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Just trying to work out if they are the same thing or different?
Dd goes to daycare (9-3) one day a week. It's mainly because I want her to be around other kids, and the fact that I can't provide all the stimulation she needs at home.
I'm just not sure this is the best option.. Are there other centers that are more "learning focused" rather than just being about care iykwim?
Forgot to mention, she's nearly 2 1/2!
My DS goes to a long daycare and they program "learning" activities as per the early years framework (I think that's it?) and their weekly plan is on display. He's only 2 so it's not "formal" learning more via directed play etc but he comes home doing/saying things that I haven't exposed him too. I guess what I'm trying to say is his centre is more than just "babysitting" while they play.
Maybe ask your centre where their program is?
DD1 goes to day care 2 days a week and like Amaunet said, they are not a teaching center but DD learns so much. They don't just get to sit around and play all day, the teachers are always introducing new things, games, songs activities and this is a way of learning.
Next time you take DD have a chat and find out what the daily routine is for her and what types of things they are doing. My day care has a sheet that is posted every week with daily activities so parents can see what will be happening.
DS had daycare that did all the preschool things. They just had more than 2 hours a day to do them in, so they did the learning stuff in with running around. They could also spend time planning individual learning with the children, so they weren't "made" to do stuff, just taught around their fun stuff. So instead of normal pre-school counting games, DS was asked how many trucks his train was pulling. Met the same ends and DS was happy to join in.
They are different. Preschool is more preparing for school life as opposed to learning for living I guess. All play is learning for kids.
Preschool generally doesn't start in NSW until the year or two before they start school.
my DS who is 2 yrs 2 months he goes to daycare twice a week from 9am till 4.30pm....my eldest did the same thing when he was 3 yrs old...
im not sure what u mean by learning focused?
i know at my DS's daycare they have a set program and in the newsletter tell you abt it
Its confusing in NSW, long daycare or daycare has preschool programs, so essentially you could say its the same thing, however, preschool has a particular program for the year before the kids go to primary school kindergarten and also preschool is usually shorter hours, ours is a preschool from 8.30 - 4pm which seems longer though than yours?
These days there isn't a lot of difference between preschool and long daycare centres except for the hours they are open. All Centres have to program for the children. You may find with a long daycare at the very beginning and end of the day there is less "formal" learning as they are open so long but during the day they run just like a preschool.
Our occ care centre has a pre-school day. Does anyone know how it works with CC rebate etc? As I understand it you don't get much back for pre-school, but you do for day and occ care - does that mean doing a pre-school program at occ care you would get more back?
In Qld, a child is deemed to be school aged once they turn 6 - so up until then, you get the same rate of CCB - once they are deemed school aged, your part time loading is reduced so therefore you pay more.