The Busy Kids Playcare Mission
Our Philosophy
Busy Kids PlayCare believes in supporting the growth and development of each child as a unique individual. We believe in providing a nurturing, safe, and inclusive environment that fosters creativity, curiosity, and a love for learning.
Our Inspiration
“Play is fundamentally important for learning 21st century skills, such as problem solving, collaboration, and creativity.”
American Academy of Pediatrics, The Power of Play: A Pediatric Role in Enhancing Development in Children, Pediatrics (2018) 142 (3): e20182058. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2018-2058
This quote from the American Academy of Pediatrics forms the core of what we believe at Busy Kids Playcare. Children while at play are learning important life skills such as problem solving, creativity, collaboration, experimentation, decision-making, imagination, and curiosity, among many others. If you have ever watched a baby joyfully crinkling up paper, or a toddler try to fit a car through a small hole, or a preschooler jump into a puddle to watch it splash you are seeing a scientist in action. The baby is learning what happens when the paper is squished – experimentation, turning the car until it fits in the hole – trial and error problem solving, and jumping into a puddle to see what happens – curiosity.
The staff at Busy Kids Playcare create a safe and nurturing space for meaningful play along with guidance to direct appropriate
interactions between the children and to encourage play.
In addition to guided free-play, we have staff-led group activities such
as arts & crafts, story time, and themed activities. Of course, there are small “learning moments” dropped in throughout the day as they happen, such as an opportunity to learn about letters, a quick moment to count and talk about numbers, or to learn about what might be happening in that moment such a leaf or bug found on the playground.
“Play sets the foundation for the development of critical social and emotional knowledge and skills. Through play, children learn to forge connections with others, and to share, negotiate and resolve conflicts, as well as learn self-advocacy skills. Play also teaches children leadership as well as group skills. Furthermore, play is a natural tool that children can use to build their resilience and coping skills, as they learn to navigate relationships and deal with social challenges as well as conquer their fears, for example through re-enacting fantasy heroes.”
Milteer, Regina M., and Kenneth R. Ginsburg. “The importance of play in promoting healthy child development and maintaining strong parent-child bond: Focus on children in poverty.” Pediatrics (2011): peds-2011.
We believe that meaningful play will lead to confidence, communication and social skills, critical thinking, problem solving skills, and emotional literacy. Busy Kids Playcare is committed to creating a safe and nurturing environment where children can learn and grow. Our objective is to care for your child the same as you would.
Play-Based Learning
Play-based learning is an educational approach that emphasizes learning through play. It involves creating engaging and interactive experiences where children actively explore, experiment, and problem solve, fostering their cognitive, social, physical, and
emotional development.
Types of Play-Based Learning
· Unstructured Play · Guided Play
· Structured Play · Unoccupied Play
· Child-Led Play · Solitary Play
· Child-Initiated Play · Parallel Play