Clearly defining your child care philosophy into a set of guiding principles is an excellent way to set
your center apart and improve your operations. By defining a philosophy, you can establish the
character and values of your center and communicate that character to parents.
Let’s talk about the meaning of child care philosophy, why it matters to your center, and how you can
establish your own child care philosophy statement.
We’ll also introduce five well-known child care philosophies you can play with at your center.
What is a Child Care Philosophy?
A child care philosophy is a statement of your center’s goals, beliefs, and values about the nature of
child development, the role of child care, and the methods and goals of education. As a set of
principles guiding your center, it is broad and comprehensive, covering every aspect of child care.
A good child care philosophy is rooted in a model of child development and points to the objectives
of the center and its curriculum.
It defines your center’s purpose, its role in the life of the child, and its relationship to the community.
Why is a Child Care Philosophy Important?
Every child care center holds the mission of nurturing children’s potential. But in the classroom, it’s
not always obvious what choices will help children learn and grow. Establishing a child care
philosophy simplifies decision-making by clarifying your center’s beliefs and priorities in education.
With a child care philosophy in place, all decisions, from broad strategies like curriculum models, to
interactions with individual children, can be made with reference to your center’s principles.
Crucially, a child care philosophy helps you communicate your child care approach to parents. This
reduces misunderstandings and builds trust, since parents can rely on you to act in accordance with
the philosophy you present.
5 Child Care Philosophies You Should Know
To help define the philosophy of your center, it can be useful to understand existing child care philosophies.
Studying the five child care philosophies described here may provide inspiration for your own philosophy
statement and help you identify the values that define your child care business.
Developmental Child Care
The most common philosophy of child care in the United States, developmental child care, combines
insights from various child care approaches into a philosophy that nurtures every developmental
sphere. It holds a constructivist view of learning, integrating child-directed and hands-on activities
with teacher-led learning, direct instruction, and technology.
In this model, children develop physically, cognitively, socially, and emotionally through play-based
learning, and teaching is primarily conducted interactively. The role of the teacher is to be a secure
