A vision statement is an aspirational guiding light for child care centers, preschools, and family child care programs. It declares, “this is how we want the world to be!” A clear and inspiring vision statement helps align staff, families, and the community around a shared purpose, setting the tone for the program’s culture and approach to early learning.

Purpose

A well-defined vision statement articulates the program’s identity and direction. It provides a foundation for decision-making and ensures all stakeholders understand the program’s goals. This policy should:

• Clarify Priorities—It highlights the program’s aspirational focus.
• Build Trust—Clearly states the program’s big-picture values and intentions.
• Support Consistency—A vision statement is the touchstone for everything the program believes and does.

Where To Include

At Playvolution HQ, we recommend using the Three Handbook Method and adding this policy to your Operating Handbook.

Considerations

When crafting a vision statement for a play-based child care program, consider the following:

• Core Values—Include the principles that define your program.
• Child-Centered Focus—Emphasize the role of play in supporting children’s holistic development, including social, emotional, and physical growth.
• Simplicity And Clarity—Keep the statement concise and easy to understand, ensuring it resonates with staff, families, and visitors alike.
• Aspirational Tone—Aim for a forward-looking message that inspires hope and ambition while remaining achievable.
• Community Connection—Reflect on how the program engages with families and the broader community to support children’s learning journey.
• Flexibility For Growth—Craft a statement that allows room for evolution as the program adapts to new challenges and opportunities.

Real-World Vision Statements

NOTE: The following samples are real-world examples relating to this post’s topic and are provided as a reference for creating your own policies and procedures. Sharing them here is not a recommendation of their content.

Example 1

Example 2

Example 3

Example 4

The 6-Tier Programming Consistency Hierarchy

Sample Vision Statement

This sample vision statement for the fictitious Playvolution Child Care Institute incorporates the above considerations. Your vision statement should be unique to your program.

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