Asking Parents to Pay for Preschool

[Preschool/daycare teacher]

I need your advice. A parent contacted me about childcare and I quoted the price and said it included preschool. She just interviewed and I have decided to offer the spot to the family. But I would really like to stop having to spend so long preparing preschool, shopping for the supplies and materials, and making my own lesson plans. I used a prepackaged preschool curriculum a few years ago when I was teaching at a preschool and I really liked it. The kids loved it, and the parents were really pleased. I had the parents pay a monthly fee for the curriculum to pay for it and didn't have any problems. I would like to use that same curriculum company with my little group now, but I hadn't been charging extra for preschool and I just told this family that I just offered the spot to that the rate included preschool. So am I stuck continuing all that work for free and not being able to purchase a curriculum kit unless I want to pay for it (which my husband already said we can't afford, so that's a no)? Or how would you word it that you want to purchase a curriculum now? I'm terrible with selling people on things and explaining how good it would be

[spedmommy4]

What about something that makes it easier but isn't a large long term financial commitment?

There is:

http://www.geewhizeducation.com/

It is an inexpensive curriculum for family childcare providers

Or, I personally love Pre-k pages and Play to Learn Preschool

http://www.pre-kpages.com/

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Play-To-Learn-Preschool

On the sites above, you can purchase an entire thematic unit that is fully prepared.

[midaycare]

Well...how much are you buying in supplies? I admit I'm not the most budget conscious shopper, but I buy MGT for 10 kids each month and pay about $135. It includes shipping to my door. All craft supplies are included.

I feel I would spend a lot of money trying to get the same craft supplies because I would have to buy so much more than I needed. And I probably would never use the rest of it.

I also get some supplies each month that are manipulatives and would cost some money. Plus a nice book. I don't have printing costs, either.

[rosieteddy]

I would do a prepackaged curriculum .I used Carols affordable ,it included everything but the crayons and glue.I bought each child a box and added crayons and glue.Their box of supplies for the year.I figured it out to about 5.00 dollars a week per child.Its hard to ask parents to pay separately for what you can write off on taxes.I would just increase tuition next time your going to.

[Blackcat31]

I need your advice. A parent contacted me about childcare and I quoted the price and said it included preschool. She just interviewed and I have decided to offer the spot to the family. But I would really like to stop having to spend so long preparing preschool, shopping for the supplies and materials, and making my own lesson plans. I used a prepackaged preschool curriculum a few years ago when I was teaching at a preschool and I really liked it. The kids loved it, and the parents were really pleased. I had the parents pay a monthly fee for the curriculum to pay for it and didn't have any problems. I would like to use that same curriculum company with my little group now, but I hadn't been charging extra for preschool and I just told this family that I just offered the spot to that the rate included preschool. So am I stuck continuing all that work for free and not being able to purchase a curriculum kit unless I want to pay for it (which my husband already said we can't afford, so that's a no)? Or how would you word it that you want to purchase a curriculum now? I'm terrible with selling people on things and explaining how good it would be

If preschool curriculum is something you want to offer, it should be included in your rates.

I also offer preschool curriculum but not through any type of boxed or prepackaged curriculum, I offer it via play and very little sit down table type stuff, other than what ever center or activity I put out for the day.

I find different activities and printables from the internet, blogs I subscribe to and of course Pinterest.... all relatively inexpensive or free (other than my time).

[Preschool/daycare teacher]

Thank you everyone! I am also play based and do very little sit down work, but the curriculum I was considering is also a hands on, learn through play. I wouldn't use anything academic based with worksheets and lots of seat work since I believe that's not as effective as playing. I had been making up my own curriculum, but it's so time consuming and I'm not creative enough to come up with play based learning opportunities that go with each theme. Plus I'm afraid of missing something important for Kindergarten. I wrote my own curriculum the last year I was teaching at a preschool before it shut down and spent hours each evening, and on Saturdays trying to plan, find activities (and songs, fingerplays, games, etc), prepare, go to the Library for the books needed, shop for the specific supplies needed, gather the materials and items needed from around the preschool and put it all together so I'd have it that week when I needed it, etc. It was way too much time involvement, but the children were completely ready for Kindergarten and passed the entrance test with flying colors. I would just use that curriculum, but it involves copying a lot of things for crafts, etc, cutting things out, and everything else involved in doing my own curriculum besides just the planning part. And of course when I planned it then it was geared for the children I had then, and each lesson plans ends up needing revised for the particular group I have now. The curriculum did follow the NAEYC guidelines and the Childcare Quality Rating System our state has loved it. But it's just so time consuming and I'm married now and wasn't then, so I just don't have the time to do that anymore. Maybe my husband will spring for the individual theme packets Spedmommy4 mentioned. Especially if I tell him it's tax deductible I forgot about that part

[midaycare]

Just a side note ... I barely do any sit down work with MGT. I think sometimes curriculums get a bad rap. I supplement MGT with my own (free) ideas, but I don't do any worksheets. There's a small booklet each month to practice letters and numbers, if you want to. But the time per month spent on that? 30 min, max.

We move so much during the day some days I practically collapse from exhaustion ::

[mommiebookworm]

Blackcat, what blogs do you follow? I'm always looking for more.

[Blackcat31]

Blackcat, what blogs do you follow? I'm always looking for more.

Are you on Pinterest?

[daycare]

I offer preschool. It is included in my rates.

I created mine about 7 years ago and use the same one over and over again. It never changes, I only add small things to the holidays. I have not spent any more money on it other than ink to print, plus paper.

I use mostly learn through play with the exception of writing with my pre kinders.

[spedmommy4]

Thank you everyone! I am also play based and do very little sit down work, but the curriculum I was considering is also a hands on, learn through play. I wouldn't use anything academic based with worksheets and lots of seat work since I believe that's not as effective as playing. I had been making up my own curriculum, but it's so time consuming and I'm not creative enough to come up with play based learning opportunities that go with each theme. Plus I'm afraid of missing something important for Kindergarten. I wrote my own curriculum the last year I was teaching at a preschool before it shut down and spent hours each evening, and on Saturdays trying to plan, find activities (and songs, fingerplays, games, etc), prepare, go to the Library for the books needed, shop for the specific supplies needed, gather the materials and items needed from around the preschool and put it all together so I'd have it that week when I needed it, etc. It was way too much time involvement, but the children were completely ready for Kindergarten and passed the entrance test with flying colors. I would just use that curriculum, but it involves copying a lot of things for crafts, etc, cutting things out, and everything else involved in doing my own curriculum besides just the planning part. And of course when I planned it then it was geared for the children I had then, and each lesson plans ends up needing revised for the particular group I have now. The curriculum did follow the NAEYC guidelines and the Childcare Quality Rating System our state has loved it. But it's just so time consuming and I'm married now and wasn't then, so I just don't have the time to do that anymore. Maybe my husband will spring for the individual theme packets Spedmommy4 mentioned. Especially if I tell him it's tax deductible I forgot about that part

This is basically what I do. :-) Art should be open ended. A process, not the product. I ask the parents to bring recyclables and use Pinterest for inspiration. The themed packets are my "academics."

[mommiebookworm]

Are you on Pinterest?

Yes I am!

[Blackcat31]

Yes I am!

I PM'ed you my Pinterest board with all my favorite blogs!

[spedmommy4]

Are you on Pinterest?

I'm on Pinterest too. :-) I follow and pin a ton to boards on preschool art, science, math, etc. I use the same user name on Pinterest. (Spedmommyof4)

[missT]

Pre-packaged curriculum

As far as what you charge I think it would probably be difficult to ask your families to pay the extra but maybe you could include it next time you do your regular rate increase.

So far I've always used my own curriculum since it's what I learned in college and what I did in my preschool classrooms. I use the Portage Guide assessment to see where I need to work with each child the most and have an educational play based preschool type program in my home daycare. I like the curriculum I create but I'm definitely curious about pre-packaged curriculum since I have more to do with running my home daycare than I did the preschools I worked at and curriculum planning can be time consuming. What is MGT? What do those of you who order one use?
Thanks!