top of page

Frequently Asked Questions

Welcome to The Yoyo House FAQ.

Here you'll find answers about our nurturing home daycare in Clairemont, San Diego.

Our educational programs for toddlers, daily schedules, policies, and how we provide a safe and loving environment for your child's early development. Learn about our enrollment process, daily routines, health policies, and what sets us apart as a top preschool alternative for your family.

Are you licensed? Are you trained in CPR and First Aid?

We are fully licensed by the State of California to operate as a home-based family childcare program. Our licensing ensures compliance with all health, safety, and child development standards outlined by the California Department of Social Services, Community Care Licensing Division. Our license number is 376101045. In addition to state licensing requirements, all staff members are certified in Pediatric CPR and First Aid, and we renew our training regularly to stay up to date with best practices.

What are your hours of operation? Do you a offer part-time program?

The Yoyo House offers two  programs:
– Full-Time Program: Monday through Friday, from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
– Morning Program: Monday through Friday, from 8:00 AM to 11:45 AM.

Drop-offs: from 8:00 until 8:45 AM. 

Pick-up is between 3:30 and 5:00 PM for full-day children.

This structure supports predictability, emotional regulation, and meaningful routines in early childhood development.
We don't offer part time split programs like 2 or 3 days a week.

What age groups do you accept?

We enroll children aged 12 to 36 months, with our curriculum specifically structured for toddlers and early preschoolers. Children under 18 months are nurtured in an enriched caregiving environment, while those over 18 months begin to engage in intentional, age-appropriate learning experiences. We don't enroll children older then 36 months, however, once the child turns 3, he/she is welcome to stay enrolled until the age of 5.

Are you closed on holidays?

Yes, The Yoyo House Daycare is closed on federal holidays and  a few more other days. Click here to take a look at our 2025 calendar.

What is your daily schedule like?

Our daily rhythm balances care, free play, and intentional experiences:

  • 8:00–8:45 – Arrival & Free Exploration

  • 9:00 – Breakfast

  • 9:30–11:30 – Curriculum-based Experiences (Arts, Language, Nature, Movement)

  • 11:45 – Morning Program Dismissal

  • 12:00–12:30 – Lunch (brought from home)

  • 12:30–3:00 – Nap/Rest Time

  • 3:45 – Afternoon Snack

  • 4:00–5:00 – Outdoor Play, Storytime, or Free Exploration

This consistent structure supports children’s ability to self-regulate and predict transitions—key elements in the development of autonomy and security.

What is your educational philosophy?

At The Yoyo House, we believe to educate is to care. Our philosophy centers the child as an active, competent, and whole individual—body, mind, and soul.
Aligned with global best practices in early childhood education, we foster:

  • Deep emotional bonds as the foundation for learning.

  • Play as the child’s natural language and principal form of knowledge construction.

  • A multicultural environment that values diversity, wonder, and imagination.
    We educate through meaningful experiences that honor each child’s rhythm, needs, and expressive potential.

What are the benefits of a home-based daycare?

Choosing a home-based daycare is often the most nurturing and developmentally appropriate choice for young children, especially when we understand early childhood education as rooted in emotional bonds and guided by the principles of integral education.

In the early years, children learn primarily through relationships. According to the pedagogy of integral education, we must embrace the whole child: body, mind, emotions, and spirit. Development happens not through rigid instruction, but through meaningful experiences grounded in affection, security, and trust.

A home-based daycare offers precisely that:

  • A familiar, intimate environment that mirrors the emotional safety of a family setting.

  • Consistent caregivers who truly get to know each child and form deep, attuned relationships.

  • Low ratios that allow for individualized attention and responsive caregiving.

  • A natural pace, where routines are predictable and transitions are gentle—supporting self-regulation and autonomy.

In contrast to institutional settings that may prioritize scale and efficiency, home-based programs prioritize emotional well-being, which is the true foundation for learning. When a child feels safe, seen, and valued, they explore, connect, imagine, and grow with confidence.

Ultimately, choosing a home-based daycare is choosing a place where your child is not just supervised—but truly known, emotionally supported, and guided to flourish as a whole person.

What are your teacher-to-child ratios?

We are licensed for 12/14 children. Our ratios are:

  • 1:4 for children under 2 years old

  • 1:6 or 8 for children over 2 years old, depending on ages and stages.
    These ratios meet the legal standards and reflect our commitment to safety, responsiveness, and the quality of interactions. We emphasize presence, observation, and attuned caregiving in all moments of the day.

What learning experiences do you offer?

​We design experiences grounded in the following five areas of experience:

  1. Identity & Social Bonds – Cooperative play, empathy-building, and community rituals.

  2. Body & Movement – Gross motor play, music and dance, sensory exploration.

  3. Art & Expression – Painting, sculpting, music-making, and aesthetic discovery.

  4. Language & Imagination – Storytelling, dialogic reading, puppetry, and creative expression.

  5. Nature, Numbers & Transformation – Outdoor inquiry, counting, sorting, and cause-effect discovery.

Our curriculum invites children to wonder, participate, and co-create their learning journeys through free and guided play, observation, and exploration.

What is your approach to discipline and behavior management?

We practice positive guidance rooted in empathy, co-regulation, and respect.
Behavior is understood as communication. We seek to understand underlying needs and guide children through modeling, emotional naming, and collaborative problem-solving.
There are no punitive measures. Instead, we foster a safe emotional climate where children develop self-awareness, boundaries, and peaceful conflict resolution.

Discipline, for us, is a form of education: teaching children how to exist in relationship with themselves, others, and the world.

Do you integrate the Portuguese language?

Yes. Portuguese is integrated naturally throughout the day in songs, books, and conversations, creating a bilingual experience.
This fosters cognitive flexibility, early language acquisition, and cultural appreciation.
Children learn English and Portuguese in context, supported by visual cues, repetition, and routines—making the second language accessible, playful, and meaningful, even to beginners.

What is your policy on administering medication?

We do not administer medications, whether prescription or over-the-counter.

The only exception is the use of a prescribed EpiPen for emergency allergic reactions. It must be:

  • Prescribed by a licensed physician

  • Provided by the family in its original packaging with the child’s name

  • Accompanied by a completed and signed Medication Administration Form

  • Stored securely on-site and accessible only to authorized staff

Do you have cameras? Do you have an app? 

We do not have livestreaming cameras in our Daycare. 
No, we do not use an app. Apps require constant updates, and we believe that time should be spent caring for your child, not managing a screen. Our priority is being fully present with the children.

How do you communicate with parents?

We communicate with parents during business hours. In person at drop-off and pick-up, and through a private WhatsApp group where we share daily photos, quick updates, and notes about your child’s day.

What are your drop-off and pick-up procedures?

Drop-off takes place between 8:00 and 8:45 AM. To preserve the flow of our day and the children’s sense of rhythm, we ask that all arrivals happen within this window. If no children have arrived by 8:45, the staff will be dismissed for the day. In special cases, full-time children may arrive as late as 10:00 AM and morning children by 9:00 AM—with prior notice.

Before arriving, please ensure your child is healthy, clean, and ready to begin the day: no signs of illness, no medications given that morning, and no food in hand or mouth. We encourage children to arrive awake, alert, and dressed for the weather, with fresh diapers or underwear and clean hands and face.

Pick-up for morning children is by 11:45 AM. Full-time children should be picked up between 3:30 and 5:00 PM. Early pick-up—either at 11:45 or by 12:30 after lunch—is possible with advance notice.

While on the premises, parents are responsible for supervising their children. Please be sure to latch gates and doors securely and avoid lingering outside the daycare, as this can affect the comfort and safety of others.

Our goal is to maintain a calm, predictable environment for all children, and we appreciate your partnership in creating a smooth transition at both arrival and departure.

What is your sick child policy?

At The Yoyo House, we care deeply about the well-being of every child and believe health is a collective responsibility. To protect our group, children must stay home if they are unwell and may return only after being symptom-free for at least 24 hours without medication. This includes any of the following:
• Fever of 99.5°F (37.5°C) or higher
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea or two or more loose stools in a day
• Severe coughing, sneezing, or runny nose
• Unusual fatigue, irritability, or difficulty breathing
• Sore throat or swollen glands
• Eye infection (pink eye) with discharge
• Rashes of unknown origin
• Head lice (until completely treated and nit-free)
• Any contagious illness such as chickenpox, COVID-19, or hand-foot-mouth

If your child becomes sick during the day, we’ll call you to pick them up within 30 minutes. Until then, your child will stay in a quiet, comfortable space away from the group. For everyone’s safety, please make sure your emergency contact information is always current.

If a child in our care is diagnosed with a contagious illness, all families will be notified (without identifying the child) so that others may watch for symptoms.

Medication will not be administered at daycare. The only exception is a prescribed EpiPen, which must come with a doctor’s note and be in its original container with clear instructions. We do not give over-the-counter medication, and no medicine may be added to a child’s food or drink.

Please do not bring your child if they’ve been given fever-reducing medication that morning or if you’re unsure and want to “see how they do.” Let us know if anyone in your household has a contagious condition that could affect others. And while we appreciate doctors’ notes, they do not override our policy—final decisions about returning to care are made by our team, with the well-being of the group in mind.

By working together, we can ensure a healthy, safe, and respectful environment where every child can thrive.

What is your policy on absences and vacations?

Tuition at The Yoyo House is based on enrollment, not attendance. This means fees remain the same regardless of vacations, absences, sick days, late arrivals, or early pick-ups. We release a calendar each January outlining all holidays, breaks, and scheduled closures—including spring, summer, and winter breaks. Families are responsible for the full tuition amount throughout the year, ensuring consistency for all children and the sustainability of our program.

Do you provide meals and snacks?

Yes. At The Yoyo House, we provide breakfast at 9:00 a.m. and an afternoon snack around 3:45 p.m., prepared with care to meet the needs of growing toddlers. Lunch must be brought from home daily. If your child has special dietary needs or allergies, please ensure their meals are clearly labeled and follow our safety guidelines. We do not handle food containing added medicine and are committed to preventing choking hazards by enforcing strict food-size policies.

What do I need to provide for my child?

Your child will be designated a private cubby so their belongings can stay at the Daycare. 

  • weather-appropriate outfits : two to three full changes of clothing: 

        Easy on-and-off clothing (no belts, suspenders, overalls, onesies with lots of buttons)

  • Pack of diapers or pull-ups for the week. 

Daily items:

  • A lunchbox with a balanced lunch, cut into pieces no larger than ½ inch (we recommend silicone dividers for food safety)

  • Formula, breast milk, or baby food if needed, ready to serve in labeled containers

Please label all items

Please refrain from sending toys, candy, or personal treasures​

Can I pack hot dogs, pepperoni, salami, or sausages in my child’s lunch?

​No. Due to the high choking risk, we do not allow processed meats such as hot dogs, pepperoni, salami, or sausages, even if cut. This is in accordance with pediatric health guidelines and state safety regulations. We ask that all foods be cut into bite-sized pieces no larger than ½ inch, and that lunches be simple, soft, and easy for toddlers to manage independently. We’re happy to provide suggestions for safe, balanced lunches.

Can my child bring a backpack or car seat into the daycare?

No backpacks or car seats are permitted inside the daycare. These items take up space, pose tripping hazards, and are not easily sanitized. All daily essentials should arrive in a labeled lunchbox and/or small bag containing only the required items (diapers, clothing, etc.). Please leave bulky personal items in your vehicle during drop-off and pick-up.

bottom of page