What Is Curriculum
Curriculum is the documented set of learning experiences, activities, and developmental goals that shape what children do each day in a childcare or preschool program. It's the intentional framework that guides teachers on what to teach, how to teach it, and why certain activities matter for child development.
Why It Matters
Curriculum directly affects child outcomes. Research shows children in classrooms with evidence-based curricula demonstrate stronger gains in language, math, and social-emotional skills compared to those in programs without structured curricula. When you're evaluating childcare options, the curriculum choice reveals whether the program is purposeful or reactive.
Many state licensing requirements now mandate that programs serving children birth to age 5 use a curriculum aligned with state early learning standards. NAEYC-accredited programs must demonstrate how their curriculum connects to developmental benchmarks across cognitive, physical, social, and emotional domains. If your program receives Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) subsidies, your state may require curriculum documentation to justify funding.
Staff ratios also connect to curriculum quality. A teacher managing 8 infants (the NAEYC recommended ratio) has capacity to implement individualized learning plans. That same teacher with 12 infants cannot. The curriculum you choose must align with the staff ratios your program maintains.
How It Works
- Planning: Teachers select a curriculum model (commercial like Creative Curriculum or HighScope, or locally developed) that aligns with their state's early learning standards.
- Implementation: Daily activities, lesson plans, and learning centers reflect the curriculum's approach. A Montessori curriculum looks different from a play-based program in materials, teacher roles, and child choice.
- Assessment: Teachers use curriculum-embedded assessments to track whether children hit developmental benchmarks. These records support licensing compliance and parent conferences.
- Documentation: Licensed programs must show written curriculum to licensing inspectors. This documentation includes learning goals, how activities address those goals, and adaptations for children with varying abilities.
Key Details
- Curriculum must be age-appropriate. Infants and toddlers need curricula focused on sensory exploration, attachment, and gross motor development. Preschoolers need curricula addressing pre-academic skills alongside social-emotional growth.
- Licensed programs in most states must use a curriculum that addresses all developmental domains, not just academics.
- Commercial curricula cost between $500 and $3,000 per classroom annually. Programs weigh this cost against staff training time and consistency benefits.
- Curriculum choice affects staff turnover. Teachers in programs with structured curricula report clearer expectations and more professional development, which correlates to lower turnover rates.
- If your program receives CCDF subsidies, curriculum documentation helps justify program quality to funding agencies and supports rate increases in some states.
Common Questions
- Do I need to pick one curriculum or can we mix approaches? Most licensing agencies accept hybrid approaches if you document how components work together and ensure coverage across all developmental domains. However, staff training becomes more complex, and consistency for children may suffer.
- What's the difference between curriculum and a daily schedule? A schedule is the timing of activities. A curriculum is the intentional content and learning goals within those activities. A schedule says "circle time at 9 a.m." A curriculum defines what circle time addresses developmentally and how it connects to state standards.
- Does curriculum choice affect NAEYC accreditation? NAEYC doesn't mandate a specific curriculum but requires that whatever you use aligns with their standards on intentionality, cultural responsiveness, and developmental appropriateness. They evaluate how well you implement it, not which brand you buy.
Related Concepts
HighScope and Creative Curriculum are two widely used evidence-based curriculum models in early childhood programs.