Every summer I work at a local daycare in Chicago and jealously watch the kids enjoy levels of fun preschool had never given me. I remember sitting in different corners of the room and being moved in 30-minute intervals to another corner, learning about colors and shapes in one and feeling different textures in order to gain some vague understanding of the word in the next. At All Things Are Possible for Kids in Chicago, Il., the kids spoiled with field trips, real lunches that are cooked at the daycare, passionate teachers, and opportunities to learn before their age group’s curve.
Here are 11 reasons why all Chicagoans should enroll their child in the All Things Are Possible for Kids daycare:
1. Head Start
All Things Are Possible for Kids offers a Head Start program, which prepares children for kindergarden. Head Start trains teachers and enables them to monitor progress in several educational content areas, provide extra learning opportunities, and enhance class-wide comprehension. Kids get a “head start” in learning before entering primary school, which aids in helping them to excel in future classes.
2. Early Exposure to Reading and Writing:
Before entering primary school, kids are exposed to reading and writing. They are given personal time to help improve both their skills and understanding before their average age group.
3. All Teachers have Early Childhood Degrees
It is mandatory for all teachers to have degrees in early childhood education, meaning all classroom teachers have specialized in helping children learn as best as they can.
4. Mandatory Continuation of Teacher Education:
All teachers are required to continue their education. The teachers regularly participate in classes, seminars, and trainings focused on different educational topics to keep abreast of current trends in education and improve their skills.
5. Diverse Staff:
Representation matters. All Things Are Possible for Kids boasts an extremely diverse staff of many backgrounds for children to learn from.
6. Upcoming Spanish Lessons:
The daycare has enlisted bilingual educators and they will soon be trained in language education. The daycare will soon be offering in-class Spanish lessons for all age-appropriate and enrolled children, promoting bilingual studies.
7. On-site Events
Enrolled children and families are often invited to on-site events, including meet and greets with animated costume characters such as Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Bob the Builder, and more. In October the daycare hosts a petting zoo with farm animals and pony rides. And in the past couple of years, they have invited a magician to do a live show. How cute!
8. Field Trips
Not only are children taken on field trips throughout the year, the daycare also personally pays for most of the trips. Meaning no child is left behind because of something as small as financial reasons.
9. Summer Camp
For the older kids ages 6-12, the daycare provides a summer camp. The summer camp has energetic workers who aim to make your child’s summer as enjoyable as possible. The summer camp offers board games, a Wii gaming system, physical games, movie theater excursions, field days, cooking classes, science experiments, make-and-takes, and field trips every Friday to camp goers. All field trips and excursions are completely paid for by the daycare.
10. Provide Parents Job Opportunities
The daycare does not only care for the children, but their families as well. The director receives a quarterly list of job opportunities in the area and makes the info known to parents.
11. Graduation:
A large graduation ceremony is held every year for all children leaving to go to primary school. The kids are given graduation caps and gowns, a certificate, and professional pictures are taken after the event. It’s a moment for every parent to be proud of!