Description
Care for and educate infants, toddlers, and preschoolers in a licensed childcare setting, using play-based curricula and daily routines to promote social, physical, and cognitive development while ensuring health, safety, and family communication.
- • Provide varied materials for exploration, sensory play, and learning.
- • Attend to basic needs, including feeding, toileting, and diapering.
- • Teach early concepts like colors, shapes, numbers, letters, and self-help skills.
- • Foster social skills, sharing, and positive behavior through routines and guidance.
- • Read aloud to individuals, small groups, and the class.
- • Lead play-based activities in art, music, movement, outdoor play, and storytelling.
- • Observe and document each child's development, behavior, and health.
- • Screen for developmental concerns and share observations with supervisors and families.
- • Communicate daily with parents or guardians about progress, routines, and needs.
- • Implement and enforce center policies, safety rules, and classroom expectations.
- • Prepare and sanitize the classroom and materials before and after activities.
- • Teach hygiene, handwashing, and proper eating habits.
- • Serve meals and snacks following nutritional and allergy guidelines.
- • Greet children at drop-off, support transitions, and help with belongings.
- • Differentiate activities to meet varied ages, abilities, and interests.
- • Set clear goals for lessons and daily routines and share them with children.
- • Model and demonstrate activities and appropriate behaviors.
- • Arrange indoor and outdoor environments for safe, creative play and gross-motor skills.
- • Maintain attendance, incident, medication, and developmental records per licensing.
- • Prepare daily sheets and periodic progress reports for families and administration.
- • Plan balanced schedules including learning centers, free play, rest, and outdoor time.
- • Label and organize materials and display children's work appropriately.
- • Complete required trainings and maintain certifications (e.g., CPR/First Aid).
- • Coordinate with co-teachers and staff to plan and implement the curriculum.
- • Supervise and guide aides, floaters, and volunteers.
- • Collaborate with staff to develop and improve classroom and center programs.
- • Participate in staff meetings and required committees.
- • Consult with specialists to support individual needs.
- • Plan and supervise special events, nature walks, or guest visits, and guide learning from them.
- • Manage classroom inventory and order and store supplies safely.
- • Provide accommodations and assistive technology to include children with disabilities.
- • Manage administrative duties such as check-in/out and hallway or playground supervision.
- • Conduct developmental screenings and share results with families appropriately.
- • Implement individualized support or remedial activities for children needing extra help.
- • Follow safe sleep guidelines for infants and monitor nap times.
- • Follow health, sanitation, and emergency procedures, including drills and incident reporting.
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Tasks & skills:
O*NET occupational data (work activities, skills, knowledge).
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This site includes information from O*NET by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. Career Clutch has modified some of this information for student readability. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Last reviewed: Jan 2026
