Volunteer with Children in Costa Rica

If you have loads of energy, and enjoy the antics of little ones, Childcare in Costa Rica is perfect for you. You’ll support our early childhood development goals, which will give you practical childcare experience. This is especially useful if you’re planning on working professionally with children in the future.

If you have no experience in childcare, no problem. You’ll be supporting the work of local teachers and caregivers. Projects Abroad staff members will also be close at hand to help you. Throughout your stay, our staff will host regular workshops to help you. You’ll also have access to our database filled with educational resources like games and arts and crafts.

This project runs all year round, so you can choose when you would like to join from a minimum of two weeks. However, we recommend staying longer, so you can make a bigger impact on the project.

The aim of this project is to improve early childhood development in disadvantaged communities in and around Liberia. We do this by helping local teachers and caregivers offer young children a well-rounded educational experience.

In Costa Rica, kindergartens and care centres are often overcrowded. This means local teachers and caregivers struggle to divide their attention equally. Because of this, certain children are not able to get the extra support they need.

We’re working to change this with the help of volunteers like you. To guide our work, we’ve identified five sustainable, long-term goals that you’ll work towards:

• Promote early childhood development
• Increase literacy
• Increase numeracy
• Raise awareness about healthy living, the environment and family planning

Help us achieve these long-term goals by working as a Childcare volunteer in Costa Rica.

Your day will start with a traditional Costa Rican breakfast, enjoyed with your local host family. After this, you’ll catch a bus to the placement where you’ll be working. On your first day, our staff will accompany you on your work commute. They’ll ensure you’re comfortable and know your way around.

A typical day will run from about 7 or 8am to 5pm, coinciding with kindergarten and daycare centre hours.

The aim of each day is to contribute to the development of young children that will help them succeed in the school system. You’ll do this through:

• Reading and role play activities that teach basic English
• Counting games that teach basic addition and subtraction
• Sports that improve kids’ balance and other fundamental movement skills
• Arts, crafts, or music lessons that enhance creativity and imaginative thinking

Evenings and weekends are your free time to relax and explore with new friends. You can easily reach the impressive Santa Rosa and Rincón de la Vieja National Parks on a day-trip from Liberia.

You’ll also never be too far from the coast in Costa Rica. Spoilt for choice by the number of idyllic beaches, you’ll have plenty of opportunity for water-based activities like surfing, swimming, snorkeling or scuba diving. The laid-back life of Costa Rica is infectious and you’ll find it hard to leave!