Playful Minds
How long is the introductory period for new hires?
Bonus 100 points if you can state the difference in salary vs hourly employees
All employees are initially hired for an Introductory Period.
• The Introductory Period for non-exempt, hourly employees will be at least 3 months
• The Introductory Period for exempt, salaried employees will be at least 6 months
This Introductory Period may be extended as deemed appropriate by Playful Minds leadership
How many Professional Development hours must you obtain per calendar year?
Bonus 100 points if you can state the requirement for Full time and part time employees
All Full-Time Employees are required to participate in at least 20 hours of professional development per calendar year.
All Part-Time Employees are required to participate in at least 12 hours of professional development per calendar year
Name the state ratios for center based child care preschool ratio
1 teacher to 10 children
2 teachers to 20 children
Name the state ratios for center based child care infant ratio
1 teacher to 3 children
2 teachers to 7 children
Name the state ratios for center based child care Toddler ratio
1 teacher to 4 children
2 teacher to 9 children
What is our program currently licensed for?
63 Children across the center
7 infants
7 infant toddler mix
7 toddler
9 toddler preschool mix
20 preschool
13 school age
Progress Reports!
How often are progress reports to be completed for each age group?
Bonus 100 point for children on an IEP, Early Intervention Plans, or on any educational plan.
Infants every 3 months
Toddler and preschoolers every 6 months
If on an educational plan such as but not limited to IEP or Early intervention, reports are completed every 3 months
What is a the chronological age range for a preschool child?
2 years 9 month - 5 years
What is a the chronological age range for a infant child?
birth to 15 months
What is a the chronological age range for a toddler child?
15 month to 2 years 9 months
Staff have daily communication with families either in person or bright wheel. According to the new handbook, What is included in the daily message sent by the classroom teaching team to all families in the classroom?
*This is not an individual message about a specific child
Each teaching team is required to compose and post a daily message for families. This message is intended
for the whole class, not individual families. It should include the following:
• Current theme or topic of study
• Art experiences – describe what the children did and what skills this enhanced
• Title/s of story/ies read aloud – summarize any conversations that arose in response to the story
• Group or individual projects offered to the children - describe what the children did and what skills
this enhanced
• Any activities that were not on the lesson plan but which evolved in response to the day’s experiences
- describe how this activity came about, what the children did and what skills this enhanced
• Summary of what the children were offered at each meal
• Reminders of any upcoming events, including closures, field trips, or Monthly Family Events
What are some of the records that must be in your staff file?
The licensee must maintain a personnel record for each staff member.
-The record must include:
- documentation that the employee has the qualifications required under 606 CMR 7.09 including, but not limited to,
-health records, as required by 606 CMR 7.09(11);
-copies of licenses, certifications and registrations held, including, but not limited to, motor vehicle operator’s license (if the staff member transports children) and EEC educator qualification;
- documentation of orientation, training and professional development, as required by 606 CMR 7.09
What are 3 things you can do to support a child's fine motor development.
You cant use coloring as 1!
-useing tweezers
-playing with playdough
-playing with Legos
-sensory play
- stringing beads
-lacing card ( looks like sewing )
-links
- finger tracing
Describe a safe sleep senecio
Key points
- always ley the infant on their back
- firm mattress
-tight fitted sheet
-no blanket or stuffed animals of any kind
-pacifier is ok!
-if the infant rolls over its okay!
what are 3 activities to support gross motor development in Toddlers
Cant name running
-Push and pull heavy objects (example a amazon box delivery)
-balance beam
-yoga
-exercise! ( jumping jacks, push up etc)
Describe the appropriate iPad usage as stated in the handbook
Each classroom is provided with an iPad for Educators to use for administrative purposes and occasionally
for curriculum support. Educators may only use these devices for approved tasks such as:
• Entering information on BrightWheel or other Playful Minds systems
• Playing volume controlled, age-appropriate music for the children. This may include music specifically
written for children or classical music.
• Conducting limited, age-appropriate research with the children
• Watching occasional, educational programming that is included in the lesson plan. Watching any other
TV programs or videos on the Playful Minds iPad, with or without the children, is prohibited.
Personal use of the Playful Minds iPad of any kind is strictly prohibited at all times
What are some of the required postings?
The licensee must post the following information in an area easily visible to parents, educators and visitors:
- "Call 911" reminder and the telephone number and address of the program, including the location of the program in the facility;
- the telephone number of the Poison Control Center and the name and telephone number of the emergency back-up person,
- in a manner that protects the privacy of each child: 1. a list of all emergency or life saving medications, including but not limited to epinephrine auto-injectors, inhalers, and anti-seizure medications, that specifies to which children they belong; and 2. a list of allergies and/or other emergency medical information provided by the parent for each child;
- the current license or approval.
what are 3 activities to support cognative development
Cant say puzzles !
-recall a story or events
-object sorting
-matching
-what's missing game
Other then hand/foot print art,
what are other ways infants can complete a craft project
-zip lock bag with paint and paper on the inside
-paint and paper on floor and infant uses jumper and feet to move paint around
-
name 3 social emotional activities for toddlers
Cant name a singing how do you feel
-mirror matching emotions
-reading books of emotions
-reading books on social skills such as sharing
-during a large group activity practice sharing
Head counts
Why do we complete head counts during the day and when should it be taking place?
How do we document that head counts have been completed appropriately?
Are you currently completing this and what does that look like in real time or how can you improve?
Educators are responsible for knowing the whereabouts of every child in their group or class at all times.
This applies in all areas and at all times throughout the day including but not limited to:
• In the classrooms
• In the bathroom
• On the playground
• In the hallways
• In large gathering spaces
• On field trips
• On vehicles
We use multiple strategies to maintain our ability to account for all children.
• Throughout the program day, Educators must note the number of children in attendance for their
group or class on their attendance sheet and must update the attendance records in BrightWheel.
These records must be updated in real time so as to provide an accurate record of which children are
with each group.
• Educators count the children multiple times throughout the day, physically checking that each child
listed on the sign-in-sheet is present and confirming that the total number of children present aligns
with the number on the sign in sheet. This should happen at the following times:
o When the group is leaving a location (a classroom, a building, the playground, etc.)
o When the group is arriving at a new location or entering a building
o When in an open area that provides more freedom of movement (outside, in a large room with
multiple groups, etc.) count the children periodically
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o When a new staff member joins a group of children, the employee should consult the current
staff as well as the sign-in-sheet and visually confirm that each individual child listed is
present
o When entering or departing a vehicle for a field trip (see Field Trip Procedures for more
detail)
o Random times throughout the day to ensure no one has slipped away
• Employees are required to communicate with each other regularly about supervision and the number
of children in attendance.
• If, at any point, a child is missing, employees must notify the Program Director immediately.
Employees will implement the Missing / Lost Child Procedure.
What information/ content goes into progress reports?
The progress report must be based on observations and documentation of the child’s progress in a range of activities over time and may include samples of the child’s work.
1. For children younger than school age, the progress report must address the development and growth of the child including but not limited to the developmental domains of Cognitive, Social/Emotional, Language and Fine and Gross Motor and Life Skills.
2. For school age children, the progress report must address the child’s growth and development within the parameters of the program’s statement of purpose. (c) All Educators, specialists and consultants working with the child in the program must be offered an opportunity to contribute to the progress report of the child.
Name 8 times when hand washing is to take place.
Bonus 500 points to go over hand washing procedure.
Hand washing is the best defense against disease. Teaching staff teach children to wash their hands by
modeling when and how to do so.
Children and staff must wash their hands with liquid soap at the following times:
• Upon arrival at Playful Minds
• Before and after:
o eating, handling food, or feeding a child
o administering medication
o caring for a child or adult who may be sick
o engaging in water play
o using shared play dough, sand, clay, or other sensory materials
o assisting a child with toileting
o changing a child’s diaper
• After:
o using the toilet
o contact with bodily fluids or discharge
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o handling animals, their food, cages, or equipment
o outdoor play
o entering the building
o sneezing or coughing into their hands
o using a tissue or assisting a child with wiping his or her nose
o handling soiled items and/or garbage
o handling raw food
o eating, drinking, or smoking
o using cleaners or toxic chemicals
o removing gloves
o art projects
• Whenever hands are visibly soiled
• and at other appropriate times
At Playful Minds we adhere to the following procedure for hand washing:
1. Turn on the water
2. Wet your hands and get soap
3. Rub your hands together to make lather
4. Wash your palms
5. Wash the backs of your hands
6. Wash your wrists
7. Wash between your fingers
8. Wash under your nails
9. Continue rubbing your hands for at least 20 seconds (long enough to sing the ABC’s twice)
10. Rinse your hands well
11. Dry your hands
12. Turn the water off using a paper towel
go over the proper diapering procedure
Families of children who wear diapers are required to keep a one week’s supply of disposable diapers, wipes,
and ointments (if applicable) at Playful Minds at all times. We will send a notice if we are running low, and
families must bring additional supplies as soon as possible.
All diapers must be changed in the bathroom using the following procedure:
1. Get clean diaper, enough wipes for child’s bottom, child’s hands, and teacher’s hands, change of
clothing, diaper cream, bag for soiled clothing and diapers
2. Remove clothing and soiled diaper. Soiled clothes are to be treated as bio-hazardous material and
must be wrapped in plastic bags, without cleaning them, to be sent home for families to launder.
3. Clean the child thoroughly with wipes
4. Place diaper in a plastic bag and place it in a hands-free trash can
5. Clean child’s hands with a clean wipe
6. Put clean diaper and clothes on
7. Child and adult wash their hands in accordance with our Hand Washing Policy
8. Clean, then sanitize diaper area
9. Allow child to return to play
10. Wash the diapering surface with soap/water solution and dry with a paper towel
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11. Spray surface with a sanitizing solution of bleach and water and allow to air dry if possible. You can
dry after 2 minutes with a clean paper towel
12. Wash your hands again in accordance with our Hand Washing Policy
All activities during the day provide opportunities for meaningful communication between adults and children.
This includes changing diapers. While changing a child’s diaper, teaching staff should interact with the child
in a positive manner. Teaching staff may discuss the diapering process, but should be mindful to never make
statements which might embarrass the child.
Teaching staff must change a child’s diaper as soon as possible upon determining that the diaper has been
soiled. In addition to having a general awareness throughout the day, teaching staff will check all children in
diapers at least every 2 hours to determine if a new diaper is needed.
Name 3 aspects taken during nap time for children over the age one 1 years old
Children Over One Year Old
• Playful Minds provides a nap-mat for each child over 12 months old.
• Each nap-mat is assigned to one child only. The nap-mat is labeled with the assigned child's name and
is only used by that child.
• Playful Minds staff place nap-mats 3-feet apart from each other to ensure every child has enough
personal sleep space.
• Playful Minds cleans and sanitizes all nap-mats weekly.
• Children are required to rest for at least 45-minutes on their nap-mats. If they wake up after 45
minutes, or have not fallen asleep, teachers will offer quiet toys, books, and puzzles for the remainder
of rest time. Families are encouraged to make a Nap Time Box with quiet, independent activities, for
their child to use if the child awakes before rest time is over. We will provide a list of appropriate
items upon request.
• Families are responsible for providing a crib-sized sheet and a small blanket for their child's nap?mat. These are sent home every Friday, or the last day of the week, to be washed and must be
returned with the child on the following Monday, or the first day of the week. Families can purchase
nap blankets on our Playful Minds website.