When Charli was born, we were so fortunate to have my sister living with us as our nanny. She was (and still is) an influential part of her life. Having her be there to teach my daughter things one-on-one was invaluable to us. Now that Charli is almost 4 years old, we understand the importance of early education as well as learning opportunities beyond the classroom.

I remember asking Charli when she was younger if she wanted to attend child care with other children. She was at an age where it would be great to start socializing her with other children her age and getting her involved creatively with activities suited for her age in a classroom setting.

I learned about Bright Horizons ®and how they could be a partner in parenting with all of their family resources available. For parents of infants through school-aged children, Bright Horizons has created a database of learning activities, tips and resources for nurturing development, and craft ideas that parents and children can do together.

Activities that are provided by the Bright Horizon program really cover key developmental and academic areas like social skills, language acquisition, math, science, reading and more. Children AND parents (either those that stay at home, or work) will benefit from the curriculum and environment of the program to help guide your children through this important time in their life.

I encourage you to to start your child early in a preschool program. We love having our child interact with other young children, learn responsibilities and be engaged with projects and crafts. Research programs that work best for you and your child’s needs. Bright Horizons has a great family resources tab on their website that is super helpful when determining YOUR readiness to start activities for your child.

Here are some more great facts about the program for those interested in sending their child(ren) to a Bright Horizons facility:

Parents are informed about what their child is doing every day, either through Daily Experience sheets/emails or with the My Bright Day app, where teachers will share what your child has done, when they’ve eaten or napped, and fun photos of the day’s activities.
Bright Horizons’ experienced teachers and directors offer added support and ideas on a range of topics from toilet learning to effectively communicating with children, to encouraging cooperation and independence.
Bright Horizons’ centers are active communities that foster friendships and a supportive network and partners with parents very seriously. They provide opportunities for parents and their families to have fun together, learn together, and meet other families at tons of events throughout the year.

On the resources page of the website, there are tons of great learning activities that you and your child can do at home together! One of my favorite things to do with Charli are ones that involve coloring. She seems to have an interest in artsy crafts, so if it involves markers, she’s in!

Some nights, we like for her to “draw” her menu: foods that she wants to eat that night. This, and many other fun activities can be found on the website. You can find them according to your child’s age/school level. There are activities that range from crafts, chores, reading, and promotion of social awareness.