With a castle as a backdrop, Sue Kirby’s day care classroom becomes a stage to set the children free on a flight of fancy and imaginative play.
In the backyard, kids get to roam across a playscape of sandy beach and grassy patches. Swings and slides, a top-notch playhouse for entertaining, as well as a cemented tricycle track for thrills and skills complete the children’s paradise.
All this comes with Sue’s private home day care. For more than 10 years, she has been providing an idyllic childhood for the toddlers and preschoolers in her care. Her cozy, family-style setting offers all the amenities of big-time exploration.
“In the morning, we do flashcards, sing songs, read books, have a snack,” Sue explained. “Then we go out to play.” Although all areas of Sue’s house have been childproofed, the group keeps its activities to the designated areas of day care room and playground.
“It is a great advantage for the children to be with the same person every day,” Sue reported from her experience. “Some kids don’t even want to leave here by the end of the day. They always have a great time.”
For the children in her care, Sue has become a second mom. In this role, she is an effective disciplinarian, comforter for little ones in distress and patient educator on 1-2-3s and ABCs.
What about naptime? There is amazingly little fuss about it. After the children have eaten their lunches, the clean-up ritual cues them into quiet time. Sue unfolds each child’s portable crib, switches on the fan for white noise, and off they slumber.
“We have a very dependable routine at the house,” said Sue. She is a firm believer in regularity. Educational activities, creative play and physical activities all have their specific time window.
There also are a number of extra specials at Sue’s house. Since the day care is small in numbers, Sue may occasionally take her children on field trips to Peter Piper Pizza, the zoo, or just walking through the rural-like neighborhood to visit with the horses.
Sue’s individual attention with each child