Specializing in
Fun and Learning
Specializing in
Fun and Learning
Our Services
Our Services
At Peek~A~Boo! Home Day Care, we are committed to providing excellent childcare services to clients in and around Southborough, Massachusetts. We use the Mother Goose Time Curriculum for children aged 3-5. Our daycare center also provides meals and snacks for the kids.
Your child will enjoy numerous activities each day, from playing outdoors to making artworks. Additionally, a music man comes to our daycare twice a month for musical enrichment. We’ll even have events, such as the family run, that will involve the parents as well.
Daily Schedule
Daily Schedule
We will adhere to this schedule as closely as possible. However, since we have children of various ages and stages, there must be flexibility. Infant schedules are based on the individual needs of the child.
Time
Time
Activities
Activities
7:00 AM – 8:15 AM
Arrival, Greetings, Free Play
8:15 AM – 9:00 AM
Breakfast, Tooth Brushing
9:00 AM – 9:15 AM
Clean up the Kitchen, Floor Play, Potty/Diapers, Hand Washing
9:15 AM – 10:15 AM
Circle Time (Music, Stories, Books, Learning Opportunities, Etc.) Math, Science, Reading, Language Arts, History, Social Studies, Etc.
10:15 AM – 11:15 AM
Outdoor or Indoor Play for Large Muscle Development
11:15 AM – 11:30 AM
Come Indoors, Use Potty, Change Diapers, Wash Hands, Toy Clean up, Quiet Reading, Get Ready for Lunch (Occasional Educational TV)
11:30 AM – 12:15 PM
Lunch Time, Family Style, Teachers Eat With the Children
12:15 PM – 12:45 PM
Hands and Face Washing, Potty/Diaper Time, Set up Sleep Areas
1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Nap – Infants Get Playtime; Older Children Play Quietly
3:00 PM – 3:30 PM
Get up From Nap, Diaper Changes, Potty Time, Hand Washing
3:30 PM – 4:00 PM
Snack Time
4:00 PM – 5:30 PM
Indoor or Outdoor Play, Specific Learning Experiences (Art, Science, Math Skills, Pre-Reading Skills, Etc.) Free Play, Cleanup Is Encouraged
Note to Families
Note to Families
Occasionally, just before lunch while we are preparing the meal for the group, and when we have a couple of infants, we will turn on the television for the kids to watch a child-appropriate program, usually something from Sprout Kids or the Preschool Channel.
House Rules
Children
House Rules
Children
3. We do not “compete to win” here because everyone is a winner at Peek~A~Boo!
4. No running (adults will tell you when it is okay), wrestling, or roughhousing in our home.
5. The bathroom is upstairs for older children. It is expected to be used in a business-like manner. Please remember to keep it clean up there.
6. Picking up other children, especially infants and toddlers, is strictly prohibited.
7.All children must wear clothing that is appropriate for the weather: properly fitting clothes with no strings, closed-toed sneakers; no jewelry or dresses that may dangle and get caught in outdoor equipment. Teething necklaces are not allowed as per the Department of Early Education and Care.
Discipline Policy:
Discipline Policy:
1. Educators make eye contact with the child while explaining why his/her actions are not acceptable, divert his/her attention, and/or remove the child from the group for quiet time, transferring him/her to a place where he/she can still be seen and heard.
2. No child shall be denied food as a form of punishment.
3. Your child shall not be punished for soiling, wetting, or not using the toilet.
4. There will be no cruel or severe punishment, humiliation, or verbal abuse.
5. Corporal punishment shall not be used, including spanking (even at the parent’s request).
Parents:
Parents:
1. Please refrain from bringing food or drinking cups from your home during arrival or departure time. We will make sure your child receives all meals and snacks daily while in our care.
2. In the morning, please be prompt. If you are going to be late, feed your child before you arrive and give us a quick phone call or send us a text message. Breakfast preparation begins at 8:15 AM.
3. Please leave toys and trinkets in the car so that they are kept safe, and they do not become a danger to the younger children. We have plenty of toys, and there are learning objectives for most of them. For example, while playing with unit blocks, the children learn pre-math skills like geometry.
4. Proper use of the daycare toys and equipment is required at all times for safety and maintenance. If a child deliberately breaks a toy, his or her parents are responsible for replacing the item with the same one or something very similar.
5. Nap/quiet time is required every day for children in our care, no matter the age. This is not only good for the children; it is mandated by the Department of Early Education and Care.
6. Please treat our home and family with respect, and we will treat you with respect.
7. Please treat the other families and children who attend our daycare with respect.
Smoking is NEVER permitted in our home.
8. You must provide your child with enough supplies, including a change of clothes, diapers, and a fever reducer that will be placed in his/her box or the provided medicine area at all times. During the winter, we ask that you provide a pair of slippers for your child to have here at all times.
9. You are welcome to visit your child at any time. However, please remember that for some children this can be difficult. The child may think you are here to take him/her home and might become upset and/or confused when you don’t.
10. Parents may call or text the daycare at any time. However, if we are unavailable or busy with the children, we will try to return your call within a reasonable amount of time. During evenings or weekends, we will return your calls or texts as soon as possible.
11. We ask that you please turn off your cell phone and tune into your child when picking up or dropping off. We often need to discuss your child’s day or the previous night, and it is not possible to do that when the cell phone is in use. Thank you.
Health Procedures and Policies
First Aid Procedures:
Health Procedures and Policies
First Aid Procedures:
1. The Red Cross, first aid, and poison guidelines will be followed.
2. All educators are certified in first aid and CPR for children and infants.
3. A first aid kit containing the necessary items, as identified by the Department of Early Education and Care, is kept on the premises and in all vehicles used by the children.
4. Emergency numbers are posted near the phone.
5. Parents will be notified of any accidents. An injury record is kept for each child as needed.
Medical Emergencies:
Medical Emergencies:
1. Immediate first aid will be given.
2. An ambulance will be called, and paramedic recommendations followed if necessary.
3. Parents will be notified as soon as possible (when the child is out of danger).
4. When parents are not available, their emergency contacts will be called. Please keep these numbers current and up-to-date.
5. Parents are responsible for the expenses resulting from emergency room calls. If you provide the optional insurance information, things may go smoother while at the hospital.
6. We will let the EMTs decide which hospital is best for your child’s injury or illness.
Illness:
Illness:
Children exhibiting signs of infectious diseases, such as rashes, fevers, secretions from the eyes, head lice, vomiting, diarrhea, and/or severe coughing and sneezing, or any other severe illness will be excluded from attending the daycare as deemed necessary by the educator.
After a fever (100.5 or higher) or vomiting, a child’s symptoms must be normal, without the use of any medication, for 24 hours before returning to daycare. After an infectious disease, a child must not return to our daycare until the recommended time allowance given by their pediatrician has passed; a note must also be presented.
If your child becomes ill during the day, you will be notified and be expected to pick up your child within a reasonable period (one hour if you work some distance away, half an hour if you work nearby). We will make him/her as comfortable as possible by providing fluids, rest, fever reducer, and hugs, as needed.
If your child will be absent due to illness, please notify us by phone on the previous evening or the morning of the day of the absence. You can call the cell phone at any time, day or night, and the house phone as late as 11:00 PM or as early as 5:30 AM. The law now states that if you don’t contact us, we must establish contact with you in the event of an unexplained absence.
Communicable Disease Prevention and Reporting:
1. Your child must be current on his/her immunizations. If not, please present a signed note, stating why he/she does not have them, from the proper authorities: pastor, doctor, etc.
2. Your child will be kept isolated from other children as much as possible if he/she has a communicable disease. Communicable diseases will be reported to the Department of Health. You will be called to immediately pick up your child if this occurs.
3. Each child will be observed daily for signs of illness. If your child becomes lethargic and does not want to take part in the activities or is physically unable to participate because of illness or other unexplained reasons, you will get a call to pick up your child.
4. Individual bedding, glasses, and utensils will be used to minimize the spread of the infection.
Hand Washing, Diapering, Sanitizing, and Laundering Policies:
1. Childcare educators will wash their hands before and after diapering, toileting, eating, preparing food, handling contaminated materials, etc.
2. Diapers will be changed regularly and immediately following a bowel movement. Bottoms will be thoroughly cleaned, and A&D Ointment will be applied as needed with written parental permission. Parents can provide other types of preparations if preferred.
3. The diapering area will be sanitized after each use. An individual mat is used for each child.
4. Contaminated utensils/toys will be sanitized regularly.
5. Bottles and nipples will be washed in the dishwasher.
Management of Medication:
Management of Medication:
1. All vitamins or prescribed medications must be labeled with the child’s name and must be accompanied by written permission from the parent for dispensing. If you give us a second bottle of the prescription with the pharmacy label, this will take the place of the written permission from the doctor. The parent needs to fill out the form that gives us permission to administer medication to their child. It is preferred that vitamins be given at home whenever possible.
2. Medications must be in the original containers as prescribed. We keep the fever reducers that you provide with a permission slip in a drawer for use if needed for teething, fever, or other illnesses.
Health Records:
Health Records:
1. Immunization records and the date of your child’s last physical examination must be kept up-to-date. Please bring this form following all well-baby checks and physicals. When the child reaches nine months, the Department of Early Education and Care requires lead level results.
2. Please notify us of any special health problems or concerns that your child or your family may have (vision problems, allergies, etc.), as this allows us to give your child the best care possible. All changes due to medical/food issues require a special form to be filled out and signed by the child’s pediatrician. We will be happy to give you the form.
Confidentiality of Records:
Your child’s records are kept confidential. The people allowed access to these forms are the following: The Department of Early Education and Care, Wendy Buzzell, Buzzell’s assistants, the parents of the child, and Yours for Children Food Program. Copies will be made available upon request for a minimal fee.
Fire Safety Policy and Procedure:
Fire Safety Policy and Procedure:
To reduce the threat of injury from fire, smoke detectors are installed in each room and checked regularly to make sure they are working. Fire drills are conducted monthly as prescribed by the EEC. We have also installed carbon monoxide detectors in areas where the children are most likely to sleep. Smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors are law in all homes.
In case of a fire, all of us will evacuate the daycare from one of two doors – the front door or the back door. We will go to the shed in the backyard. Parents will be called immediately as we carry our cell phones with us during an evacuation. Evacuations are practiced regularly.
Transportation and Field Trip Policy:
Occasionally, we will have a field trip for the daycare children. These trips require additional funds, and the children will be transported in a safe vehicle with proper insurance, car seats, and licensing. Our driving records are exemplary.
You will always be notified of a field trip and asked to sign a permission slip stating where we are going, when we are leaving, when we expect to be back on the premises, and how much it will cost. We may even ask for parent volunteers!
We will also ask to use your child’s car seat if we do not have one that is a good fit for him/her. If you do not want your child to join us on a scheduled field trip, you may opt to keep him/her home; we will still expect you to pay for the daycare day.
Environmental Safety Policies:
Environmental Safety Policies:
The following safety measures are taken to provide a safe play and learning environment for your children. Most importantly, children are continually supervised, and the home maintains the proper staff/child ratio as set forth by the Department of Early Education and Care. Other precautions taken include:
- Port-a-cribs, cots, high chairs, and other equipment are safe and work well.
- Small or broken toys are removed and/or repaired.
- Electrical outlets have socket covers, and cabinets have locks if needed.
- Furniture and equipment are maintained to ensure safety.
- We ensure that there is no standing water that will attract children (drowning) or mosquitoes (illness).
Things that can cause harm to children are kept out of reach:
• No cords are accessible to children.
• Cleaning supplies and other toxic substances are locked in cabinets or put in high places that are inaccessible to children.
Incident Reporting Policy:
Incident Reporting Policy:
When a serious incident involves a child in this family childcare center, an incident report is made. This information is given to the parent/guardian, Department of Early Education and Care, and the insurance company.
The purpose of these reports is to inform you of the incident and any follow-up actions that were taken by the teacher or actions that the teacher feels you should take on behalf of your child. Incident reports are made for the following serious incidents:
• Injuries Involving Serious Accidents in Motor Vehicles or Falls (2 Feet or More)
• Unexpected Illness, Contagious Disease
• Poisoning or Medication Dosage Error
***In addition, the childcare educator is required by law to report any observed suspected child abuse or neglect to the Department of Human Services. We also, by law, strongly discourage the child going home if there is no child safety seat installed in the vehicle or if the parent seems to be intoxicated or affected by drugs.***
Forms
Forms
Coming Soon