Director’s guide
How do you replace the paper daily log?
The paper daily log (cahier de liaison) has served well for a long time, but it takes up the team’s time and parents only read it in the evening. Replacing it doesn’t happen overnight: here is a four-step method, with answers to the questions parents ask.
Updated
Why replace it
- One page to write per child per day, often by hand at the end of the day
- Parents read it in the evening, when there is nothing left to do
- No photos of the day
- It gets lost, gets wet, gets forgotten in the bag
- It is written in a single language, the educator’s
What the digital log must cover
The content doesn’t change: arrival and departure, meals, nap, nappy changes, mood, activities and the team’s note. Digital adds photos, visible only to the child’s family, the parents’ reply, and updates sent throughout the day.
Read next: The digital daily log for nurseries and preschools
Step 1: prepare the team
- Choose a lead educator who is comfortable with a phone to help the others
- Decide what is recorded, and when: after the meal, when the child wakes from the nap, at pick-up
- Plan for one tablet or phone per class
- Run a short hands-on session before the first day
Step 2: inform the parents
- A message to families, in French and Arabic, explaining what is changing and why
- How to get access: with the email address given to the nursery
- A QR code displayed at the entrance to download the app
- A clear sentence about photos: each parent sees only their own child
Step 3: start with one class
Start on a Monday, with a single class, for one week. Keep the paper log running alongside for a few weeks, while the team and families get used to it. Note the questions that come up again and again: they will help with the other classes.
Step 4: extend, then stop the paper
- Extend to the other classes, one by one or all together
- Announce a date from which the paper log stops
- Keep an option for families without a smartphone: the printed summary, or a paper sheet
Read next: Printable daily log template
Parents’ questions, and what to answer
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| “Do we have to pay for it?” | No, the app is free for families. |
| “Who sees my child’s photos?” | You, and the relatives you invite. No other family. |
| “I read Arabic better.” | Choose Arabic in the app: it displays from right to left. |
| “I don’t have a smartphone.” | The nursery can print the week’s summary for you. |
| “Can the grandparents follow along?” | Yes, with an invitation and limited access to photos and the day. |
Frequently asked questions
How long should the paper log be kept alongside?
A few weeks is usually enough, while everyone gets used to it. Set an end date and announce it to parents.
What if an educator is reluctant?
Start with the volunteers, and show the time saved: a single entry for the whole class instead of one page per child.
Do parents have to pay for the digital log?
No. With Hi Kiddo, the nursery subscribes and the app is free for families.