The purpose of the Lehigh University Child Care Center is to create an environment where children feel comfortable and secure. The Center being an extension of the family, promotes the enhancement of skills, which help children to develop positive self-esteems, self-confidences and verbal communication skills. The Center strives to provide those childhood opportunities and experiences that further promote the total development of children and allows them to be “children.”

Objectives of the Lehigh University Child Care Center are the following:

To create a warm and friendly environment where children feel comfortable and secure:

• using positive reinforcement
• being an active listener
• relating to children on their levels
• enjoying and playing with children

To help each child develop a positive self esteem:

• praising
• showing/telling children what is expected of them
• being consistent
• smiling and using positive body language

To encourage freedom of expression:

• accepting positive and negative feelings of children
• accepting and respecting the feelings, values and opinions of the children

To promote socialization in a group atmosphere:

• helping children become aware of feelings and opinions of others
• providing positive experiences with other children and adults
• encouraging cooperative efforts

To provide healthy care and to promote the physical safety of children:

• changing the classroom environment when necessary
• maintaining cleanliness of classroom and practicing good health habits
• practicing safety habits, i.e. fire drills

To develop a feeling of trust between children and teachers:

• being consistent with the expectations of both children and teachers
• developing positive relationships between child and teacher

To establish and maintain a rapport between parent and child care staff:

• good communication of program goals and structure
• contact with parents
• respecting and promoting the ethnic and cultural values of the parents