Frequently Asked Questions
What do you do about toilet training? At Honeypie Nature Playschool, children learn to use the toilet in a positive way when they are ready. When they are ready (showing interest and signs of being developmentally ready), children are encouraged to sit on the toilet each time they have a diaper change, that way, they start to become familiar with sitting on the toilet. We also encourage families to remember we are not just training them to use the toilet, but also helping them to become independent in using the toilet (this means teaching the steps to use the bathroom-including dressing/undressing, hand washing, etc).
Do we ever go on field trips? Yes we take weekly field trips to the McFarland Public Library for Storytime, and frequent walks to local parks! In the Summer, we take additional field trips around the community (ex: The Little Gym, Spartan Bowl, McFarland House Café, etc). We take a special annual field trip to downtown Madison to visit the State Capitol, Overture Center, Madison Public Library, Children's Museum and more once a year in the Summer/during Week of the Young Child.
Do the children watch television at Honeypie? On a very rare occurance...only for 'special days' (holidays, birthdays, etc), families will be notified before viewing any television and only G/PG rated movies/television shows will be viewed.
Are there any cats or dogs at Honeypie? No, but we have a 'pet' squirrel and birds we like to feed in the backyard ;)
Can children attend Honeypie if they are sick? No, Honeypie Nature Playschool follows the same guidelines as the McFarland public schools. Children need to be fever/symptom free for 24 hours without the aid of fever reducing medications before returning to school. Children may return when they are no longer contagious.
Do providers communicate with parents on a regular basis? Yes, definitely, we utilize Early Learning Ventures Daily Log to communicate meals, diapering, naps, etc. We also log "Honeypie Highlights" on our Facebook/Instagram Page.
Where Can I find forms necessary for Enrollment/Updates on my child?
Child Care Enrollment: http://dcf.wisconsin.gov/forms/pdf/dcf_f_cfs0062.pdf
Health History and Emergency Care Plan: http://dcf.wisconsin.gov/forms/pdf/dcf_f_cfs2345.pdf
Child Intake (Children Under 2 years): http://dcf.wisconsin.gov/forms/pdf/dcf_f_cfs0061_e.pdf
Immunization Record: http://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/forms/F4/F44192.pdf
Child Health Report: http://dcf.wisconsin.gov/forms/pdf/dcf_f_cfs0060_e.pdf
What Does Your Typical Day Look Like?
7:00 AM Arrival/Morning Exploration
7:30 AM Breakfast Served and Morning Meeting
8:30 AM PLAY! AM Exploration & Enrichment/Outdoors
10:30 AM Lunch Served
11:30 AM Nap/Rest
2:00 PM PM Snack Served
2:30 PM PLAY! PM Exploration & Enrichment/Outdoors
4:45 PM Clean Up
5:00 PM (4:30 PM Fridays) Honeypie Nature Playschool Closed
*Schedule Subject to change*
Honeypie Nature Playschool is a State Licensed, City of Madison Accredited, and 5 Star Rated Family Child Care Center....
what does this all mean?
State Licensed-. Under Wisconsin law, no person may provide care and supervision for 4 or
more children under the age of 7 for less than 24 hours a day unless that
person obtains a license to operate a child care center from the
Department. This does not include a relative or guardian of a child who provides
care and supervision for the child; a public or parochial school, a person
employed to come to the home of the child's parent or guardian for less
than 24 hours a day; or a county, city, village, town, school district or
library that provides programs primarily intended for recreational or
social purposes.
The Department of Children and Families (DCF) is the state agency responsible
for licensing and ongoing monitoring of child care centers.
There are 3 different categories of state licensed child care:
Licensed Family Child Care Centers provide care for up to 8
children. This care is usually in the provider's home.
Licensed Group Child Care Centers provide care for 9 or more
children. These centers are usually located somewhere other than a
residence and may be small or large in size
Licensed Day Camps are seasonal programs that provide
experiences for 4 or more children. These programs usually operate in
an outdoor setting.
City of Madison Accredited: Each Satellite family child care home operates as an independent business with
its own hours of operation, business practices, and rates. The family child
care provider remains self employed, but has the support of Satellite’s staff
and resources. All Satellite providers work to meet the standards of quality
established by the City of Madison Office of Community Services, which is
called Madison Accreditation. This is a higher standard of regulation than
State Licensing or County Certification. Satellite consultants visit providers
a minimum of 5 times per year to ensure they are meeting the accreditation standards
[pdf]. Providers are eligible for reaccreditation annually.
5 Star Rating (YoungStar): YoungStar is a program of the Department of Children and Families created to
improve the quality of child care for Wisconsin children. YoungStar evaluates and rates the quality of care given by child care providers, helps parents choose the best child care for their kids, supports providers with tools and training to deliver high-quality
early care, and sets a consistent standard for child care quality.
