Wondering how to get parents to find your daycare center? Here’s a great idea:
Grand Island’s newest day care center had a block party last night — for all the blocks in the city. Although the day care and preschool program opened nearly eight months ago, the block party served as Cathedral Daycare’s official grand opening, with the presentation of a brand-new custom-designed playground. “This is the first day the kids actually got to play on it,” Judi Priess, director of the day care, said.
Cathedral Daycare, affiliated with St. Mary’s Cathedral Catholic Church, sent out invitations to all of its children’s parents and also went around door-to-door to hand out fliers to people in the community. With sunny skies and 80 degree weather, free hot dogs, chips and drinks were provided. Children from the day care as well as other children from the community ran around on the new playground equipment, making new friends, laughing and smiling.
Mason Minge has been attending Cathedral Daycare for three weeks. He is 3 years old and previously attended a smaller day care facility. Mason’s parents, Tami and Bryan Minge, said they had been nervous about the switch. “I wasn’t too sure how the transition would go,” Bryan said. “But he transitioned really well. He loves it.”
This day care center maintains a caregiver-to-infant ratio more than 30% above state regulations
Located on the top floor of St. Mary’s Cathedral Square, the Cathedral Daycare takes care of more than 80 children from 6 weeks to 12 years old. The day care also maintains a one-to-three caregiver-to-infant ratio to ensure the best attention and care. The state of Nebraska only requires a one-to-four ratio.
The daycare’s philosophy is that learning involves the whole person — it’s much more than learning letters, shapes and colors.
Cathedral Daycare accepts all children, including children with handicaps or medical conditions, provided that it can meet the needs of the individual child with reasonable accommodations. Although the day care is affiliated with St. Mary’s and is developing a religious education aspect to its preschool program, Priess said it is accepting children of all faiths.
Priess said that the day care has been growing quickly, and there is still a lot to do. “We’re going to put in a sandbox still and we’re working on our website,” Priess said, “But just seeing the kids feeling like it’s their place, that they’re happy to be here and can feel like its theirs — that’s what it’s about.”
Remember that your child care center’s best potential customers are likely “right around the corner” so think of innovative ways that you can invite the neighborhood in, get the attention of the press and of parents, and watch your business grow. Please post your activities that have worked for you in you area, and we will spotlight them here. Thanks.
