If you child aged 2-5 were in family child care would you pay a monthly activity fee for a pre-packaged preschool curriculum? After I drop kiddos off at school I will have a 3 1/2mo, a 2yo and a 3yo here. The other kids I have are in school all day so we'll be headed up there at 8:30am and again at 3:30pm. I'm looking at a curriculum to do with the 2 and 3yos in the morning (after lunch is nap, then snack and then it will be time to pick kids up). I'm sure I could come up with lots of things on my own, but I like the curriculums that have structure to them. Like monthly themes, one activity or theme leading into another, etc. I also like that crafts are planned and materials provided (except for basics like glue, scissors, crayons--things I always have around). Funshine Express This is the one I'm looking at. There are lots out there. I would cover part of the cost, but would like the parents of the 2 and 3yo to cover some, too. The 3yo's mom would love him doing something like this. I'm not sure about the 2yo. What do you think? Is this something you'd like your child's provider to do with your kids? Now with all the breaks the older kids get from school, I wouldn't be doing this with the kids during that time. That would leave some "leftover" materials at the end of the year. I can use those during the summer or anytime, really. Thoughts? I would cover part of the costs and ask parents to pay probably something like $15-$20 a month (it will cost almost $50 for two kids with shipping each month). Thoughts?

By Hlgmom on Tuesday, July 25, 2006 - 02:30 pm:

I would like that if it were my kids- I would like the reassurance that they were getting good interaction from their caregiver and learning something! I think it is a great idea!

By Angellew on Tuesday, July 25, 2006 - 02:38 pm:

My DD has been in a family daycare since she was 4 months old. She has grown up with the children there. These people run a very structured place. Breakfast when the kids are dropped of, then outside play. School-time for 1 hour to 45 minutes before lunch, then naptime for the smaller kids and more school-time after lunch (the schedule is a little more relaxed in the summer months when they spend alot more time outdoors). But, she is always coming home with drawings, her letters, craft projects, macaroni art!!! Things like that! I don't pay any extra for it. I just assumed it was part of what a daycare did!

By Hlgmom on Tuesday, July 25, 2006 - 02:41 pm:

Cat- You mentioned there were other sites...I noticed this one you have to order for at least 2 kids...I am interested in having something like this for my dd at home- but it is just us??? Do you know of anything?
Thanks!

By Cat on Tuesday, July 25, 2006 - 02:43 pm:

Angela, we do crafts, reading, learning, calendar time, weather, etc. This would just be a bit more structured than what we do now, though and have more of a scope and sequence. If the parents baulked at the cost, I'd probably just eat it and do it anyway. I was just wondering if $15 a month is unreasonable.

By Cat on Tuesday, July 25, 2006 - 02:45 pm:

Heather, let me do some looking (it's nap time and I get my computer time! ). Most of the prepackaged curriculums are at least 2 or more kids. There are some that you can download and then print your own stuff, like this one. Give me a little bit and I'll see what else I can find.

By Cat on Tuesday, July 25, 2006 - 02:58 pm:

Comparison Chart
Heather, here's a chart with several of the prepackaged programs. The one called Early Beginnings looks pretty good and you can order a 3 days sample.

By Hlgmom on Tuesday, July 25, 2006 - 04:53 pm:

Thanks so much!!!! I also just found a ton of stuff at my library...FYI! I have a copier...so I was thinking I may see what I can piece together!
I really appreciate you looking!
Hope it works out for you! FWIW- I think 15 is reasonable!

By Cocoabutter on Tuesday, July 25, 2006 - 10:36 pm:

I believe that's what I got out of the classes I had to take to get licensed when I did daycare (going on 8 years ago!) it was expected that there would be some kind of learning/pre-school type activities provided.

No one in the classes ever mentioned charging extra for curriculum, so it seemed to me that I would just write off the cost of materials on my taxes. I guess it wouldn't hurt to ask, though, and based on the parents' ability to pay, you could decide whether or not to charge them for it or to write it off.

But it sounds like a great idea!

By Conni on Tuesday, July 25, 2006 - 10:59 pm:

Heather, I used Brighter Vision with 2 of my kids. They enjoyed getting the boxes in the mail once a month addressed to them. They always had fun learning with this curriculum. www.brightervision.com


Cat, Brad went too a preschool that charged tuition, curriculum fee and a supply fee (at the beginning of the yr). I had no problem paying for it.

By Tripletmom on Tuesday, July 25, 2006 - 11:20 pm:

My DD was also in home daycare and I didn't pay any extra for crafts or things she brought home.I did however give her $ when I knew they were planning a public visit somewhere.I thought I paid her enough to have the crafts included.

By Hol on Tuesday, July 25, 2006 - 11:32 pm:

My grandaughter goes to a private home, and DD pays $10.00 per hour. She is a nurse, and sometimes has to stay over her shift, so she prefers to pay by the hour, to be fair to her caregiver. Including commuting time, it usually costs her $80.00 per day. She works 3 days per week.

By Crystal915 on Wednesday, July 26, 2006 - 07:39 am:

It depends on what my rate for care was. I'm in the position now that I need to find full time care for the kids. Last time I worked full time, I was paying $800/mo total, more than half my take-home income at the time. If the rates were reasonable, I wouldn't have a problem paying $15 a month for "school" supplies.

By Vicki on Wednesday, July 26, 2006 - 08:45 am:

I agree that it would depend on what I was paying the daycare provider. I have never heard of "fees" and would assume that stuff like that was covered in the rate I paid. Why not just increase your rates by 15.00? What if some of your kids parents don't mind paying it, but others don't want to? Are you going to do crafts with some and not the others?? If you just incorporate the cost into your rates, everyone is involved!! I agree that if I was paying a reasonable rate it wouldn't bother me to pay extra, but it might some??

By Cat on Wednesday, July 26, 2006 - 08:58 am:

I guess I'd probably just eat the cost. My rates are very reasonable and on the low end of average for my area. Hol, I don't make $10 an hour with all the kids I watch combined! I'm going to keep looking and see what I can find. Like I said, I could create my own, but I'm already busy and I love the idea of having everything planned for me and most supplies provided. Thanx for the input.

By Bemerry84 on Wednesday, July 26, 2006 - 09:53 am:

I have been with the same family home daycare for 14 years and I had no problem paying the extra money for the preschool program. I'm not sure what program she used but it was one price for the whole kit and she just split the cost between the children using it at the time and kept the left overs for future kids. I payed $120.00 a week for up to 10 hours a day, now that my youngest is in school I pay $50.00 a week and if she came up with a craft program or something for before and after school I would not have a problem paying extra. One really neat thing my daycare provider does is make scrapbook pages for all holidays, bithdays, and outings and gives them to parents as gifts from the children on special occasions. My younger DS refered to this scrapbook binder as his bible when he was a toddler. I cherish this book more than anything as I was unable to witness some of the mile stones. I just read your post about eating the cost. Cat I would ask the parents on this one you may be surprised. Good Luck.