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Children need active play to develop and be healthy. What’s on the daily schedule at your child’s child care? See if there are activities listed to keep your child active every day. These should be happening both indoors and outdoors.
For active indoor times there can be circle games, dancing to music, marching with toy instruments, tumbling activities, exercising, and other activities.
Outdoor times can include running, climbing, riding bikes or riding toys, playing with balls, rolling down hills, circle games, and many more. Outdoors is a place where the children can be loud and messy as they keep busy being active.
The Pennsylvania State University Cooperative Extension Better Kid Care Program has information on children's issues for early childhood educators, child care providers, and parents on the Better Kid Care Web site at: www.betterkidcare.psu.edu.
Quality child care providers will plan activities for the children to explore materials and be creative. In order to learn as much as possible, children need to be free to explore the world around them. This is how children learn best. Parents need to dress their child for messy play. Children are naturally eager to learn. They need to be free to play and not have to worry about making messes and keeping their clothes clean.
Child care providers need to be able to count on the children having the right clothes for play. Parents, always bring an extra set of play clothes for your child to child care. When one set comes home to be washed, take in a clean set of play clothes the next day. Make it a habit. It’s a good one to have.
Children benefit from going outdoors when they are dressed properly and should have chances to play outdoors except in extreme weather. It’s up to you to dress your child appropriately for the weather. This means gloves, hat, and a scarf along with a warm jacket in cooler weather. Boots are needed when it is wet or snowy. In warm weather, send in a hat and t-shirt for outdoor play on a hot, sunny day.
The Pennsylvania State University Cooperative Extension Better Kid Care Program has information on children's issues for early childhood educators, child care providers, and parents on the Better Kid Care Web site at: www.betterkidcare.psu.edu.
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Nancy Wilson, Better Kid Care Program Specialist
Penn State Better Kid Care Program
253 Easterly Parkway
State College, PA 16801
Phone: 814-863-5880
Fax: 814-865-7893
March/April 2009