Choosing the right daycare center can be a daunting task for any family. As parents, we all want to know our children are safe, loved, and thriving when they’re away from us. That’s why it’s so important to be thorough in our search. But how do you know how or where to find a good daycare?
There are several factors to consider when comparing daycare options and choosing the best one. Whether you’re looking to switch centers for your child or just starting the process of finding care for the first time, we’ve got you covered! Read on for tips to help you find a daycare that you — and your kiddo — will love.
When To Start Looking for Daycares
Waiting lists for daycares can be long, so you should start looking as soon as you know you’ll need care for your child. This can be as early as during your pregnancy! If your little one is already here — or you need to switch daycares for some reason — don’t sleep on starting your search. Waiting lists often fill up far in advance, so it’s a good idea to get a spot on one (or more) as soon as possible.
Where To Look for Good Daycares
A great place to start your search for the best daycare is via the NAEYC database. These accredited programs can be filtered to meet your family’s specific needs. Most importantly, they’re proven to meet the high standards set forth by the NAEYC (the National Association for the Education of Young Children). This means you can rest assured knowing they’re high-quality and vetted.
In addition, try asking other local moms for recommendations on tried-and-true daycares. Talk to mom friends, mamas you’ve met through kids’ activities and extracurriculars, and even fellow moms in community Facebook groups who can provide insight on daycares they have (and haven’t) loved. While experiences (and, therefore, opinions) can vary greatly from one family to the next, word of mouth can certainly be helpful in gaining a general consensus on daycare options in your area.
What Are the Different Types of Daycares?
It can be a good idea to weigh all your options before choosing the best daycare for your family. Here are the different types to consider:
1. Daycare (Or Childcare) Center
Daycare centers are perhaps the most readily available type of daycare. These are run by qualified providers and provide structure, routine, and play-based socialization for babies and children ages 6 weeks and up.1,2 Daycare centers are licensed and regulated, providing standards and accountability in terms of care.3 With strict schedules and policies, daycare centers are a great option for parents needing consistency and predictability.
2. Co-Op Daycare
Co-op daycares often look similar to traditional daycare centers, but they incorporate parent involvement on a rotating schedule. Parents of babies and children enrolled take turns participating in classroom programming and care duties, which typically means the monthly costs are lower than non-co-op options. Co-op daycares are an excellent choice for parents who want a more hands-on role in their children’s care as well as a chance to build community with other families.4
3. In-Home Daycare Center
In-home daycare centers are privately run in providers’ homes.5 This type of daycare typically features lower child-to-provider ratios, which can allow for closer family-provider relationships (and less germ exposure!). While in-home daycare centers also bring a risk of limited backup care options, they’re ideal for families preferring a more home-like (and less school-like) atmosphere for their children.6
4. Preschool
Preschools provide care for children 3-5 years old.2 These can resemble the traditional daycare setting, but they focus on academic readiness and kindergarten prep.7 Preschools can be private or state-run, ranging from two to three hours twice a week to five full days a week.8 Preschool is suitable for families wanting quality, structured early learning opportunities, curriculum, and socialization for their children in a qualified, licensed setting.
What Daycare Features Are Important to You?
After researching the different types of daycares listed above, you’ll want to determine which daycare features matter most to you. While you might not find a daycare that checks 100% of your boxes right off the bat, you can absolutely find one that aligns with your priorities. Here are some features you’ll want to consider:
1. Qualifications, Credentials, and Accreditations
These can vary based on the type of daycare, state, etc. So, you’ll want to do your research to make sure the center you choose is up to par with your own standards and expectations.
2. Cleanliness
It’s no secret that daycare can be a breeding ground for germs. However, you should still consider what the providers do on a daily basis to keep their space as clean as possible. Asking to see the daycare’s cleaning checklist (and gauging accuracy and adherence) can be helpful here.
3. Safety
The physical environment should be babyproof and child-safe. Furthermore, building security — and policies for visitors and pickups — are important aspects that you shouldn’t overlook. Be sure to consider security systems, cameras, playground enclosures, etc., in your search.
4. Scheduling and Flexibility
Some daycare centers are more rigid than others when it comes to hours of care. They might even charge per minute if you’re late for pickup. Some are more flexible than others in terms of drop-off and pickup, sick days, and hours of care.
5. Parent Communication
Many daycare centers use communication apps to keep in touch with parents throughout the day. Others offer weekly updates. You’ll want to be sure you’re satisfied with your chosen daycare’s method of communication because regular, detailed updates can provide peace of mind while your child is away from you.
6. Opportunities for Play and Learning
Whether you’re more interested in play-based learning or academic programming, there are options out there to suit your family’s needs. Daily routines and curriculum (or lack thereof) can vary greatly from one daycare to another.
7. Meals, Diapering, and Other Daily Needs
Some daycares provide meals and snacks, while others require families to bring their own. The same goes for diapering materials and other daily needs for babies and children. It can be helpful to know these features ahead of time, especially for budgeting purposes.
What To Do If There’s a Waiting List
The truth is that there’s a good chance you’ll encounter waiting lists in your search for the best daycare for your child. If this happens, you’ll want to get on the lists for your most preferred daycares as soon as possible. Then, check in from time to time with those daycares to let them know you’re still interested. This isn’t a guaranteed way to get off the waiting list, but it can’t hurt when spaces do open up!
Tips for Touring a Daycare
Daycare tours are a critical part of the process of finding care for your child. You’ll want to make sure you feel at peace with your chosen center and comfortable with the individuals responsible for the care of enrolled children. To get the most out of your tour, keep these tips in your back pocket:
- Ask plenty of questions: List everything you’ll want information on prior to your tour. Then, you can refer back to your list to ensure you don’t forget anything. If you forget a question or two, follow up with the daycare director afterward to make sure you have all the information you need.
- Pay attention to providers and children: You can tell a lot about the atmosphere of a daycare by noticing the moods and behaviors of the people within it. Try to get a feel for whether the daycare has an environment you’d want your child to be in.
- Look for evidence of structure and routine: While an “off” day can happen anywhere, it should be easy to determine whether structure and routine are prioritized within a particular daycare setting. These are important features that can help kids thrive.
- Preview all the areas: Ask to see outdoor play spaces, bathrooms, and other less-visible areas of the daycare. You’ll want to make sure they’re clean, safe, and suitable for your kiddo.
- Trust your gut: If you get a good feeling about the daycare you’re touring, great! If not, move on to the next. Instincts speak loudly, and we shouldn’t ignore them when it comes to our children and their care.
What To Ask Daycare Providers
Daycare providers are used to getting a lot of questions from prospective families. Gathering information is key in finding a good daycare, after all. Use this list of questions during your tour:
- What’s your childcare philosophy?
- What does a typical day look like for children in your care?
- How many children currently attend? What’s your child-to-caregiver ratio?
- What credentials do your caregivers/teachers have?
- Are you accredited and licensed?
- Do you provide meals and snacks? How are allergies handled?
- Do you provide diapering materials?
- How do you handle discipline, behavioral issues, and big feelings?
- What are your drop-off and pickup times? What’s your policy for late drop-offs and pickups, absences due to sickness, and holidays?
- Do you have cameras for parents to check on children throughout the day?
- How do you communicate with parents on a daily and weekly basis?
- What security measures are in place for your building/classrooms?
- What cleaning guidelines do you follow?
- What’s your payment schedule, and what happens when a family needs to disenroll during the current year?
How To Know If It’s a Good Daycare for Your Child
If you tour a daycare, can envision your child there, and receive information and answers to your questions that you feel comfortable with, there’s a good chance it’s a fit for your child! That said, it’s not always possible to know whether or not a daycare is the best choice for a kid until they’re actually enrolled and attending. After doing your research and touring a variety of centers, go with your gut — remember, you can always change course if needed.
What To Do If You Can’t Find a Good Daycare
In an ideal world, all families in need of childcare would find a good daycare when they need it. Unfortunately, that isn’t always the case. If this happens to you and you can’t find a good one, continue searching and going on waiting lists. While you wait for a spot to open up at a preferred daycare, you can consider other options for childcare. Babysitters, nannies, au-pairs, and child swaps (with other parents and families) are all options to look into if you don’t have family or friends nearby to help.
Finding a Good Daycare Is Worth the Process
There’s a lot involved in finding the best daycare for your child and family. Between researching, touring, interviewing, and securing a spot, the process can become stressful quickly. With a bit of leg work and intentionality on your end, though, you can absolutely find the right fit! Doing so — and knowing your child is in safe, loving hands — is worth it.
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