Night & Day-Care & Play

08/06/2026

A child who feels safe makes different choices than a child who doesn't. Not because they're a different child, because they're in a different state.

Safety isn't a reward for good behavior. It's the condition that makes good behavior possible.

05/28/2026

By age three, a child's brain has built most of the language pathways it will ever use. The raw material for that construction is words. Heard words. Spoken words. Repeated words.

And not all words count equally.

Research on the "word gap" found that children in language rich homes hear 30 million more words by age three than children in language poor homes. That gap predicts vocabulary size, reading readiness, and even IQ. The difference is not intelligence. It is exposure.

Here is what does not count. Television playing in the background. Arguments. Chaotic noise. The brain filters out sounds that are not directed at the child. What counts is face to face interaction. Narration of daily life. And most efficiently, reading aloud.

Five minutes of reading a day exposes a child to vocabulary they rarely hear in conversation. "Curious." "Enormous." "Whispered." Words that build the architecture for later reading comprehension.

You do not need hours. You need consistency. One board book at bedtime. One silly rhyming book in the morning. That is it.

The catch up window is real. Early intervention is more effective than later remediation. But it is never too late to start. Read to your baby tomorrow. Their brain is listening.

05/28/2026

Feelings first, for everyone.

Children learn emotional safety by watching us.
When we give ourselves permission to feel, we give them permission too.

05/15/2026

If you haven't heard of the watch duty fire app, we recommend downloading it from the app store. It will notify you of any fires close to your location or home!

05/15/2026

Before anything is said or done, your tone, energy, and state set the stage.

When you lead with calm and intention, you create the conditions for connection, cooperation, and growth.

04/22/2026

We are looking for 2 Early Head Start teachers to join our school family. We are opening a second location and needing to replace 2 staff that are being promoted! We are also hiring for ALL positions for our second location. Previous experience is not necessary. Work will be M-F with a set schedule, weekends off, and weekly paycheck. Health and Dental Insurance, 401k, and many other benefits available. Please apply in person at 2831 Mays St or call 806-352-2186 with questions

04/02/2026

Looking for a fun new way to dye eggs for Easter? Grab some Ziploc bags and use them to dye Easter eggs with RICE!

Read the full tutorial: https://thecraftathomefamily.com/rice-dyed-easter-eggs/

03/27/2026

We are looking for 2 Early Head Start teachers and a Full Time Cook to join our school family. Previous experience is not necessary. Work will be M-F with a set schedule, weekends off, and weekly paycheck. Health and Dental Insurance and many other benefits available. Please apply in person at 2831 Mays St or call 806-352-2186 with questions

Night and Day Care and Play, Inc...where only the parent could care more! Family owned and operated since 1999.