A daycare's daily schedule can fluctuate to some degree from day to day, but you'll often find that there are constants. One constant that can benefit your children and you is when the daycare schedule outside playtime at the end of the day. With the exception of days with inclement weather, this generally means that your children will be playing outside when you arrive to pick them up. There are a number of reasons that it's ideal for outdoor playtime to take place at the end of the day, including the following.

Quicker Pickup

For many parents, it's necessary to be quick when picking up their children from daycare. For example, you might have to get home to begin making dinner, or it's possible that one of your children has an extracurricular activity scheduled that evening. When the daycare has your children playing outside at the end of the day, it can often allow for quicker pickup. This is especially true during the fall and winter, as your children will already be dressed for outside. Conversely, if the children were inside when you arrived, you'd have to take several minutes to get them dressed and ready to go.

A Chance To Burn Off Steam

As a parent, you want your children to be tired to some degree at the end of the day at daycare. A child who gets tired throughout the day is not only more apt to sleep soundly that night, but will also be relaxed — rather than rambunctious — during the evening. When your children have been playing outside at the end of the day, there's a good chance that they'll be fatigued by the time you pick them up.

A Lesson For The Kids

Virtually all children love playing outside, so many daycares will use outdoor playtime as an incentive. For example, the staff might say that they want to get through a number of other tasks — crafts, art, and storytime, perhaps — before the children go outside. This structure is effective because it teaches your children the lesson that there are often important things to do before it's time to go outside and play. You'll likely be emphasizing this mindset in the years ahead, as your children tackle homework and chores around the house before playtime. It's ideal if the daycare thus helps to plant this seed while your children are still very young.

For more information, contact a local daycare center.

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