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Residents of Florida are very fortunate for having the free Voluntary Pre Kindergarten or VPK Program from the government. The most reputable daycare centers have included this preschool preparatory program in their offerings. In fact, the 2008 edition of the Florida Voluntary Pre Kindergarten (VPK) Education Standards tells parents what to look for in a daycare program that implements the VPK Program, whether in in Carrollwood, Tampa, 33625 or anywhere else in the state.

A flipbook entitled “It’s Okay to Play in VPK” was created in line with the Florida Voluntary Pre Kindergarten (VPK) Education Standards of 2008. Its target audience is composed of parents. While the latest edition of the Florida Voluntary Pre Kindergarten (VPK) Education Standards enumerates the skills that the VPK Program should be able to teach four year old children, the flipbook provides guidelines for parents in how to create learning environments that are developmentally appropriate for their children. They should look for the same characteristics in the daycare center they choose for their children.

The Florida Voluntary Pre Kindergarten (VPK) Education Standards of 2008 names eight developmental domains of the program. These are Physical Health, Approaches to Learning, Social and Emotional Development, Language and Communication, Emergent Literacy, Mathematical and Scientific Thinking, Social Studies and the Arts, and Motor Development.

In the “It’s Okay to Play in VPK” flipbook, there are examples of various children’s play activities that can be done in the classroom, the home and the community to support the said domains of child development. These play activities are considered as active learning. According to studies, children learn much through such hands on experiences that may seem like play but are actually planned and designed by experts with several developmental goals. In the form of such structured play activities, children are guided in direct exploration using their senses. They are able to practice their new skills. In that way, the children learn through meaningful experiences appropriate to their developmental stage.

Here are some characteristics of a developmentally appropriate environment that parents should seek in a daycare with Voluntary Pre Kindergarten or VPK. First, the children in the facility should all look healthy and happy while being involved in various activities. The activities should be based on the latest Florida Voluntary Pre Kindergarten (VPK) Education Standards, and should be administered according to a well planned daily schedule that should include both indoor and outdoor learning and playing. The physical layout of the daycare center should provide adequate space for various learning centers and play activity centers indoors and outdoors. The learning and play centers should include a library with a large collection of children’s books, an art center with complete materials, a music center, a dramatic play center, manipulative toys, blocks, puzzles, a water table and a sand table. All equipment should be in good condition. The entire daycare facility should be safe, clean and cheerful. Finally, the VPK teachers should all be friendly, kind, patient and calm. They should give every child their individual attention at some point in every day, always coming at eye level with the child when talking to him or her, listening or playing.

A Brighter Future Child Development and Learning Center is one of the childcare facilities in Carrollwood, Tampa, 33625 that provides more than just daycare to children from 6 weeks to 11 years old. It integrates the Voluntary Pre Kindergarten or VPK Program in its services for the appropriate age group. For older children in K1, K2, K3, and K4, it also offers other after school child development programs. A Brighter Future Child Development and Learning Center is also a Christian facility, ensuring the safety and well being of your child.