How to Charge For Extra Services

[mamamanda]

I've done a preschool type curriculum with circle time for a couple years now. Its very play based in nature with hands on games & activities, but the kids all learn a lot. This year I started doing more preschool with my older kids duringnap time. The parents all love my curriculum & literally all of my dcp have expressed interest in having me teach their children in lieu of attending a traditional preschool. I LOVE this b/c teaching is actually my favorite part of the day & I feel the kids benefit so much from sensory activities & experiential learning which is missing from so many traditional schools. My question is, how do I charge for teaching preschool or pre-k when they are already paying me for full day care? I will have to pay an assistant to help me with the littler ones during preschool time, though some of the activities can be done with the toddlers too just at a different level. And I will have to work harder b/c we'll have to do preschool at certain times & days rather than just as time allows like I have been. For those reasons I feel I need to charge an additional fee, but I don't know how to determine what is fair. I'm not a licensed teacher so that will also be a factor, but I'm only one semester away from finishing an education degree. Thanks for the advice!

[finsup]

I've done a preschool type curriculum with circle time for a couple years now. Its very play based in nature with hands on games & activities, but the kids all learn a lot. This year I started doing more preschool with my older kids duringnap time. The parents all love my curriculum & literally all of my dcp have expressed interest in having me teach their children in lieu of attending a traditional preschool. I LOVE this b/c teaching is actually my favorite part of the day & I feel the kids benefit so much from sensory activities & experiential learning which is missing from so many traditional schools. My question is, how do I charge for teaching preschool or pre-k when they are already paying me for full day care? I will have to pay an assistant to help me with the littler ones during preschool time, though some of the activities can be done with the toddlers too just at a different level. And I will have to work harder b/c we'll have to do preschool at certain times & days rather than just as time allows like I have been. For those reasons I feel I need to charge an additional fee, but I don't know how to determine what is fair. I'm not a licensed teacher so that will also be a factor, but I'm only one semester away from finishing an education degree. Thanks for the advice!

First, figure in how much you will need to pay an assistant, how much you need to spend on curriculum (if not writing your own) and a rough guess on materials. Once you have that number to could divide it amongst how many families you have participating and you've got a good start. add on however much you want to get paid yourself. Thats what I would do at least!

[Blackcat31]

I've done a preschool type curriculum with circle time for a couple years now. Its very play based in nature with hands on games & activities, but the kids all learn a lot. This year I started doing more preschool with my older kids duringnap time. The parents all love my curriculum & literally all of my dcp have expressed interest in having me teach their children in lieu of attending a traditional preschool. I LOVE this b/c teaching is actually my favorite part of the day & I feel the kids benefit so much from sensory activities & experiential learning which is missing from so many traditional schools. My question is, how do I charge for teaching preschool or pre-k when they are already paying me for full day care? I will have to pay an assistant to help me with the littler ones during preschool time, though some of the activities can be done with the toddlers too just at a different level. And I will have to work harder b/c we'll have to do preschool at certain times & days rather than just as time allows like I have been. For those reasons I feel I need to charge an additional fee, but I don't know how to determine what is fair. I'm not a licensed teacher so that will also be a factor, but I'm only one semester away from finishing an education degree. Thanks for the advice!

I do have an ECE degree and do offer a preschool curriculum as part of my services. When we are not doing curriculum, it's just regular old care.

My weekly rate includes all of that as part of my services.

I don't charge extra to the parents for that.

[mamamanda]

I do have an ECE degree and do offer a preschool curriculum as part of my services. When we are not doing curriculum, it's just regular old care.

My weekly rate includes all of that as part of my services.

I don't charge extra to the parents for that.

I'm thinking that makes the most sense. I currently charge most of my clients per hour b/c I was trying to help them out & hours change weekly, but I can't plan for expenses or paying an assistant that way. I'm reworking my contracts for the fall & I'm thinking I need to switch to just charging a set rate & including my "preschool" fee in that. Do you offer a half day rate at all? I have a family who is only here for 4-5 hours each day. I'm sure they won't be happy switching from an hourly to full day rate. Charging for the day whether they come or not would help me budget though. Right now it could be anywhere from 2-4 days each week.

[Annalee]

I do have an ECE degree and do offer a preschool curriculum as part of my services. When we are not doing curriculum, it's just regular old care.

My weekly rate includes all of that as part of my services.

I don't charge extra to the parents for that.

same here!

[Blackcat31]

I'm thinking that makes the most sense. I currently charge most of my clients per hour b/c I was trying to help them out & hours change weekly, but I can't plan for expenses or paying an assistant that way. I'm reworking my contracts for the fall & I'm thinking I need to switch to just charging a set rate & including my "preschool" fee in that. Do you offer a half day rate at all? I have a family who is only here for 4-5 hours each day. I'm sure they won't be happy switching from an hourly to full day rate. Charging for the day whether they come or not would help me budget though. Right now it could be anywhere from 2-4 days each week.

I do preschool (3-5 yrs) Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and my littles Tuesdays and Thursdays..
I usually devote 9:00-11:00 for structured table time type activities/learning.
Otherwise its all free play/daycare.

I charge a weekly rate based on 3, 4 or 5 days attendance (adjusted by pick up times).
The weekly rate covers all services offered.
I am on the higher side of rates for my area but I am also one of the more established programs too.

Its simple for me and parents.

[Thriftylady]

I am not a teacher, but I do some preschool with the kids. It is just included in my normal rate. I don't do hourly rates though except for drop ins. I have restructured my rates to somewhat like BC with different options for the number of days. Five days is cheapest here (if you look at it per day), because it is easier to plan for a child for five days the way I see it. If I was going to do an assistant, I would add that cost into all rates, because all children would benefit from it.