How Children Benefit from Themed Weeks in Daycare
Think back to the last time your child experienced something new. Maybe they finally learned how to use their balance bike or saw a giraffe at the zoo for the first time. Did you notice their reaction? Were they joyfully shocked? Did that experience help them develop a new hobby or interest?
New experiences are a crucial part of childhood development. Because of this, being introduced to new things should definitely be a part of every daycare and preschool curriculum. One creative way to do this is through themed weeks where staff members choose a subject and the entire week’s learning activities, craft projects, and sometimes even snacks are focused around that one subject. Here is how your child can benefit from this type of learning opportunity.
Help Shape Their Perspective
A person’s earliest years are some of the most influential and defining. For example, themed weeks like Hispanic Culture or Chinese Immersion can help children to become more open-minded to other cultures. By learning a few words in a different language or trying a new food, children can learn how to step outside their comfort zone in a safe, rewarding way.
Foster Well-Roundedness
Being well-rounded is one of the most common traits of successful individuals, and it’s not something you just decide to be once you’re an adult. It starts young! A child’s earliest years are a great time for them to learn about different things and what they like to do. By participating in weekly themes like Sports, Music, and Art, your child can develop skills in multiple areas of interest. Perhaps they’ll even discover something new that could turn into a lifelong passion—like soccer, piano, or painting.
Encourage Creativity and Imagination
Learning to be creative helps us all to be better thinkers. Weekly themes like Space, Dinosaurs, and Sea Life allow children to explore parts of their world they don’t see every day. Learning about these subjects can improve their imagination and help them to be more creative in their thinking. On the importance of imagination, Goddard Blythe, the author of The Genius of Natural Childhood: Secrets of Thriving Children, says:
“Put simply, imagination is the ability to create visual images in the mind’s eye, which allows us to explore all sorts of images and ideas without being constrained by the limits of the physical world. This is how children begin to develop problem-solving skills, coming up with new possibilities, new ways of seeing and being, which develop important faculties in critical thinking that will help the child throughout life.”
My Childcare Does Themed Weeks!
When your child comes to My Childcare Academy, they will be fully engaged with our themed weeks program. In the past we’ve done galaxy, candy making, and camping themes; just to name a few! During these themed weeks, children participate in hands-on activities—some of which include field trips!—and are encouraged to explore the world around them deeper. Help your child gain new experiences by signing them up for our daycare, preschool, or after school program today!