How to Build a Sense of Community at Your Childcare Center or Preschool

Building relationships between home, childcare centers/preschools and the community can take some work to set up if it’s not currently being done, but is very much worth the time invested in making it happen. In order to create these bonds, you first must know and understand the dynamics of the families in your center as well as what’s available in your community.

If your community is fortunate to have many types of programs available to young children and their families, find a way to collaborate with these agencies to exchange information and services. It is important to make sure the families at the center know about these programs and how they might benefit their family. Make “family resource guide” booklets available at all times, and hand out flyers about new programs or community events as they pop up. Invite programs and agencies to set up at the center for a “community night”. Another good way to include the community is to partner individuals belonging to service organizations with young mothers in a mentorship program. Community service workers are always encouraged to come into the classrooms as children love meeting mail carriers, police workers, fire fighters, etc.

In order to build relationships with the families, the school must create a welcoming environment. Parents should be invited to visit any time. They should be encouraged to take their time dropping their child off and picking their child up, instead of rushing in and out. Staff should greet parents warmly each time they see them. There should be areas for parents to gather info about the center and their child’s day, as well as upcoming events and other news. Bulletin boards are very helpful for dispersing this info and can be placed in the lobby and in each classroom. An area to gather resources about community organizations and parenting tips is also very helpful. If possible, a resource library for parents to borrow information of child development and parenting to read it home is very nice. It is even better if children’s books, puppets, puzzles and craft ideas can be included in the resource library to encourage parents to spend time with their children at home.

A monthly newsletter with weekly updates is a great way to help parents stay in touch. A short note sent home with children daily about their day is also a great way to make parents feel they are in the loop. Parents should be made known of all the ways to help out in the classroom. There should be a job for anyone who wants to help, even if it’s stuffing Easter eggs at home for the super busy parents.

After hours events are a great way to build the home-school relationship. Pot luck dinners or pajama story hours are a great way for the families and staff to mingle and get to know each other outside of the daily routine.

Dr. Becky Bailey has several very good strategies for building what she calls the “school family”. Early childhood classrooms around the world use her strategies with very positive results. One of the things she suggests is putting each child and staff members photo on magnets around a round metal baking sheeting. Each morning the class checks to see if anyone is absent. If someone is absent, his/her photo goes in the middle of the baking sheet. The class says something like, “Suzie, we miss you and we wish you well.” Each week someone has the job of making a card for anyone who is absent. If the child is out for more than two consecutive days, he/she receives a call at home from the class. This really lets the student and his/her parents know that they are part of the group.


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