Question: Should I send my child to full-day or half-day childcare? He is 4 years old this year.

Answer from the Expert:

One key difference, between a full day and half-day childcare for younger children, is the crucial interactions with friends during afternoon sessions.

In the mornings, many centres engage the children in learning vital domains using the main curriculum.  A typical morning will include breakfast, lessons - both indoors and outdoors, rest and routine for younger children, followed by lunch. Parents in Kinderland can expect unique programmes such as Children’s Music Programme, Literacy with I.T., Kinderfit, Coding and much more.

Full day programmes on the other hand, provide an essential opportunity for children to interact more with their peers in the afternoons, fostering their social skills and emotional development. Children learn to develop a sense of self as well as relationships with others.

For example, children get to develop independence as they prepare for their naptime to recharge for the day. During this simple routine, young children learn to identify their own bedsheets and nap items and even lay out their own mattresses. They cultivate autonomy when they remove their own beddings after naptime and learn to fold them neatly into their bags. Some of the children display care for others and leadership qualities when they help their friends with such tasks.

After a rejuvenating nap and afternoon tea break, children will be more ready to acquire important skills such as early literacy and language through stories, aesthetic development from music and art and physical activities.  These are reinforcements for learning and provide excellent collaborative possibilities among the children.

As the afternoons are less content intensive, children’s collaborations help develop communication skills, conflict resolution skills and emotional intelligence.

Even for younger children, the 0-3 programme in Kinderland has a curriculum with intentional activities. Each carefully designed activity aims to enhance cognitive abilities according to developmental milestones. Positive experiences also help them foster a love for learning, and creates a strong foundation for their future learning.
Childcare centres may also offer optional enrichment programmes in the afternoons. These curated programmes provide children with a variety of learning options to explore their innate talent.  For example, Kinderland centres offer enrichment conducted by specialist teachers – such as Art, Abacus, Speech and Drama and Science, just to name a few.

The benefits are not only for the children but also provides parents with a peace of mind, knowing that their child can learn so much without the inconveniences of ferrying them to various classes over the weekends.
Being in a rich social setting and interacting with friends in the afternoons are great considerations for choosing a full day childcare.