i am NOT a daycare provider..BUT i do LOVE the one i have.. she is amazing with my son, as well as all the other kids. She just opened her home daycare a few months ago and my boy loves it

i love that she has asked the parents for ideas, input, and suggestions. she just recently asked me about enrollment fees and holding fees and what i thought about them..i love that she cares about what the parents go through and she considers that with any changes she makes

she just revised her policies that i signed and returned to her this morning and at the bottom of the last page she put a little note letting parents know they are welcome to bring any craft supplies or daycare donations like blankets, toys, and books. i don't know what kind of crafts they do so i wouldn't know what to get, but i was thinking about suggesting a news letter to her..? just something she could hand to the parents the first week of every month maybe mention the Letter of the Week, Planned Arts/Crafts and Projects, Any Birthdays....but was wondering..

do any of you other providers do this?

what info do you put into it?

do the parents actually respond well and help with buying things for the daycare?

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I do newsletters, monthly menus, scholastic book orders, daily take home sheets, the whole works. They are a lot of work. 7/8 of my daycare parents take the time to send me emails about things in the newsletter, or just say thank you, that it is appreciated and that's what makes it worthwhile.


In my newsletter I put our letter/shapes/numbers/colors and theme, our character trait for the month, as well as sign language signs we will be learning, and Spanish words, and our country/climate, all of the special planned days coming up, any days off/closed/paid or unpaid, upcoming supplies needed, reminders, and then I put a list of things we could use that month.

I do get donations monthly when I put them in the newsletter, and I LOVE that parents appreciate my efforts enough to send them in. Last month we made homemade marble runs, and I was donated a TON of TP/paper towel rolls and colored duct tape.

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I don't do newsletters because I don't have a planned curriculum. We are play based (but still do educational things). Also, I used to send home daily sheets for each child but then stopped. There is only so many times you can write 'read a book', 'danced to music', 'played with playdough', 'ate well', etc. Plus I'd find them in the bags the next day so I figured parents weren't reading them anyway.

What I did do for a while is take a large sheet of paper about what we did as a group that day. I'd try to add each child's name to it. Like "Suzie enjoyed giving the baby dolls a bath", or "Johnny liked painting today." Then I posted it on the inside of my front door. Only one parent looked at it. Mine don't tend to want to come in and barely ask what we do.

I am semi retired now and only have one full time child and my grandson. Will be starting a part timer tomorrow. Since I have so few, I take a pic almost every day on my phone of something we are doing and email it to them. They love this.

I have asked for collage materials only once. I have never asked for toys but have had many parents that donated them anyway. Some really nice things too even an outdoor playhouse (used but outgrown by their child). I wouldn't ask for toys because I don't want parents to feel obligated to donate something when they are paying me for care. I might feel differently if I ran a nonprofit though. To me it is a business expense. If they offer, however, I'm thrilled.

Some things I would like for art (to give you an idea) is any kind of paper. My husband brings some home from an ancient computer they have at his work. It makes great drawing paper. They scribble through a LOT of paper.

Also:

-collage materials-pieces of ribbon, cotton balls, pieces of fabric, scraps of shiny or cool looking wrapping paper, felt, foam, yarn, string, things like that.

-she may want things like tp rolls, egg cartons, brown paper lunch bags, etc.

Just ask her for a list, I'm sure she'll be happy to make one!

Laurel

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I do monthly newsletters and my parents really appreciate them. If your provider is open to suggestions than that might be a good one. I include reminders, upcoming closures, special events like class parties/field trips, and curriculum info such as letters, numbers, and shapes.

Instead of having parents donate items for the daycare regularly I have a yearly curriculum fee that helps me cover the cost of needed items. Although once in awhile I have a golden parent who asks if there are extra things I need.

I am glad you LOVE your provider!

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I do it all and no one every reads it or every participate in it. It was so much work for me that I stopped.

I would get universal crafting supplies that the kids can use for several projects. LIke glue, tape, scissors.

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I communicate with parents through monthly newsletters, Daily Connect app, a Facebook page, notes/Post Its on the sign in, and obviously face-to-face at drop off and pick up.

I have a Wish List section in my newsletter and post random ISO (In Search Of) posts on my Facebook page as well as on notes by the sign-in.

I have mixed reactions - most parents read the newsletter and one mom and grandma are really good about donating craft supplies and other items. All the families sign up when I post a list for party treats though.

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