McKesson Clinical Reference Systems: Pediatric Advisor 2002.1

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Does the program help children develop physically by:

• providing daily outdoor activities where children use their whole bodies?
• offering indoor movement experience set to music?
• furnishing sturdy climbing and swinging apparatus?
• balancing active, physical activities with quiet, restful ones?
• providing ample rest and nap times?
• prohibiting play that could quickly get out of hand?
• maintaining an adequate staff/child ratio on the playground?
• providing opportunities to use community sports facilities?

Does the program help children develop emotionally by:

• encouraging children to express themselves?
• patiently encouraging children to solve problems on their own?
• providing ample opportunities for children to feel good about themselves?
• helping children deal with feelings constructively?
• providing security through a well-defined, predictable schedule of daily activities?
• showing children how to help themselves as much as possible?

Does the program help children develop interpersonally by:

• providing give-and-take opportunities to share toys and equipment?
• balancing individual, small group, and large group activities?
• allowing children to pursue some activities without being disturbed by other youngsters?
• discouraging competitiveness by limiting the number of children participating in a particular activity, providing plenty of toys and materials, and overseeing sharing and turn-taking?

Does the program help children develop creatively and intellectually by:

• encouraging children to use art and play materials in their own way?
• providing plenty of time for children to complete their projects?
• fostering curiosity through opportunities to see new things and try out new ideas?
• nurturing self-expression through art, music, drama, and literature?
• providing plenty of "hands on" learning experiences?
• encouraging self-direction and self-pacing?
• furnishing an environment rich with science materials, books, building equipment, musical instruments, toy and art materials, props for dramatic play, natural materials like sand, water, and clay?
• balancing structured and unstructured activities?
• developing a sense of satisfaction over completing a task or thinking something through?
• designing graduated goals for each child?
• planning field trips or inviting special visitors?
• asking children themselves for ideas about programming?
• encouraging language development?