Study childcare to learn how to help kids adjust

Children won’t be babies forever. While they may be small now, there comes a time when they have to go out to the world, socialise, learn and grow.

This process starts in the walls of a childcare centre.

Moving up and making the transition to childcare is a crucial part of a toddler’s life.

It’s also one of the most stressful so far – every child going through this milestone will need help and support not only from their parents, but also the childcare educators who will nurture them.

Of course, as any parent (or educator for that matter) will tell you, dealing with young children is rarely straightforward!

What can parents and child care workers alike do to:

Understand the feelings of toddlers?
Accommodate for different stages of child development?
Support these children as they adjust to being away from home?

And most importantly, how can our childcare courses in Brisbane prepare you for this responsibility?

5 tips for childcare educators to make the transition easier

Properly preparing a child before their first day in a childcare facility can ease any feelings of uncertainty, fear and uneasiness brought about by a new environment, group and new routines.

That’s the “why” – but what about the “how?”

Comforting an upset toddler is easier said than done!

Luckily, there are some things childcare educators-in-training (just like you!) can do to ease the transition and help children feel settled, comfortable, and safe..

1) Encourage parents to bring their child for a tour

Any child who goes into a new environment or experience will feel discomfort and uneasiness. So do many adults, for that matter!

When parents are inspecting a childcare centre, encourage them to bring their child with them so they can get acquainted with the place and the people with whom they will encounter each day.

As much as possible, make sure to let the parents and the child visit the childcare facility more than once so that the child will learn to recognise the space and staff (while also keeping the parents close for support).

Who knows, they may even make fast friends during a tour!

2) Build a friendly and welcoming atmosphere

As we mentioned above, children usually get upset around the people and places that they are not familiar with.

Separation anxiety is very common to children and is, in fact, a normal part of childhood development.

The right atmosphere can have a huge impact in making a child feel safe and secure while at childcare. Children are perceptive – first impressions matter to them too!

Setting a friendly, welcoming and familiar atmosphere eases the anxiety that comes with being away from their parents.

As much as possible, spend one-on-one time with a new child so they can develop trust and comfort.

3) Get social – get children to interact

A new child at a child care facility may not yet have specific social skills needed for them to communicate, play, and interact with other kids – that’s what they’re at your childcare for.

Childcare educators may have to go out of their way to include a new child in activities.

Inviting the little ones to participate and putting them into a new group will help them socialise and make new friends – this can ease the feelings of isolation and separation.

Just bear in mind that this will depend heavily on the child in question – because of this, our childcare courses in Brisbane will also teach a variety of other techniques to tackle separation anxiety from other angles.

4) Know how to deal with temper tantrums

Temper tantrums can be challenging to manage – however they’re also a normal part of life for kids!

Tantrums come in various forms – common behaviours include:

Crying
Screaming
Kicking
Falling
Running

Tantrums happen because children’s social and emotional skills are still developing at this stage.

They’re upset, anxious, or generally not okay with something – they just don’t know how to handle these overwhelming emotions just yet!

Early childhood educators will need to know how to calmly deal with these temper tantrums.

In particular, that means being able to identify the trigger of the tantrum.

Our childcare courses in Brisbane will also teach you strategies to:

Reduce stressors
Understand children’s emotions
Be consistent and calm in your response
Ensure children feel safe and comforted

All of these measures can also contribute towards creating a positive atmosphere at your childcare centre!

5) Prepare and inform parents

Toddlers are more perceptive than many give them credit for – many fear responses aren’t inherent, but are learned from observing their parents.

For example, toddlers may be able to sense a parent’s discomfort of large dogs and develop a fear of their own!

If parents are high-strung regarding the transition to childcare, children can often pick up on these cues, and become anxious in turn.

Calm parents mean calm kids. While not exactly a hard-and-fast rule, it certainly has an effect.

As a childcare educator, it’s important that you provide a comforting presence and put parents’ minds at ease.

In addition to making them more comfortable with leaving their children at your centre, it can help children feel more at ease too!

Explore Academia’s childcare courses in Brisbane

Children who are going to childcare for the first will often feel discomfort and anxiety.

This is normal – however, that doesn’t mean that it should be the default!

Make sure that you are there to offer help and support as they adjust to this new milestone in their life.

Our childcare courses in Brisbane don’t just help you get your start in a rewarding industry – it also ensures that you’re equipped to handle all the anxiety that comes with a child’s first day at childcare.

Explore what career paths are waiting for you after studying childcare.

Academia provides accredited childcare training that provides a mix of on-the-job and classroom learning.

If you want a long and rewarding career, we’re the place for you!

Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care (CHC30113)

Enrol in the Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care to start a rewarding and fulfilling career in childcare!

Our experienced instructors will teach you the basics of providing care for children, and in particular, babies and toddlers.

You will learn how to use an approved learning framework for early childhood development, and provide a healthy environment where children can thrive.

The Certificate III includes 150 hours of placement in one of our partner childcare facilities. This is a great opportunity to put your newly acquired skills into action!

Explore the Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care.

Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care (CHC50113)

Striving to reach the next step in your career as a childhood educator?

Enrol in a Diploma in Early Childhood Education and Care. If you are thinking of leading a team of childhood educators or are planning on managing a daycare or a childhood care facility, then this diploma is just what you need.

In addition to the day-to-day stuff, you’ll also learn the basics of licensing, accreditation and duties of early childhood educators. You’ll learn how to develop effective childcare programs and manage an early childhood learning facility.

Learn more about the Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care.