Tips
For Families
Tips for helping you child settle into Sunshine Kids
At Sunshine Kids we know that starting early childhood education and care setting can be stressful for you and your child. Our aim is to assist you as much as we can in settling in with ease.
To help you with this journey we have put together these tips, which we hope you will find useful for settling your child into Sunshine Kids.
Before you Start
- Make sure you set up your orientation visit, where you and your child can spend time experiencing the new environment together.
- Talk to your child, tell them;
– Where they will be going
– What they will be doing while they’re there
– Why they’re going
– Who they will meet - If your child has questions, answer them openly and honestly to reassure them that they will be ok.
Your Child’s first day
- Try and make your child’s first day shorter than normal and gradually increase their time spent at Sunshine Kids. We suggest you do this over the first one or two weeks of enrolment.
- Try not to rush. Spend time signing in, putting away your child’s belongings and settling your child into an activity or with an educator
- Once your child is settled into an activity, give them a cuddle and say goodbye, remind them you will be back to collect them later in the day. Always say goodbye and reassure them you will be back.
- If your child is upset when you leave, don’t prolong your departure as this will most likely make your child more unsettled. Reassure your child that you will be back at a certain time.
- Later in the morning, you can call us to find out if your child has settled down. Don’t be afraid to call at any time if you are concerned about your child at all throughout the day. Your child’s educator will also call you if they continue to feel upset throughout the day.
- When collecting your child, talk to the educators about your child’s day and how they went. On the way home or over dinner, talk to your child about their day and what they did.
What we provide:
- Meals – morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea and late snack
- Cow’s milk and selected cow’s milk alternatives
- Nappies
- Cot linen
What to bring:
Nursery:
- Bottles and formula or expressed breast milk
- Comforters, such as a dummy, if used
- Sleeping bag or wrap if used
- Water bottle
- Spare clothes
Toddlers:
- Water bottle
- Spare clothes
- Comforters, such as a dummy, if used
- Bed sheets
Preschool:
- Water bottle
- Spare clothes
- Sun hat
- Bed sheets – by this stage children may not sleep, however they will still have a short rest after lunch
Over the next few days
- Establish a routine of saying goodbye and settling your child at an activity or with a familiar educator
- Talk to your child’s educators or read the daily summary to find out about what they have been enjoying, you can then involve your child in this activity before you leave or talk to them about it before you go.
- You will find some days easier than others, this will depend on what else is happening in your child’s life.
- Talk to your child’s educators about important events in your child’s life, such as teething, bad night’s sleep, moving to a new house, what they did on the weekend. This information will assist us in looking after your child throughout the day.
Following Weeks
- Once your child has settled in, you might like to spend some more time with your child at the service.
- You might like to join the parent committee or find out other ways you can get involved in the service.
- Talk to your child’s educators and ask for advice or support if you have any concerns.
Getting Involved in your Early Childhood Service
Sunshine Kids welcomes and encourages family involvement in the service. Every family has something different they can offer whether it is playing with the children, sharing a skill or volunteering to help out with an event. Talk to our educators about ways your family can get involved with the service.
USEFUL RESOURCES
