Every parent wants the absolute best for their children. As infants become toddlers and the awareness of separation anxiety for both parent and child start becoming a reality, the question that starts getting asked frequently is, “will sending my child to daycare be the best thing for them?” At our Airdrie daycare, we want not only for your child to arrive and leave with a smile on their face, but for you to do so as well.

Daycare can teach children vital social skills, give them the opportunity to make friends, and provide them with a safe environment while you are away at work. We are proud to be an accredited daycare, and want to share four of the benefits your child will enjoy when attending a high-quality daycare. 

1. The Importance of Quality Time

This is one of the most important things children gain from our Airdrie daycare. Quality time is time spent with another person who both share a positive affective state. It can be experienced while learning, doing a craft together with a caregiver or peer, or just reading a book. 

Quality time is a positive influence that is not just found in the home, but in the right Airdrie daycare. As parents, we are always thinking about the decisions that bring the best outcomes for our children. In this regard, we tend to think that spending as much time with our children as we can is what will lead to their growth and success in life. 

However, the focus and care children need in an enriching environment demands constant attention and energy. Parents can feel rest assured in the quality of the time given to their children at Little Angels, not the quantity. 

One study finds that the quantity of time parents spent with kids 3-11 did not affect the outcome of how children’s intellect, behavior and emotional well-being developed. Therefore implying that specifically directed time and energy towards overall childhood development – or Quality Time – is what drives positive growth.

At our Airdrie daycare, your child is within a nurturing environment with caregivers whose focus is on providing the most quality care for them to thrive. With a high caregiver to child ratio, Little Angels builds strong relationships through a focus on individual care. Between day care and at home, your child will engage in one-on-one relationships with family, peers and caregivers for a day spent with optimum enrichment.  

2. Your Child’s Social Intelligence Grows

Social intelligence is an incredibly valuable skill for your child to learn. The social intelligence they gain will help them understand the world around them better. They’ll have a better grasp on interpersonal relationships, be more successful in adapting to new situations and be better able to understand what is expected of them.

Children who attend high-quality daycares develop a strong sense of empathy, cooperation, and sharing. Research from the Sorbonne University found that children who attended high-quality daycare for at least one year were “less likely to have high levels of emotional symptoms, peer relationship problems, hyperactivity/inattention and conduct problems.” 

One of the study’s authors, Dr. Maria Melchior, found that:

“Access to high-quality childcare in the first years of life may improve children’s emotional and cognitive development, prevent later emotional difficulties, and promote prosocial behaviors.” 

In our Airdrie daycare, children learn how to interact with other children and adults by discovering that there are many ways people can relate to one another and that sometimes people’s intentions may not match their actions. Social intelligence is nuanced and complex; with a focused environment and a holistic approach to childcare, our experienced caregivers encourage children to work through their emotions as building blocks to emotional maturity. 

3. Lasting Health Benefits 

At Little Angels Airdrie daycare we make it our priority for our indoor and outdoor environment to be enriching and welcoming for children. Our outdoor play area is spacious, supporting our mission to provide an environment that promotes the physical, social, emotional, cognitive and creative development of children. 

Developing a positive relationship at a young age is important to see the peer-building experiences that sport will later provide, with the health benefits and freedom that being active further builds upon one’s mental wellness. Rain or shine, it is important that children develop a relationship with the outdoors. We prioritize this in our learning through play approach, where children engage with the outdoors consistently and enthusiastically. Regular and consistent outdoor play lowers children’s stress levels, encourages peer relationships and inspires imaginations. 

4. Developed Language Skills

According to the Canadian Council on Learning, the criteria that fit a high-quality daycare center are: a high adult-child ratio, small group sizes, a positive care provider-child relationship, well-defined spaces, structured curricula and significant parental involvement. We encourage parents to take a tour of our Airdrie daycare and see how we implement small groups within our daycare design. 

Amongst these indicators of high-quality care, the Canadian Council on Learning reports that “higher quality child care (in the form of responsive and stimulating care) is associated with better cognitive and language development, positive peer relations, compliance with adults, fewer behavior problems, and better mother-child relations.” 

Much of this quality of care comes from childcare workers who have undertaken years of training and experience. The Canadian Council on Learning prioritizes the link between high-quality child care and the quality of training the caregivers received. The council mentioned that within Canada, the training requirements for licensed child care centers can vary. It is important to ensure that the caregivers’ childcare education matches the level necessary for excellent care to ensure children experience the most enriching environment possible. Little Angels Airdrie daycare is proud to highlight our caregivers, many of whom each possess 10 years’ of experience or more in childcare. 

By being in a close environment with peers and caregivers, children are able to engage in more complex, enriching conversations that boost language skills. The close bonds children make with their peers and caregivers allows them to engage in advanced communication and language articulation. As an accredited daycare, we are also priced for the working parent. Learn more about how to apply to our daycare with the Alberta subsidy.  

The Benefits of High-Quality Daycare 

If you’re on the fence about sending your child to daycare, book a tour of our accredited Airdrie daycare. The social, emotional, intellectual and physical benefits of daycare are found in the high-quality centres that invest in the experiences achieved by high adult-to-child ratios, carefully organized play spaces and attentiveness to every child’s needs.