Putting your child into childcare is a huge milestone – it marks the start of independence and early childhood education. In addition to providing supervised day-to-day care, childcare also plays a critical role in early childhood development.
Early childhood research shows that there are developmental benefits for attending childcare over consecutive days, rather than sporadically. If you’re setting up a schedule, here’s why back-to-back days can make a big difference.
What Are the Development Benefits of Consecutive Childcare Days?
Continuity in learning
Children who attend childcare on consecutive days experience more continuity in learning. Continuity is especially helpful when children are learning new concepts, as it enables the brain to build upon new knowledge for enhanced understanding. According to research from a 2018 journal on Kindergarten Transition and Readiness, young children who consistently attended the same learning environment displayed improved focus and ability to tune out distractions. Continuity in learning helps children steadily improve in literacy, mathematics, self-control, and social skills with guidance from educators.
Predictable routines
Attending consecutive childcare days creates a predictable schedule. Childcare will support this through regular times for meals, naps, and play sessions. As children attend childcare regularly, they become familiar with the daily routine and begin to develop a sense of structure that supports both learning and life at home. According to a 2016 study in the Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, children who grow up with predictable routines are less likely to experience issues with attention and time management later on in life.
Building friendships
Childcare and daycare is where many children first find opportunities to build relationships with other kids. Spending consecutive days in childcare allows children to engage in repeated play sessions and interact with one another more frequently. Children under the age of 5 are still developing social skills and need opportunities to practice relationship building. Having close friends at the childcare centre makes children feel more secure and helps improve their emotional and social skills.
Establishing independence
It’s normal for children to experience separation anxiety when attending childcare. At first, the childcare centre will be an unfamiliar place. Consecutive days of care will develop a sense of safety and belonging, which lays the foundation for confident exploration and independent learning.
Getting ready for school
Consecutive childcare attendance helps to prepare children for the five-day school timetable from a young age. When children eventually start attending primary school, having attended consecutive days of childcare will ease the transition. A 2021 study on The Impact of Center-Based Childcare Attendance on Early Child Development showed that children who attended childcare more consistently showed stronger school readiness when making the transition.
How Many Consecutive Childcare Days Should Children Attend?
Children should attend at least three consecutive days of childcare to receive benefits for early learning development. This is especially important during the first few days of childcare to provide consistency and help the child become familiar with the new environment.
At Raising Stars, many of our early learning educators are parents themselves and understand that it can be a challenge to balance work and childcare schedules. If you are looking to enrol your little one in childcare, our educators can discuss a childcare schedule that works for you. Get in touch with us using our online form, or visit one of our early learning centres in Gregory Hills, Five Dock and Riverstone to speak with our team.