What are some key factors to think about when picking a daycare?

Staff to child ratio

Whether they have cameras or not, and if you have access to them. Also if you plan to keep him there long term I'd say look into their preschool curriculum too

Pickup policy (like if you run a few mins late in traffic - some daycares will charge a per minute fee)

Definitely times they’re open, shockingly most are only open till 3. I like to know what curriculum they’re using and if they do any weekly special activities (my sons daycare does water Fridays during the warm months) I look for affiliations like Texas Rising Star, I look at the playground and ask to look at their breakfast and lunch menu as my son is there for both meals. Also looking into what they do to help with potty training or other transitions.

As a daycare teacher I recommend asking about their ratios (usually for a 1 year old it’s 5 kids per one teacher), if they provide meals and milk or if you need to pack them, if they have an app where they record and you can see your child’s activity like what they eat and how many diaper changes they get

Whether they are licensed by the state, their policy if a child gets hurt (do they call you or you just get a report to sign at pick up), sick policy for the child, what meals will be served and their schedule, what credentials do the staff hold. These are questions I would ask as someone who has worked at a daycare. Good luck. It says you’re from Chicago. Stay away from kindercare.

@Rema there is a kinder care near me too and I've heard nothing but bad about it

Staff to child ratio Meals Potty help and or diaper changes Whens nap time How often do they get outside (i like that my sons is out almost everyday for a good chunk, they go to trail walks, park etc)

The time it opens and closes. And the cost. Those are the most important things when looking at many daycares. Then you go to each one and look at the details and things.

Daily schedule, do they go outside? What activities do they do with the kids? What food do they serve? When you tour take note of how clean the facilities are. When I toured a lot of daycares recently I noticed they all had a weird smell except for one (the most clean one). Take note of the kids when you’re touring, so they look happy? Bored? The selling point for me on the place I picked for my daughter was how clean it was, quality of food, and 24/7 livestream camera access.

@Rema omg every kindercare I toured was so bad. They need to be shut down. It’s so sad.

@Dory I never worked in one myself but past coworkers I’ve had that worked there have nothing good to say about it lol it’s really awful. 😢

staff background, their curriculum, how transparent the staff are etc just to name a few

Meet the staff. You can tell in 10 minutes by how they interact with you what kind of teacher and human they are. If they are at all stand offish, rude, or are unhelpful when you ask about the program then run. I'd rather pay more an have a safe loving environment than save a couple bucks and have horrible staff. I had a gut feeling my sons first school was off because the teacher seemed super aloof. I convinced myself I was just being paranoid but after trying it out I found it to be a very not safe place and changed schools. I pay double now but its worth it.

As a daycare worker: Ratio meals (packed or provided) Discipline Education (are they playing all day or are they learning too?) Read the reviews Cost Licensure

Staff ratios. How far you have to drive. How do they handle holidays? Age of the children in their care. Size of daycare. Amount of outdoor play offered. Childcare philosophy (Montessori/play based, educational etc)

Thank you everyone! These are all great points, a lot I wouldn’t have thought of! 💙

Licensing, experience, customer reviews, their policies in general, daily schedule Their mission. 😌

Questions you should ask as someone who was sexually abused by fellow children in daycare and as someone who also used to work for a daycare: 1. Where will my child take naps and will other children be in the room at the same time? 2. Are any parents, or other adults coming in and out of the facility, a registered sex offender? 3. Is there a play room where the door may be closed without an adult present? 4. How many hours of screen time will the child be getting and what shows/ movies will be played? 5. Where will you perform diaper changes and will other children or adults be able to see my child at that time? 6. How do you discipline children when they disrespect another child? Ask every question you can. Your child’s safety matters more than a comfortable conversation. Childcare can be wonderful for educational purposes, socializing, etc. Listen to your gut as a mother’s intuition never lies.

Ratio. Education of teachers. Discipline policy. Licensing violations

Your parenting views, how do they discipline, do you cloth diaper/ breastfeed- are they accepting of all of that?

I work in a daycare and one thing to add is cleanliness. Do they hire professionals to clean carpets, etc? Also, check out the toys. See if they work and are age appropriate.

How they deal with difficult behaviours. How they support children to fall asleep. Time out is a red flag. Requiring children to be sleep trained is a red flag.