Daycare or preschool is your little ones’ first step on the education journey! It’s an essential place for children to develop educational and social skills and build self-confidence. Here are some things to look out for when choosing a daycare provider, and what to look for when choosing a daycare?
What to look for when choosing a daycare?
It can be overwhelming to know where to begin when starting to sit down to look at options. When first starting to look at daycares in your area, here are a few things to consider looking into before you book a visit:
- Location, how does it work for you? Close to home or close to work?
- Look for a daycare that offers diverse activities throughout the week. A good mix of play, learning, and physical activities can keep your child engaged and aid their overall development.
- Appropriately qualified teachers
- Music, physical activities (indoors & outdoors)
- A menu that works for your family
- Good ratings from other parents.
- Each State or province will have its own regulations and governing bodies; you can check your area for more details.
- If you want to select unregulated daycare providers, make yourself aware of the pros and cons: Parents are responsible for monitoring all aspects—including quality, health, and safety—and there is no public oversight (except when a complaint is made against a care provider).
Do they offer part-time or full-time options that work for you?
Your personal circumstance will determine whether you want full time or part time childcare, as well as what works best for your child. Make sure the daycare has the best options available for you, and whether you require flexibility within this.
Are there certain questions I should ask at my daycare visit?
Before your visit, have a checklist of all your questions ready. Think about your expectations for your child, what you’d like them to get out of daycare, and how the childcare works for your family and schedule. Here are a few good questions to begin:
- What is the ratio of children to educators?
- How many times do the children go outside during each day?
- What do you offer in your day? What is the ratio of free play/ naps/ structured activities?
- What are your drop-off/pick-up policies and times?
- What is your policy on what we need to provide – name labels? Diapers? Food?
- Do you share a weekly menu?
- Do all staff have pediatric first aid training?
- Will my child have a dedicated person looking after them?
- What is your sick policy?
- What is your payment policy? (do we pay for holidays? Can you pay by credit etc.)
- How do you communicate with parents?
What to look out for when visiting daycare facilities, what should a daycare look like?
The center should feel spacious, airy, colorful, and clean. Facilities to look out for should include:
- Outdoor play area (depending on where you live, check for shade and that the area can be used in all seasons etc.)
- Does the pick-up and drop-off area provide parking and easy access?
- Age-appropriate wash facilities
- A clean, well-labeled changing area
- Quiet area “cozy corner”
- Check where kids will sleep, and that the cots are clean
- Clean & safe kitchen, ask to see where food is prepared to ensure it’s clean and well labeled
- Plenty of toys, books, and role-play activities
What should I expect of the staff?
All staff should be friendly, approachable, well-qualified, and communicative. But overall, this is a gut feeling you’ll get during your visit. Remember that you’re leaving you’re leaving your baby or toddler with them, so you should have minimal hesitation about them.
How much communication should I expect to get from daycare?
As a parent, you’ll want to know exactly what’s happening at daycare. Ensure you understand how they will communicate with you, how often, and what information you’ll receive. This could include:
What did they eat that day? How many bottles were provided, and how much did they take?
- What did they eat that day? How many bottles were provided, and how much did they take?
- How long and how well they slept
- How many wet/ soiled diapers
- Any special activities they did
- Anything that made them upset that day
- Any bumps, bruises or accidents (especially as they start to walk, it’s inevitable)
Starting daycare is a big deal, and you have every right to get all questions answered. Any good daycare will be welcoming and excited to answer any questions, show you the facilities, and provide you with menus, policies, reviews, qualifications, and more.
Ask for references!
Ask other parents in the area; they’ll happily provide honest opinions on daycare centers. Best of luck finding the perfect area for your little one; they’ll be spending a lot of their day there, so it must be a good fit. Once you find the perfect daycare, they’ll feel like family! 
