Child Care Assisting

Overview

Child care assisting programs prepare people to provide child care services. Students learn to plan and supervise play and learning activities. They also learn about child growth and development.

Child care assisting programs include topics such as:

• Child growth and development
• Nutrition
• Recreation
• Planning and supervision of play and learning activities
• Child abuse and neglect
• Legal and administrative requirements

Schools

Many community colleges offer certificate and associate degree programs in child care assisting. A certificate program usually takes a year of full-time study. An associate degree program at a community college usually takes two years to complete.

See schools that offer this program.

Related Educational Programs

• Child Care Services Management
• Child Development
• Early Childhood Education and Teaching
• Family and Consumer Sciences, General
• Family Studies and Human Development
• Food, Nutrition, and Wellness Studies
• Teacher Assisting

Related Careers

Careers Directly Related to this Program of Study

• Child Care Workers

Other Careers Related to this Program of Study

• Personal and Home Care Aides
• Preschool and Kindergarten Teachers
• Social and Human Service Assistants
• Teacher Aides

Program Admission

You can prepare for this program of study by getting your high school diploma or GED.

Below is a list of high school courses that will help prepare you for this program of study:

• Art
• Child Care
• Child Development and Parenting
• Community Health
• Drawing and Painting
• English and Language Arts (Four years)
• Food and Nutrition
• Food Service and Nutrition
• Music History and Appreciation
• Physical Education
• Safety and First Aid
• Teacher Aide

Typical Course Work

Program Courses

This program typically includes courses in the following subjects:

• Child Care Training
• Child Psychology
• Curriculum Development
• Early Childhood Intervention
• Games and Activities for the School-Aged Child
• Guidance and Classroom Management
• Growth and Development
• Health, Safety, and Nutrition
• Infant and Toddler Care
• Interpersonal Communication
• Introduction to Early Childhood Education
• Language Development for the Young Child
• Music, Art, and Drama for School-Aged Child Care
• Observing and Recording Child Behavior

Some programs offer practicums in their curriculum. A practicum gives you hands-on experience working in child care, under the supervision and guidance of an experienced child care provider. You might find a position in a day care center for a few hours a week, working with children of different ages and dealing with the day-to-day situations that occur.

Things to Know

Internships allow students to develop skills at companies or organizations. Although internships are not required in this program of study, they are a way to meet prospective employers and possibly acquire references.

Schools

East Side Area

Big Bend Community College

• Child Development Associate
• Early Childhood Education--Infants and Toddlers

Walla Walla Community College

• Early Childhood Education
• Early Childhood Education--Family Child Care
• Early Childhood Education--Infants and Toddlers
• Early Childhood Education--School Age Care

Wenatchee Valley College

• Early Childhood Education
• Early Childhood Education--Family Child Care
• Early Childhood Education--General
• Early Childhood Education--Infants and Toddlers
• Early Childhood Education--School Age Child Care

Wenatchee Valley College (Omak Campus)

• Early Childhood Education
• Early Childhood Education--Family Child Care
• Early Childhood Education--General
• Early Childhood Education--Infants and Toddlers
• Early Childhood Education--School Age Child Care

King-Snohomish Area

Bellevue College

• Early Childhood Education--Short State Specialization-Infant and Toddler Care

Edmonds Community College

• Early Childhood Education--Family Childcare
• Early Childhood Education--Infants and Toddlers
• Early Childhood Education--School Age Care

Everett Community College

• Early Childhood Education
• Early Childhood Education--State Short Certificates

Green River College

• Early Childhood Education--Early Childhood Assistant Teacher

Highline College

• Early Childhood Education--Family Childcare
• Early Childhood Education--Infant and Toddler Professional
• Early Childhood Education--School-Age Care

Lake Washington Institute of Technology

• Early Childhood Education--Family Child Care
• Early Childhood Education--General
• Early Childhood Education--Infants & Toddlers
• Early Childhood Education--School Age Care

North Seattle College

• Early Childhood Education
• Early Childhood Education--Initial State Certificate

Renton Technical College

• Early Childhood Education

Seattle Central College

• Early Childhood & Family Studies--ECE Short Certificate
• Early Childhood & Family Studies--ECE State Certificate
• Early Childhood & Family Studies--Initial Certificate

Shoreline Community College

• Early Childhood Education--Infant and Toddler Care

Kitsap Area

Olympic College

• Early Childhood Education--School-Age Care

Spokane Area

Spokane Falls Community College

• Early Childhood Education--Family Child Care
• Early Childhood Education--General Credential
• Early Childhood Education--Infant-Toddler Care
• Early Childhood Education--School Age Care
• Education Paraprofessional--General Option

Tacoma Area

Bates Technical College (South Campus)

• State Short Early Childhood Education Certificate--Family Child Care
• State Short Early Childhood Education Certificate--Infant/Toddler Care
• State Short Early Childhood Education Certificate--School Age Care

Clover Park Technical College

• ECE--Childhood Foundation
• ECE--Childhood Specialist
• ECE--School-Age Out of School Program

Pierce College Fort Steilacoom

• Early Childhood Education--State Short Certificate-Family Childcare
• Early Childhood Education--State Short Certificate-General
• Early Childhood Education--State Short Certificate-Infant & Toddler Care
• Early Childhood Education--State Short Certificate-School Age Care

Pierce College Puyallup

• Early Childhood Education--State Short Certificate-Family Child Care
• Early Childhood Education--State Short Certificate-General
• Early Childhood Education--State Short Certificate-Infants & Toddlers
• Early Childhood Education--State Short Certificate-School Age Care

Tacoma Community College

• Early Childhood Education--Short Certificate of Specialization

Tri-Cities Area

Columbia Basin College

• Early Childhood Education--Child Development Associate
• Early Childhood Education--State Short Certificates of Specialization

Vancouver Area

Clark College

• Early Childhood Education--Family Child Care
• Early Childhood Education--Infants and Toddlers
• Early Childhood Education--School-Age Care

West Side Area

Centralia College

• Early Childhood Education

Grays Harbor College

• Early Childhood Education--Family Childcare
• Early Childhood Education--General
• Early Childhood Education--Infant-Toddler Care
• Early Childhood Education--School Age Care

Lower Columbia College

• Early Childhood Education--State Short Certificates
• Early Childhood Education--Transfer to Concordia University

Peninsula College

• Early Childhood Education--General
• Early Childhood Education--Infant & Toddler

Skagit Valley College

• Early Childhood Education
• Early Childhood Education--Family Child Care
• Early Childhood Education--Infant/Toddler Care
• Early Childhood Education--School Age Care
• Early Childhood Education--State General Certificate

South Puget Sound Community College

• Early Childhood Education--Family Child Care

Whatcom Community College

• Early Childhood Education
• Early Childhood Education--State Short Certificate-Family Child Care
• Early Childhood Education--State Short Certificate-General
• Early Childhood Education--State Short Certificate-Infants and Toddlers
• Early Childhood Education--State Short Certificate-School-Age Care

Yakima Area

Yakima Valley College

• Early Childhood Education--Family Childcare
• Early Childhood Education--General Certificate
• Early Childhood Education--Infant-Toddler Care
• Early Childhood Education--School-Age Care