What is your outdoor philosophy? 

There are great benefits of children going outside even when it’s cold. Children of all ages need fresh air and exercise.

 

Going outside each day actually helps keep children healthy. One reason is it reduces the risk of catching colds or other illnesses because infectious organisms are less concentrated outdoors so children are less likely to ingest other children’s germs.

 

Sunlight exposure to the skin helps provide a child’s body with much needed vitamin D which assists in the growth of strong bones.

 

When children are allowed to go outside it instills in them the importance of physical activity and exercise to stay healthy.

 

Time spent outside affords children an opportunity to break free from the structure of the indoor classroom especially for those children who are very active and love the outdoors.

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Infants can also participate in outside activities as well, however, it is sometimes difficult to judge when weather conditions are safe in extreme conditions. So their outside time may be limited more than the older children.

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What is your weather policy? How do you decide when it is safe to take very young children outside in extreme temperatures? 

When temperatures are at or below 32º F, including wind chill factor, outdoor time should be limited to no longer than 15 minute intervals. Take precautions to make sure that infants and all children stay warm and dry.

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Coats should be worn if temperatures are below 55º F.

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When temperatures are at or above 100 ºF, including heat index, infants should not go outside.

 

When temperatures are between 95-100º F, outdoor time should be limited to 15 minute intervals. Take precautions to make sure that infants and all children stay in shaded areas and are protected with sunscreen and drink plenty of water.

 

The term “weather permitting” means almost every day, unless there is a weather advisory or public announcement related to extreme cold or heat that may cause health problems. “There is no bad weather; only bad clothes.” Therefore, children should be dressed properly and taken out on most days. This might require that the schedule be changed to allow children outdoor play in the early morning when it will be very hot later in the day. Or it might require that the children have boots or a change of clothes when the grass is wet or that activities are on the patio.

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It looks like my child is just playing all day?

Children learn through play. When you see children playing they are learning needed skills. For example, when children are in the dramatic play center playing house they are building their social emotional skills and when children are outdoor they are increasing their gross motor skills by practicing running, jumping, climbing and other skills. For more information see the article “The Importance of Play in Early Childhood Development” in our articles section of the resources.

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What curriculum do you use?

We use teaching strategies GOLD for our curriculum and classrooms assessments. GOLD is an online program we use to help guide our lesson plans and individualizations using 38 objectives within the following domains: social emotional, physical, language, cognitive, literacy, and mathematics.

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As a parent, can I spend time in the classroom?

Absolutely. We encourage family members to spend time in their child’s classroom. Parents can stay and eat, play or read. Delaware Child Development adheres to a philolphy that parents are a child’s most important teacher, thus, parents are always welcome in the classroom.

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How can I get a tour of one of the Delaware Child Development centers?

If you just stop by one of our sites you will likely be able to receive a tour. If possible, we would prefer you call the center in advance and set up a time. That way, the tour can be tailored more to your needs and interests.