In addition to enjoying being around children, it takes patience, stamina and good communication skills to handle a childcare worker’s responsibilities. Childcare workers care for children as a service to parents and families. Childcare workers’ tasks depend on the age of the child. They provide for basic needs such as feeding, changing diapers, and instituting a regular sleep time for babies and toddlers, and also introduce concepts like sharing and playing games. Childcare workers use storytelling, and hands-on activities to help prepare preschool-age children for kindergarten. School-age children may need help with homework, or rides to activities. Tasks also vary with work setting: Childcare center workers generally work full-time, in teams. They teach structured lessons, prepare activity schedules, and keep records of children’s progress. Family childcare providers work in their own homes to care for children during the parents’ work day. They must follow local regulations, set policies, and market their services. Nannies work full-time for one family, and are in charge of children throughout the day – including preparing meals and coordinating activities. Some nannies live with the family. Babysitters typically work part-time for multiple families, as needed. Education and training requirements vary from no formal education to postsecondary education in early childhood education. Employers often prefer at least a high school education. Many states require childcare centers, including those in homes, to be licensed. Some employers require childcare workers to have a nationally-recognized credential from a childcare association.
What they do:
Attend to children at schools, businesses, private households, and childcare institutions. Perform a variety of tasks, such as dressing, feeding, bathing, and overseeing play.
On the job, you would:
Maintain a safe play environment.
Observe and monitor children's play activities.
Communicate with children's parents or guardians about daily activities, behaviors, and related issues.
Business
customer service
Arts and Humanities
English language
Education and Training
teaching and course design
Safety and Government
public safety and security
Basic Skills
keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements
listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
Social
looking for ways to help people
understanding people's reactions
Problem Solving
noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
Verbal
listen and understand what people say
communicate by speaking
Ideas and Logic
notice when problems happen
use rules to solve problems
Attention
do two or more things at the same time
pay attention to something without being distracted
People interested in this work like activities that include helping people, teaching, and talking.
They do well at jobs that need:
Self Control
Concern for Others
Integrity
Stress Tolerance
Cooperation
Attention to Detail
You might use software like this on the job:
Word processing software
Microsoft Word
Computer based training software
Educational software
Schoology
Multi-media educational software
Nearpod
Seesaw
high school diploma/GED or associate's degree usually needed
Get started on your career:
New job opportunities are very likely in the future.
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