5 Questions to Ask Before Choosing an Ann Arbor Daycare

Choosing an early learning program or daycare is a major decision that can be equally daunting and exciting.

Many brochures and websites share schedules, classrooms, and activities, but they don’t paint a full picture of what daily care looks like in action. 

If you're comparing daycare and early learning options, ask these five questions to understand what a program truly offers. 

1. What Is Your Educational Philosophy?

Ask for an explanation of educational philosophy and, more importantly, how it shapes children's everyday experiences.

At Squiggle Room, the approach combines play-based learning with Reggio Emilia–inspired and Montessori-informed practices. Your child is encouraged to explore, make choices, experiment, develop independence through decision-making, and learn through hands-on experiences.

It’s also helpful to ask: “What classroom activities or practices reflect this philosophy?”

2. How Do Teachers Interact with Children?

Take note of teachers' interactions during your tours.

Do they talk with children, listen attentively, ask thoughtful questions, and participate in activities? Or are they mostly giving instructions and managing logistics?

3. What Are Children Learning Through Play?

Depending on the program, “play-based” can mean different things. 

Ask how activities support development, the frequency of activities, and how they grow with your child. A program with a strong educational approach will explain how its activities support children's development without taking away the joy and freedom of play.

4. How Do You Balance Structure and Choice?

Children need daily routines, but they also need opportunities to independently explore.

Ask for a breakdown of a typical day for your child and the degree of freedom children have within routines. 

Squiggle Room combines predictable structure with opportunities for child-initiated exploration. This gives children a sense of security while allowing them to make choices and follow their interests.

5. Can the Program Grow with My Child?

Finally, ask how the program grows with your child. Some families change programs as their children move through different stages, while others prefer continuing with the community their child has grown with.

We offer programs as early as six weeks and continuing through school age, with learning experiences that grow as children's developmental needs expand.

The Questions Are Only the Beginning

A brochure or website can tell you what a program offers, but a tour can help you understand what that experience looks like day to day. 

If you're looking for an early learning center, we'd love to show you around.

Schedule a tour at Squiggle Room in Ann Arbor, meet the team, explore the environment, and learn more about our approach.

How Play-Based Learning Grows with Your Child

A six-month-old and a five-year-old both learn through play, yet their playtime looks very different.

One of the strengths of a play-based early learning environment is its ability to grow alongside your child. As children develop new abilities, the materials, conversations, and experiences around them evolve too.

Squiggle Room was designed for moments of play to become new opportunities for children to create, communicate, and grow!

Infants: Learning through the senses

For infants, play begins with exploring.

Soft textures, reflective mirrors, music, slow movement, and sensory materials develop early motor skills while building curiosity about their surroundings. Responsive caregivers add language to these moments by talking, singing, and engaging throughout the day.

Toddlers: Discovering independence

Toddlers are famous for wanting to do things themselves, and it makes for a wonderful stage of learning! 

Pouring pails of water, carrying play materials, climbing safely, and choosing activities all help children practice coordination, confidence, and decision-making. Practicing simple routines can create opportunities to build independence.

Preschoolers: Asking bigger questions

Play becomes more imaginative and collaborative as children grow. 

A brown cardboard box becomes a spaceship on Mars. A group of friends creates a pretend bakery with mud pies and daisy cupcakes. Nature walks turn into a conversation about shiny bugs, crunchy leaves, or changing seasons.

These experiences naturally support language, early math, problem-solving, and social-emotional development through joyful moments of play. 

School-age children: Creating and collaborating

Older children continue learning through hands-on experiences, but their projects often become more complex.

They may build Legos, design pillow forts, create artwork, solve challenges together, or lead imaginative group games. Play becomes a space for leadership, creativity, and teamwork as much as exploration.

Learn more in our latest article. 

The Goal of Play at Squiggle Room

While the activities evolve with time, the purpose stays the same.

At Squiggle Room, we want children to become curious learners who feel confident asking questions, trying new ideas, and expressing themselves. That’s what play-based learning looks like at every age.

If you'd like to see our play-based approach in action, we'd love to show you around. Schedule a tour or explore our full curriculum to learn more. 

Is My Child Really Learning While They Play?

It’s one of the questions parents ask most when they begin looking at early childhood programs:

“It looks like they’re just playing… are they learning?” The short answer is yes.

For young children, play isn’t separate from learning (it’s actually encouraged!) Play builds many important developmental skills.

At Squiggle Room, our classrooms are intentionally designed so everyday moments of play become a new opportunity for children to create, communicate, and grow.

What Learning Looks Like in Everyday Play

Learning through play occurs in small, meaningful moments throughout the day. 

When they build with blocks

They’re experimenting with balance, size, patterns, and persistence. Falling towers create new learning opportunities! 

When they paint or work with clay

They’re strengthening the small muscles in their hands while making creative choices about texture, color, and design. 

When they play “pretend” with friends

They’re practicing conversation, learning patience, negotiating ideas, and learning to see the world from someone else’s perspective.

Why Open-Ended Activities Matter

Perfected finished projects aren’t always the end goal. 

Open-ended materials (loose parts, art supplies, dramatic play props, and sensory materials) encourage children to ask, “What can I make?” and “How creative can I get with this?” instead of “What’s the right answer?”

The freedom to create builds confidence, creativity, and independent thinking. 

The Role of Teachers at Squiggle Room

Our teachers observe closely, engage through thoughtful questions, and gently extend children’s ideas without taking over. 

This may look like introducing a new material or giving a child the space to problem-solve independently. 

Learn more in our latest article. 

Beyond the Finished Artwork 

Muddy shoes or a painting that’s mostly pink might appear as learning at first glance. However, the process involved requires making choices, solving problems, expressing ideas, and building confidence through exploration. That’s the kind of learning we value at Squiggle Room! 

If you'd like to see our play-based approach in action, we'd love to show you around. Schedule a tour or explore our full curriculum to learn more.