CHECKLIST FOR CHILD CARE
CENTERS
You should visit several child care centers before selecting one. This
checklist will help you, as a parent, look at certain aspects of each
center. Then compare one center with another.
Before you visit, read and be familiar with the items on this checklist.
Phone the centers you would like to visit, and set up an appointment at
each one, allowing yourself 20-30 minutes per visit. Let the director know
the ages of your children and that you are interested in learning more
about the program.
Sometimes it is more convenient to visit without your child. However, if
you do take your child along, note if and how the adults greet the child
and whether the child finds the center attractive and friendly.
PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS:
1. Name/and address/phone number of center
2. Hours center is open
3. Fees charged
4. Ages of children licensed for
5. Care of sick children?
6. Location easy to reach?
CHECKLIST
For the following items use a rating of:
0 Can't tell
1 No, not in center
2 Somewhat
3 Yes, center has
PHYSICAL FACILITY, HEALTH, SAFETY
___ Floors are carpeted or have nonskid
covering.
___ The center is clean.
___ Adults do not smoke in the same room with children.
___ No children are seen in the center with soiled diapers or training
pants.
___ Detergents, cleansers, and medicines are out of reach or locked up.
___ Electrical outlets are covered with safety caps.
___ Toys and equipment are in good repair, with no sharp edges, splinters,
or loose parts.
___ At least one adult in the center has first-aid training, and first-aid
supplies are available.
___ Each child has an individual space to store coats and belongings, such
as a cubby, box, coat hook, or drawer.
___ A space can be made dark and quiet for naptime, and a clean cot is set
up in this space for each napping child.
___ The toilet is easy for the children to get to.
___ Outdoor play area has both a bare surface for riding toys and a soft
surface, like sand or grass, for playing
___ The center is homey, warm, cheerful, and inviting.
CAREGIVER COMPETENCIES
___ Enough caregivers are with the children
so that individual attention can be given if needed. For example, an upset
child can be held, talked to, etc.
___ You can see caregivers communicating effectively with children -
explaining in clear steps what they want the children to do, answering
children's questions patiently, frequently kneeling down to the child's
eye level when talking.
___ Children appear happy, comfortable, and relaxed - laughing, smiling,
involved in play.
___ Children enjoy one another - smile at each other, hold hands, hug,
help each other more than they fight or argue.
___ Caregivers seem warm and affectionate with the children, smiling,
cuddling, speaking pleasantly.
___ Caregivers use children's first names or nicknames when talking to or
about them. Caregivers do not refer to children by unpleasant names, such
as "smarty," "brat," etc.
___ Caregivers are seen working and playing with the children more than
standing back and directing or ordering them around.
___ At least one caregiver knows where all the children are. For example,
if a parent comes to pick up a child, a caregiver knows who and where the
child is.
___ Caregivers encourage children to do some things for themselves,
patiently giving time and help and praise so that the child can learn to
master the skill, such as getting a drink alone, washing hands, putting
away a coat or toy.
___ The caregivers are people you would like your child to copy or
imitate. In other words, children are apt to "do as caregivers do,
more than as they say."
PROGRAM MATERIALS
___ Attractive and well-written story and
picture books are available for the children.
___ Caregivers encourage listening and talking through planned activities
like storytelling, word games, puppetry, doll play, and show and tell.
___ The center has materials for quiet play, such as puzzles, and active
play, such as riding toys.
___ Children can get at least some materials by themselves and are
encouraged to take care of and put away materials.
___ There are enough toys and materials so that each child can participate
without having to wait more than a few minutes.
___ For at least part of the day, children can choose what they want to
do, either individually or in small groups.
___ Caregivers encourage both boys and girls to play with all the
materials - such as climbing and riding toys, dress-up clothes, tools,
dolls, cars, and trucks. Caregivers do not give children the idea that a
certain activity is only for boys or only for girls.
___ Children have the opportunity to use creative materials, such as
paint, crayons, big blank pieces of paper rather than coloring books,
paste, clay or playdough, scissors, and pencils.
___ The children's art work is displayed in the center and is also sent
home for parents.
___ Three or more of the following are available for the children's use:
large and small riding toys, pull toys, pounding toys, beads for
stringing, puzzles, small and large blocks, nested toys, small building
toys like Tinkertoys, dress-up clothes, dolls.
___ The outdoor play area has three or more of the following: cartons or
boards for building, sandbox with sand toys, low slide, riding toys,
balance beam, tires, see-saw.
___ Children are in small enough groups within the center so that the
children appear to be secure and "at home" rather than lost in a
crowd.
___ Children may watch only appropriate television programs if there is a
TV. They are not forced or encouraged to sit in front of the TV for long
periods of time.
HOME CENTER COORDINATION
___ Meal and snack menus are posted so that
parents know what the children are eating at the center.
___ The menus are nutritious and contain foods your child likes.
___ If possible, ask what the caregivers do if a child does not like a
certain food being served, and see if you agree with their methods.
___ The caregivers use discipline and guidance methods similar to your own
and are consistent and fair with the children.
___ The center has a bulletin board for parents and posts the program
schedule and other messages.
Total Score-_____
YOUR COMMENTS AND THOUGHTS
1. Overall, how do you feel about this
center?
2. Overall, how would your child feel about this place?
The total score reflects both how good or poor the center is and how much
you were able to observe. In general, go by the following:
100-123 points - EXCELLENT CENTER, worth getting on a waiting list to
enroll your child.
80-100 points - GOOD CENTER, worth serious consideration.
60-80 points - POSSIBLY ADEQUATE, think this over carefully though.
40-60 points - LOOK ELSEWHERE.
0-40 points - DEFINITELY OUT, probably in violation of licensing
requirements.
If you have a lot of items on the checklist with 0 points because you were
not able to tell, then this will lower the overall score a lot. In this
case, look at how you scored the rest of the items.
If most of your other scores are "3's", then this could be a
very good center despite the fact that the total score is lower than it
should be.
Above all, trust your own judgment and feeling about a center. You know
your child best and can tell which center will be right for your family.
Reprinted with permission from the National Network for Child Care - NNCC.
Kees-Martin, S. (1981). Checklist for child care centers (HE-4-81).
Reno, NV: University of Nevada Reno, Cooperative Extension.
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