Stories like that cause Coker of Child Care of Southwest Florida to wince. Part of quality care is touching and playing. Play is fundamental. When parents visit a child care provider, they should watch how the adults interact with the children. If they are on the floor playing with them, that's a good sign.
Parents also can trust their gut feelings.
The school places an emphasis on curriculum with educational activities. The News-Press Accreditation can be an indication of quality. Several national groups have their own criteria for day care centers and family care that exceed state requirements and aim to boost early childhood development. The National Association for the Education of Young Children, for example, says infants never should be in groups larger than eight. Even Head Start, a federal preschool program for low-income families, has stricter ratios than the state.