will be qualified to be a director of a center with an unlimited amount of children.

I am sure this is gonna start something but......... I have to ask how you can be a "certified teacher" for infants and toddlers without atleast an A.S. degree in Early Childhood? I am NOT talking about being viewed of as a teacher but being certified as one? Also wondering what kind of center has the room or space or licensing requirments to have an unlimited number of children? I am only asking because the largest center we have where I live has many licensed teachers and a Director but still has a limit on the number of children who can legally attend.

I am just asking.

[BusyBee]

I think they all like my location and my rates. They never ask about what we do during the day, what we eat, etc!

We do a lot of free play in the summer, but we do plenty of other things as well. We walk every day that weather allows, do water play, and crafts. And they know that I really care about their kids. I think that is what counts the most for them.

[DCMom]

Originally Posted by laundrymom

Mine is,... Controlled insanity.

Lol, mine too! It feels like 'Controlled Chaos' should be my business name most days!

Honestly, I'm not sure what sets my child care apart. Separate area w/ centers, separate entrance, years in business, preschool program, nutritious meals, structured activities, reasonable rates, extended hours, clean home-like environment...??? I like to think of my child care as the best of both worlds ~ center care AND home child care.

I don't have a degree, just years of experience and the obvious love of what I do.

Whatever it is that appeals to my clientele, its working thank goodness!

[pappyny]

I'm still new here so I hope you don't mind me chiming in too

*live on base so I'm convenient for parents (military family)
*preschool program
*family atmosphere
*Associates in Early Childhood Care and Education
*working on becoming accredited
*small adult to child ratio 4:1 (though licensed for 6)
*only take 3-5 year olds
*consistent daily routines

Though some of these can be viewed as negatives by some parents (such as the ages of the children I will take), I feel that I offer the services that benefit my target group the most.

[Cat Herder]

There is only one me

[permanentvacation]

Here, to be a licensed daycare provider, as far as required education goes, you only need to take 8 hours worth of 6 different type of classes related to childcare, be CPR/1st Aid Certified, and if watching children under age two, be SIDS Certified. Those few classes is ALL the education related to childcare that most of the providers in my area have.

I have taken all of those plus am working on my A.S. Degree in Early Childhood Education, have taken the classes that I needed to take to become a Certified Infants and Toddlers Teacher and taken all the required classes to obtain my Certification as a Preschool Teacher. To be a certified Infants and Toddlers Teacher and a certified Preschool Teacher, you have to take certain classes to obtain each certification. You do not need to have a degree to have a CERTIFICATE! I am a CERTIFIED Infants and Toddlers Teacher and a CERTIFIED Preschool Teacher - neither has anything to do with having a degree.

So, by taking the classes to become a certified Infants and Toddlers Teacher and a certified Preschool Teacher and by working towards earning my A. S. Degree in Early Childhood Education, I have gone extremely far beyond the required 48 hours worth of classes. Almost no daycare provider around here takes any classes other than the required classes. Therefore I am over-educated and over-qualified in my field according to the required education that I should have and compared to other daycare providers in my area.

As far as the unlimited amount of children that I will have in a center once I receive my A. S. Degree, of course it coinsides with the size of the building, amount of employees, etc. But I would be able to have (in my center) as many children as the building allows.

[Blackcat31]

Originally Posted by permanentvacation

Here, to be a licensed daycare provider, as far as required education goes, you only need to take 8 hours worth of 6 different type of classes related to childcare, be CPR/1st Aid Certified, and if watching children under age two, be SIDS Certified. Those few classes is ALL the education related to childcare that most of the providers in my area have.

I have taken all of those plus am working on my A.S. Degree in Early Childhood Education, have taken the classes that I needed to take to become a Certified Infants and Toddlers Teacher and taken all the required classes to obtain my Certification as a Preschool Teacher. To be a certified Infants and Toddlers Teacher and a certified Preschool Teacher, you have to take certain classes to obtain each certification. You do not need to have a degree to have a CERTIFICATE! I am a CERTIFIED Infants and Toddlers Teacher and a CERTIFIED Preschool Teacher - neither has anything to do with having a degree.

So, by taking the classes to become a certified Infants and Toddlers Teacher and a certified Preschool Teacher and by working towards earning my A. S. Degree in Early Childhood Education, I have gone extremely far beyond the required 48 hours worth of classes. Almost no daycare provider around here takes any classes other than the required classes. Therefore I am over-educated and over-qualified in my field according to the required education that I should have and compared to other daycare providers in my area.

As far as the unlimited amount of children that I will have in a center once I receive my A. S. Degree, of course it coinsides with the size of the building, amount of employees, etc. But I would be able to have (in my center) as many children as the building allows.

I wasn't doubting you. I was just looking for clarification because the "unlimited" thing threw me off a bit...kwim? Plus, I was wondering about the certified teacher title because it seems every state varies so much on what types of trainings and requirements they have to be a provider and/or a teacher. My state is similar to yours as far as the basic requirements for a family child care provider but we also have certificates for people who specialize in infant/toddler care but no one here gets to be titled a teacher without a degree AND a license.

FTR: I am sort of in the same boat as you only I am working towards my B.A. in ECE but I would never call myself over qualified just better qualified. ;-)

[nannyde]

Originally Posted by Blackcat31

no one here gets to be titled a teacher without a degree AND a license.

It's so confusing because the word "teacher" is so diluted now. I don't even know what that means... cept I know I'm not one.

I know one thing... I definitely am NOT overqualified to do my job.

[Blackcat31]

Originally Posted by nannyde

It's so confusing because the word "teacher" is so diluted now. I don't even know what that means... cept I know I'm not one.

I know one thing... I definitely am NOT overqualified to do my job.

I agree. I recently taught my cat to walk on a leash. I wonder if I am a teacher? LOL!! Well, maybe I am a catherder?

Every year I learn more and more and half of what I learn it is from the kiddos NOT the college so I don't think I am over qualified either!

[nannyde]

Originally Posted by Blackcat31

I agree. I recently taught my cat to walk on a leash. I wonder if I am a teacher? LOL!! Well, maybe I am a catherder?

Every year I learn more and more and half of what I learn it is from the kiddos NOT the college so I don't think I am over qualified either!

You be Cathearder 2
I'll be Cathearder 3



I'll never be more than a babysitter. That's what I do best.

I'm not a teacher or a professional child care provider.

A simple babysitter is all I am.

I'm like Rain Man who says "I'm a very good driver".


"I'm a very good babysitter"

[permanentvacation]

Well, I am a professional childcare provider and a qualified infants and toddlers teacher and preschool teacher. I do not simply babysit - any 13 year old is qualified to babysit!

[nannyde]

Originally Posted by permanentvacation

any 13 year old is qualified to babysit!

Yes

I'll leave the professional certified teacher care to those who have earned it. I haven't.