Family Child Care Business Toolkit

Table of Contents

Curriculum Planning

Curriculum Planning

Planning curriculum means planning for children in your program. Curriculum may be guided by a particular philosophy or caregiving approach that you’d like to implement, or you may want to have a general approach, like play-based. Whatever your focus, it is important that you think about what your goals are for children and how you support their development and learning.

Curriculum includes all elements of the child’s environment. Materials and activities make up only a part of the child’s experience. Quality child care integrates relationship-based care with a dynamic environment that is adapted to meet children’s needs and interests. Caregiving interactions and the social experience are of primary importance and knowing your children is of utmost importance.

Early Childhood Approaches

Developmentally Appropriate Practice

Developmentally appropriate practice means tailoring what your program offers for  the child. According to the NAEYC,  developmentally appropriate practice includes “methods that promote each child’s optimal development and learning through a strengths-based, play-based approach to joyful, engaged learning.” Read their position statement about  Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Early Childhood Programs.

Daily Schedule

Routine and predictability are essential for children and the smooth operation of your program! Part of the paperwork required to license or register a child care programs in NY state is form LDSS-4440, Schedule of Daily Program Activities.

• Create a daily schedule for children – make it visual with pictures for preverbal children 

Discipline Plan

Licensed and registered programs in NY state are  required to submit form OCFS-6018 Plan for Behavior Management – For Child Day Care as part of their application materials.