A good daycare center will offer both physical and creative activities that are age-appropriate. For infants and toddlers, typical programs might feature playing with soft toys and rattles, as well as push and pull toys, riding toys, big crayons and musical instruments. Outdoor fun like swinging and sliding is important, too. Children age three to five are more advanced; their toys and materials should help them learn new skills. Working with puzzles, building blocks, Legos, paint, and construction paper are a few examples. Creating miniature towns or farms is a good exercise for kids of this age; so is working with Play Dough or sand. A favorite game of pre-schoolers is playing house: clothes for dress up, telephones, and other household items are not only entertaining, but also educational. For both toddlers and preschoolers, books are vital; they should be read to, and given colorful books with large pictures. Also, there should be time allotted for snacks, lunch, and a nap or rest period. However, these times may need to be flexible, especially for infants and toddlers: children that young can't always conform to a regimented schedule.

©2004 Bluestreak Media. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.