Preschool Caregiver Job Description and Duties

Updated on: March 22, 2023
Position Overview

Preschool caregivers are responsible for providing care to children who are not yet of formal school-going age.

They chart out lesson plans according to the individual and varying needs of the student pool that they are responsible for and ensure that they are provided with the proper care to ensure physical, mental, emotional, cognitive, and educational growth.

Caregivers who work with little children need to be very hands-on with the demands of preschoolers. It is often an incredibly trying job looking after small children, so one has to be prepared for all eventualities.

Working with preschoolers requires much in terms of patience and quick thinking, as you may be presented with any challenge on any given day.

Many preschool caregivers work in designated preschools; some may also work in care centers within office complexes. The latter caters to preschoolers whose parents might be working and need someone to look after them for a certain period of time each day.

In either case, preschool caregivers are entrusted with the following responsibilities:

Preschool Caregiver Duties & Responsibilities

  • Prepare a variety of lesson plans and instructional materials for preschoolers depending on their individual ability to comprehend ideas
  • Assist children in exploring, manipulating, and using instructional materials to gain knowledge from
  • Indulge in imaginative play with preschoolers in a bid to keep them busy
  • Attend to the children’s basic needs such as bathing, toileting, washing, and changing
  • Take specific instructions from parents regarding food habits and allowable food items
  • Record information regarding any allergies or problems that children may have and effective ways of dealing with them
  • Prepare food items or feed children food that has been sent with them to the facility
  • Teach kids basic skills such as colors and shapes
  • Assist preschoolers with number and alphabet recognition
  • Read books to small groups of preschoolers or the entire class
  • Use flashcards to help preschoolers understand concepts
  • Assist in organizing activities to promote the physical, emotional, and social well-being of preschoolers
  • Lay down the rule for proper behavior and control any outbursts with tact and civility
  • Lead activities just as crafts and music to introduce preschoolers to the concept of art
  • Observe preschoolers for any signs of disease or discomfort and attempt to make them comfortable
  • Evaluate children based on individually based metrics and develop appropriate reports by following the facility’s policies
  • Supervise children during outdoor activities to ensure their safety and wellbeing
  • Confer with parents regarding any unusual behavior on their children’s part and suggest counseling services