The benefits of childcare for kids and parents

Many parents see childcare as a means to return to the workforce or simply get some downtime. But beyond these benefits, childcare can actually be one of the best ways to lay firm foundations for your child’s development. From socialisation to emotional intelligence, good eating habits and preparation for school, here’s what you could get out of childcare.

Strong development skills before school age

Especially in their very early years, childcare is more about getting your little one comfortable with a new environment and helping them adapt to being around other children their own age. While you won’t necessarily see them sitting in seats and participating in classroom learning, there are still vast opportunities for your child to be educated about the world around them.

Whether it’s through games, songs, stories, puzzles or one-on-one interactions with their carers, kids at childcare are able to develop their numeracy, literacy and language skills in a variety of healthy ways.

Emotional and social growth

Preparing for the real world is about more than just “book smarts”. Yes, being able to communicate, read and count are all important skills for young minds to develop over the years, but arguably more important is their ability to socialise and be emotionally resilient.

Childcare offers these opportunities in spades. As opposed to a little one who spends most of their time at home and only gets to interact with other children at the park or family gatherings, every day at childcare is another chance for them to socialise and communicate with other little learners.

As the carers at Kids Planet Academy put it: “Your child develops emotionally by observing people around them and associating them with different traits. In daycare centres, your child interacts with other adults that are not part of your family, giving them a wider scope to learn from. They can start to see how different people react to situations and this builds up their mind.”

Under the watchful gaze of their carers, they will also be guided about the appropriate ways to act in different settings, and start to build their emotional intelligence.

A great way to prep for school

Thinking about sending your child off to school can be terrifying for parents. But getting them into childcare can be an easy way to get them acclimated to being away from you all day – which is essential for their transition into primary school.

What’s more, you will probably end up sending your little one to a local childcare facility, and they will often have established relationships with the primary schools in your catchment area. This means parents can get easy access to information about what to expect in their first years of school, and there may even be information sessions dedicated to helping kids in early learning to make that transition to school.

Top 4 benefits for parents

Of course the cost of childcare must factor into any parent’s decision– check out how much you are eligible for from the Child Care Subsidy here. But beyond the money discussion, here are some of the biggest pros of sending your little one to childcare at least a few days a week:

1. Shift the stress of educating your child all on your own (or with your partner) to professionals with a dedicated skill set.
2. See the immediate benefits of your child’s growing social capital – that is, their ability to build relationships with others and learn how to be social in a variety of situations.
3. Expand your own friendship network with parents with kids of similar age or interests.
4. Get greater peace of mind that your child will be well equipped for the transition to school – whenever that time comes!

Could the costs and benefits match up for you?

Yes, childcare can be an expensive decision but the benefits of giving your little one exposure to a much more social world can be huge. With dedicated carers, a wealth of learning opportunities plus the added benefit of giving parents time to do their own thing, it’s no wonder so many Aussie parents love childcare. Check out Choosi's Budgeting for Children eBook.

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