The Top Daycares in Spring Hill Know All about Separation Anxiety

As one of the top daycares in Spring Hill, The Academy prepares its staff to make your child’s first day of daycare a happy one. Even though your child may feel anxious about leaving you, we have many ways to deal with apprehension. Our well-trained staff is known for their caring and loving approach to child care.

First Day Strategies

In order to ensure your child’s first day will be a good one, we have several strategies that we know will work:

If a child exhibits anxiety or fear, we allow the child to calm down at his own pace. We know not to rush him.
We sit beside the child as he works on an activity.
We choose group activities that will include him and make him feel more comfortable.

Ways To Ensure Positive Outcomes

We know that we can help your child feel safe and secure. We do this by providing a predictable environment and a routine that children are comfortable with. For children that we know have separation issues, we provide activities as soon as they enter. This helps them get settled as they participate.

Another way we help an anxious child is to allow the child to sit where she feels most comfortable. Often this will be near one of the workers.

If a child continues to feel stressed and anxious after several weeks, we will meet with parents to try to better understand the child’s continued anxiety. The problem might be as simple as sticking to a routine drop off and pick up time so the child knows what’s coming next.

The Academy of Heritage Commons Is One of the Top Daycares in Spring Hill and Thompson Station

At The Academy we know both you and your child may feel nervous on her first day of school. Rest assured! We know how to make her first day a successful one.

The Best Nashville Daycares Know Naps Are a Must

The Academy, one of the best Nashville daycares, schedules daily nap periods that are age-appropriate. For babies, we let them dictate when they sleep. For older children we schedule regular nap times. And for our oldest children, who usually do not require naps any more, we schedule rest periods. The need for and the benefits of naps are numerous.

Why Are Naps Needed?

Almost every parent knows that skipping a little one’s nap usually results in irritability and possible meltdowns.

Babies and toddlers (ages 0 – 24 months) can’t tolerate being awake as long as older children due to the development their bodies are going through. Some experts believe that the rapid brain development happening during the early years tires little ones out!

What Are the Benefits of Naps?

Studies involving napping demonstrate that naps:

enhance learning.
facilitate better emotional regulation.
support better nighttime sleep.

Learning: Several studies show that little ones who nap outperform their non-napping peers in cognitive tasks, such as learning language and memorizing.

Controlling Emotions: One study involving 2-year-olds found that toddlers who miss just one nap were less able to regulate their emotions. They became more anxious, withdrawn, and irritated by even small stressors. Additionally they were less happy about exciting things.

Sleeping Better at Night: Other studies show that naps can help a child sleep better at night. This is because when children are overtired, the stress hormone cortisol can flood their bodies, making them overactive. Note: Napping too much or taking naps too late in the day can be detrimental to a good night’s sleep.

Doesn’t Your Child Deserve to Attend One of the Best Nashville Daycares?

When you pick up your child from The Academy, your child will be rested, in control, and happy to see you. If you want more information about any of our many locations, please contact us.

Skills for Preschoolers Taught at The Academy

The Academy is known for having some of the top preschools in Franklin, TN, but preschool is not only a place to prepare children for elementary school. It is also a place where children might experience emotions and conflicts as they interact with other children. At The Academy, we teach skills for preschoolers that will help them learn to deal with their own emotions and conflicts as well as those of their classmates.

Skills for Developing Good Relationships

Preschoolers tend to be selfish and don’t understand how to build relationships with others. Our staff at The Academy want them to learn to feel compassion for others. We help children learn compassion in these two ways:

Read stories.
We choose stories that deal with feelings. As we read, we ask questions about how the characters feel in different situations. Then we ask the children how they can help others deal with situations similar to those in the stories.
Affirm their feelings.
We want to let the children know it is okay to feel sad, angry, happy, or excited. We also want them to realize that their classmates are dealing with these same feelings.

Skills to Solve Conflict

Even a young child must learn to solve problems. We use these questions to help children develop problem-solving skills:

What is the problem?
What are possible solutions?
Would your solution be safe and fair?

Skills to Deal with Emotions

Preschoolers have not yet developed the skills to deal with their emotions. We use these steps to help them develop these skills:

We model the skill for the child.
The staff gives positive feedback when the child deals with his emotions in an appropriate way.
Teachers use puppets to model the emotional skills we want to encourage.

The Academy Teaches Important Skills for Preschoolers Every Day

It is never too early for children to learn to develop social, emotional, and conflict-solving skills. At The Academy we know how to help your child develop in all these areas. It is our priority every day. We invite you to come for a tour and see for yourself or click to learn more about The Academy.

The Best Daycares in Nashville Promote Good Health

As one of the best daycares in Nashville, The Academy focuses on three areas to promote good health. These are food, activity, and sleep. These three factors, if not managed properly, can contribute to excess weight gain in children.

3 Areas of Concern for the Best Daycares in Nashville

Excess weight, to the point of obesity, can lead to type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers. So, it’s important for a daycare (that frequently has child for 10 – 11 hours a day) to provide healthy choices in these three areas.
Food
At The Academy centers, we serve a nutritious continental style breakfast each morning from opening to 9 a.m. We schedule meals and snack times are according to a group’s age and developmental level.
Sleep
Rest times are scheduled in the middle of the day after lunch for children who are one year old and up. Rest times will vary according to the group’s age and developmental level. We do not “require” children to sleep, but they must rest quietly. This allows other children who are sleeping not to be disturbed. Infants sleep at will throughout the day and form their own sleep patterns.
Activity
During a day with a normal routine and when weather permits, children will play on the playground once in the morning and once again in the afternoon. We have separate playgrounds for different ages. This allows us to provide age-appropriate equipment. Our play areas contain a minimum 50 square feet of usable play space for each child in the play area.
Note: If weather conditions do not permit outdoor play, the classrooms support gross motor activities.

The Academy of McCrory Lane Will Join the Best Daycares in Nashville Soon

The Academy of McCrory Lane is the newest Academy daycare location under construction. It supports all the same values and routines that promote health as the other twelve Academy locations throughout middle Tennessee. Learn more about our award-wining daycares.

The Best Daycares in Williamson County Teach Children Cooperation

Cooperation is a necessity in our adult lives. Whether it’s at home with our partners, at work with colleagues, or on a sports team, cooperation enriches our lives. This is why it is so important to teach children cooperation at an early age. It will enhance their lives today and prepare them for their future. At The Academy, one of the best daycares in Williamson County, teaching children to cooperate is a high priority.

Teach Children Cooperation

Cooperation is the character trait that can help us reach goals as a group that we couldn’t reach by ourselves. The following are ways to encourage cooperation in your children at home:

Modeling Cooperative Behavior. Encourage children to work together in cleanup so they will understand how much faster it can go when they work as a team. At home demonstrate how working together as a family can help with dinner time.
Playing Games. Simple activities such as working together on a puzzle or playing games as a team will help them learn to work together.
Pointing Out Examples of Working Together. As children read books or watch a movie, encourage them to discuss how the characters worked together to complete a task.
Planning a Family Activity. Choose an activity where each member has a task to complete. The family can clean the house or yard, plan a special meal, or play a board game together. All these will unite the family as they work and play together.
Praising a Child for Helping Others. Praise children when they help others without expecting something in return. Such things as playing with a young sibling or helping a grandparent with a task will instill in the child a sense of cooperation.

The Academy Is One of the Best Daycares in Williamson County

Our staff at The Academy emphasizes cooperation every day and our curriculum supports it with classroom activities. Our award-winning Frog Street Press curriculum makes The Academy the leader in educational preschools in Nashville.

Why the Best Williamson County Preschools Include Make-Believe Play in Their Curriculum

Are you looking for the best Williamson County preschools? Then look for schools with an award-winning curriculum that includes make-believe. Make-believe play is a child’s way of learning and a form of self-expression. That’s why we at The Academy include make-believe play in our curriculum.

Benefits of Make-Believe Play in a Curriculum

Children love to pretend to be someone else. It can be Superman, a princess, or a firefighter. The benefits are many.

Thinking differently. Make-believe encourages creativity and imagination. As a child assumes the identity of someone else, he experiences how others do things and how they behave. This allows him to see things differently when he encounters a similar situation in real life.
Using energy. Parents and teachers know how much energy preschoolers have. When engaging in creative play, they use up the energy they have in a beneficial learning experience.
Learning social skills. When children play make-believe with others, they will need to negotiate roles and solve issues. They must exercise self-control as they co-operate with their classmates in their role-playing. As they put themselves in different situations, they learn compassion for others. All these things will serve them later in life as they develop the social skills to live and work as an adult.
Overcoming fears. Make believe can lessen fears a child may have. If she fears going to a dentist, she can role-play being the dentist and then the patient. This will put her more at ease when she actually has a dental appointment.

The Academy Has the Best Williamson County Preschools Any Parent Could Want

The Academy’s preschool curriculum encompasses many elements. We feel that make-believe play is a very vital part of the learning experience. Learn more about our award-winning preschools in Franklin TN and preschools in Brentwood TN at the links provided.

Getting Ready For Kindergarten

Kindergarten can be a big adjustment for kids, as well as parents. If you haven’t been getting ready for kindergarten, there are still some things that you can do to help your child adjust.

Tips for Making Kindergarten Easier

Before school started, sleeping times could be adjusted according to the activities of the family. However, once kindergarten begins, some routines might need to be adjusted:

Eliminate nap time. Most children by the age of five have quit their naps. But if your child still wants one, help your child adjust to a day without naps.
Have a set time for bed. Your child will need to get into the routine of going to bed earlier and at the same time. This will make it easier for him to be ready in the morning to get dressed, eat, and leave for school.

Expectations for Kindergarten

Parents need to talk to their children about what kindergarten will be like. Here are a few things to discuss with your child:

Length of the school day. Most kindergartens are full day. At first, your child may be tired by the length of the day and the many structured activities. When your child gets home, have a healthy snack ready allow him time for some favorite activities.
Clothes and school items. Your child may need to dress a little bit differently for kindergarten. If that’s a problem, encourage your child to pick out school outfits. Definitely let your child choose items for school such as back packs, crayons, etc. Your child will be excited to go to school to show the other kids the new purchases.
Daily kindergarten routines. Talk to your child about the importance of following instructions, listening carefully to the teacher, and getting along with the other children. Make this an ongoing discussion as the year goes on.

The Academy Is Your Child’s Partner in Getting Ready for Kindergarten

While Parents prepare their children for kindergarten at home, we are doing the same thing here at The Academy. Our pre-K programs in Nashville focus on preparing the students on a daily basis. Our Kindergarten Boot Camp program is a concentrated summer program that brings all the training together. If you have a child that is pre-K age, now is a good time to start preparing for next year.

Teaching Children To Be Generous

How many times have you noticed your preschooler grabbing other children’s toys? You might begin to wonder if your child is selfish. The answer is yes! But don’t worry, your child just needs time to develop. The Academy is the perfect place to help parents with teaching children to be generous and not be selfish. Parents have voted The Academy top of the list of Nashville preschools for 13 years straight.

Teaching Your Child about Giving

As a parent you need to show your child what it means to think of others even if it does not benefit him. Here are several tips on how to teach your child about giving to others.

Acts of Kindness. Talk to your child about performing acts of kindness. It can be something as small as drawing a picture for grandma or opening a door for a stranger.
Donate. Encourage your child to go through his clothes and toys he doesn’t need. Then take him to a center that needs these items so he can appreciate how he has helped others. Additionally, donating time to an elderly neighbor or helping a family member do a chore can be just as meaningful.
Need. Help your child understand need by discussing family problems that others could have. It might be financial, physical limitations, or emotional problems. Talk to them about ways to help classmates that might have a “need.”
Volunteering. Bring your child with you as you volunteer. Encourage him to think of people or organizations he feels might need help.

Teaching Children To Be Generous Is a Process

Even after practicing these tips on how to make your child a giver, will he still be selfish at times? Of course! But with constant encouragement, you will be able to see positive changes in your child.

The Top Child Care Centers Nashville Offers Teach Children to Share

Sharing is not often a trait found in children, but it is an important social skill to learn. The child care centers Nashville parents appreciate most, use activities that help child understand the importance life skills. When a child learns about generosity and sharing at an early age, he will continue to practiced it as an adult.

Activities for Sharing Taught at Child Care Centers in Nashville

We all have seen children unwilling to share their toys or excluding classmates from activities. That’s why we feel it’s important to help instill generosity and sharing in our students. We want them to see that the world is much bigger than just them.

These are some of the activities we use to encourage generosity and sharing:

Reading books that demonstrate what generosity looks like.
We use the characters in the books to help them see the joy of giving. Then we ask them to discuss ways they could spread joy at school and home.
Spending time with others.
We have many activities that the children participate in together. At home, you can encourage your children to interact with friends and family. Children need time away from ever-present technology.
Modeling acts of generosity and giving.
Our staff look for ways to model generosity and praise acts of generosity and sharing when exhibited by our students. At home, you can include your child in your acts of generosity by taking them with you when you donate to a local food bank or run an errand for an elderly neighbor, or take a meal to someone who is ill or grieving.

Join The Academy – Day Care and Child Care Centers Nashville

The Academy is an award-winning educational preschool with locations in Nashville, Franklin, Brentwood, Spring Hill, Hendersonville, and Murfreesboro. We have multiple daycares in Nashville TN and we would love to have you join our family.

The Best Preschool Programs Nashville Has Are Found at The Academy

There are several reasons why the best preschool programs Nashville has are found at The Academy. One reason is our great curricula. At The Academy, we use a nationally recognized, award-winning curriculum as our foundation. Also, The Academy’s enrichment program, provided by Pre-Scholar Enrichments, is designed to give children a wealth of hands-on learning experience in addition to the regular curriculum. (No extra cost for the enrichment program.)

Of course, all our preschools centers are modern, clean, and safe, with more than adequate indoor and outdoor space. Now let’s take a look at three other, perhaps-not-so-obvious reasons our centers are the best.

Structured But Flexible Daily Schedule

Children must have structure and routine. It makes them feel safe. The best daycares have lesson plans prepared that they follow daily. These plans should also allow time in them for flexibility. At The Academy our daily lesson plans are structured, but they accommodate the needs of all the children.

Accountability

State government mandates many policies for preschool centers to follow, and The Academy meets all the state requirements. But we want to go the extra mile when it comes to accountability. We are a member of the Tennessee Star-Quality Child Care Program, and have received the coveted 3-star rating. This is the highest rating, and it means The Academy preschools meet the highest possible standards in regard to child care.

Good Nutrition

Many preschool centers ask parents to send snacks and lunches with their children. But at The Academy centers, we provide nutritious snacks and meals throughout the day. We serve a continental style breakfast each morning from opening to 9 a.m., and parents are welcome to enjoy breakfast with their children if they desire.

The Best Preschool Programs Nashville Parents Demand

With eleven locations throughout Nashville, Franklin, Brentwood, Hendersonville, Murfreesboro, and Spring Hill, we have a location near you. We invite you to request more information or schedule a tour of one of our centers. We would love for you to join our family.