We know your top priority as an agency is to place high quality candidates with families in need of care. Your team goes through a thorough screening process and diligently evaluates the best fit based on candidate experience, skills, role requirements, ages of children, parent preferences, etc. Undoubtedly, each family is looking for a caregiver skilled at supporting the development of their child. To find the best candidates with this desired quality, interviewers must metaphorically travel to a land where adults don’t tend to visit and meet kids where they are learning: in the land of play. Play is more than just having fun, it’s the foundation for a secure caregiver/child relationship, it’s the home for cognitive, physical, language, and social/emotional development. 
Agency staff who understand play can better screen candidates, better communicate to parents the value the nanny will bring to their home which leads to a deeper appreciation for quality care. This results in a parent’s willingness to offer a competitive compensation package and provide a desirable work environment.
There are two different forms of play: child led and adult led. Child led play helps a child stay curious and engaged with the world around them, foster a love of learning, take a deep dive into their interests and helps teach skills adult interactions cannot. Adult led play has many of the same benefits, but also allows a caregiver to create an environment appropriate for multiple ages, can enable a caregiver to focus on a specific development area for a child, and expands the learning opportunities. Both forms of play are important and the right caregiver can find the appropriate balance between the two.
To learn more about play and easy ways to help nannies foster an environment for learning, visit rayzkidz.com/agencies and download our free guide for you and your team, “The Land of Play”.