With Teacher Appreciation Week closing in on us, it’s time to remember how much teachers in your daycare do.

It’s not just school when the lessons imparted on the kids start mattering; daycare is when the littlest ones start realizing that they are living in a very large and fascinating world. Good teachers are the first step to making them learn the lesson with fun and joy.

That’s why there is no time like the present (or May 7 – 13) to show teachers how much you appreciate all the work they do. And if you’re short on ideas, check out our guide on daycare Teacher Appreciation Week.

Small and Meaningful

Sometimes it just takes a nice gesture. Like we’ve talked about in our article on boosting staff morale, a small gesture goes a long way. It also shows your personal touch.

It can be easy to forget that we’re all just human under the actual work, which is why you can use this May to plan out something nice for your staff. Depending on their preferences, it can be stationary they don’t have to share with kids, or even going fancy with a teachers banquet.

Recruiting high-quality daycare staff can be a challenge, but there are ways to make it a breeze.

You can also use this as a good opportunity for socialization and networking, as teachers usually just navigate their day-to-day schedules and don’t get a lot of time to catch up. This is something you can do more often, as well. Celebrate success with your staff and let them feel more comfortable in the workplace. You never know what great ideas can come from that!

Gifting

Once again, this depends on the teachers’ preferences, but it’s nice to have something that can remind a teacher that they are appreciated.

You can opt for gifts like vouchers for classes or wellness, or even plants and coffee mugs.

With recreational gifts, it can be a good chance for the teachers to unwind (and they definitely need to after hours and hours with kids) and broaden their horizons. The great part about being a teacher is that they get to experience different things, and then impart their knowledge on the kids who will appreciate it in return.

Get the Kids in on the Plan

Chances are, the kids love their teachers as much as you value them. That’s why you should get them in on the plan for Teacher Appreciation Week, and encourage them make something for their teacher.

Include parents, too, if they are willing. Just make sure you notify them well in advance (this is why it’s good to have a mailing list) before May.

Starting a daycare includes a lot of very specific requirements, such as having sinks in classrooms.

Keep in mind that this doesn’t mean that parents and kids have to get gifts for their teachers. They can easily workshop them at home – cards and DIY things they know a teacher will appreciate (and maybe even use for teaching later on) can be just as effective.

A handwritten note from parents who are happy but don’t get the chance to say it as much goes a long way, too. Teachers definitely cry happy tears over this.

(Which doesn’t mean that you, as the owner, are off the hook. 😉 )

One Day or the Whole Week?

While the whole week between 7th and 13th of May is Teacher Appreciation Week, that doesn’t mean that every day has to be packed with activities.

You can plan a real bash for one day, and then keep showing appreciation throughout the week with snacks or simple acts of kindness that sometimes slip your mind. Teacher Appreciation Week is when you can put in all the effort that we don’t prioritize the rest of the year, and make it count.

Of course, this isn’t always easy on the budget – especially if you’ve got a lot of teachers or if your daycare is just starting out.

Most daycares don’t run at their full capacity, and while this is part of growing pains, there are effective ways of earning extra revenue by filling your unused spots. You can use Hopping In’s simple system of dropping and booking spots to get your daycare in shape for Teacher Appreciation Week.

Even if your problem is the size of daycare, and not vacant spots, Hopping In helps you make your booking calendar available for part-time clients who want to book extra time on a short notice. In return, you earn extra revenue you can spend on motivating your teachers and making your daycare the best it can be.

Small Acts, Big Gestures

As much as teachers are an important part of every daycare and school, you know what the teachers in your daycare need.

This can be a coffee cake for them to share before the day starts, plenty of donuts, or a gift card. Maybe it’s a party where they can really put their feet up and feel like they’re kids again.

Whatever they need, make sure you listen. They do a brilliant job, so show them that it’s not invisible. And going forward, try to make every week look a bit more like that one special week in May.

Author: Hopping In Blog

Sholom Strick is an expert on the business of running daycare centers and founder of Hopping In, a tool that helps childcare centers and family daycare providers fill unused spots.

To contact him or for media inquiries email s.strick@daycareteam.com

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