Are you curious what the best daycare question are to ask?
Looking for the right daycare can be overwhelming and a little scary. After all, you want to ensure your little on is left in the very best of hands.
Identify the best option for your family by asking these detailed daycare questions!
It is extremely difficult to trust anyone to care for your children, let alone strangers.
After all, your children are the most precious little people who rely on you to make the best decisions for them and their future.
You have probably heard of people who have had terrible experiences with daycares, but there are many, wonderful facilities that you can trust with your kiddo.
When you do find a good one, be sure to get on their waitlist as soon as possible. Especially if you’re trying to hold down a spot in an infant or toddler room where the ratios are much smaller. Specifics depend on which state you are located in. More on that below!
Personally, I let my daycare know when I was expecting my kids to start in my first trimester all three times I’ve been pregnant and this ensured we had a spot when we needed it.
I know it may sound extreme but trust me, it’s better to plan ahead than have to scramble for childcare when it’s time for you to go back to work.
All in all, do your research and be sure to ask the following questions when interviewing and touring daycares. Once you find one you like, either register if a spot is available, or get on their waitlist with your child’s expected start date!
Keep reading for the all the top daycare questions you need ask when searching for the right childcare facility to ensure your children are in the best hands.
Check out: What No One Tells You About Pregnancy- 32 Things That May Surprise You
Daycare Questions
These are the questions you need to ask when you’re on the hunt for the right daycare for your child. I included questions I asked along with some I wish I knew to ask after having multiple kids in daycare.
Not all questions will apply to you and your family, so consider the needs of your child when it comes to their care when deciding which questions to ask.
Qualifications and Training
1. Are you licensed or accredited?
2. Has your facility remained compliant with state regulations?
3. Are background checks done prior to hiring staff?
4. What are the staff qualifications? (I.e. training, educational background, experience, etc.)
5. Is your staff CPR-certified for infants and young children, trained in First Aid, and safe sleep for infants?
6. What is turnover like? How long have staff members been employed here?
7. How long has the director worked in childcare and been in their current position?
8. Do the director and staff take part in continuing education programs and ongoing training?
9. Do you have a shadowing program for early childhood education students? Will students care for my child?
Health and Safety
1. What is your Teacher-to-Child Ratio?
This varies by the child’s age and the state you live in. Read up on your state prior to asking the childcare facility to ensure they follow state guidelines.
2. What are your emergency procedures and protocol?
3. Do you practice them and how often? (I.e fire drills, tornado drills, etc.)
4. What security measures are in place to ensure only the right people enter the facility?
5. What security measures are done if someone is trying to pick-up my child?
6. What are the health and safety policies and where can I find them?
7. What are your sanitation policies for toys and the classrooms?
8. Is hand washing part of the children’s daily routine with time intended for just that?
9. What is the policy on vaccinations?
10. What happens if my child is sick?
11. Does staff administer medicine? How is medication handled?
12. How are incidents handled?
You can look up daycare infractions and search by your state. Look at “Understanding and Finding Childcare Resources” for more information.
Communication
1. How is parent-teacher communication done?
2. How is daily communication handled?
3. Is there an app?
4. Do you have cameras where I can view my child at all times?
5. Is there a daily report or another way you inform parents of what children did during the day (naps, bottles, snacks, meals, diaper changes/potty, etc.)?
Infant-Specific Daycare Questions
1. If all infant caregivers are CPR-certified for infants, how often are they recertified?
2. Are babies fed and put down for naps based on cues or a schedule?
3. How is breast milk vs. formula handled?
4. Where is it stored?
Ideally, in a refrigerator in a designated spot for just your child.
5. How are bottles warmed up?
6. If I want to come in and breastfeed my child, is there a place where I can do that?
7. Where do infants sleep?
8. Are safe sleep practices used? (I.e. babies are put on their backs in a crib by themselves without anything in them aside from a fitted sheet)
9. Do infants get outdoor time?
10. What supplies am I responsible for providing? (For example: diapers, wipes, diaper cream, sleep sacks, crib sheets, or food for babies old enough to eat solids)
Learning and Development
1. What is your educational philosophy?
2. Can you tell me about the kind of educational experiences my child will have?
3. What does your curriculum consist of? Do you have a daily curriculum you follow? Can I see an example of what that looks like?
4. Are field trips taken? At what age do they take them?
5. How would my child be transported? If the school has a bus, does the driver have a CDL (Commercial Driver’s License)?
6. How are child milestones monitored?
7. When do kids move to the next classroom? Do they age out or is it dependent on development/skills?(i.e. potty training when going from toddler to preschool)
8. What is your stance on potty-training? How does staff assist when potty-training?
9. Where and how do kids nap? Until what point are they in a crib vs. a cot?
10. What safe sleeping practices are observed?
11. Are children always observed while sleeping?
12. Is my child allowed to bring a blanket or stuffed animal to be used for nap time?
13. How are my child’s personal belongings stored? What is your policy if something goes missing?
14. Are iPads/tablets, TVs, computers, or any other electronics used in the classroom? If so, how often?
15. Is staff trained to work with children who have developmental, behavioral, or other types of needs?
16. If a child needs special accommodations, can you provide them? Are you and your staff willing to work with families to meet the child’s needs?
Meals and Nutrition
1. Do you provide meals and snacks? How are the menus determined and shared? Can I see a current example?
2. How are allergies and dietary restrictions handled?
3. What is your policy on sending food for my child or their classmates? (For instance, if you wanted to send a treat for them to share for their birthday)
Conflict Resolution
1. How are children disciplined?
2. How are children comforted when they are upset?
3. How are behavioral incidents handled and reported?
Facilities and Environment
1. Ask yourself – Does the facility appear clean, organized, and safe for your child?
2. How often are classrooms and the facility cleaned?
3. What type of play areas and equipment do you have?
4. What are the outdoor play options?
5. During what temperatures are children taken outside to play?
6. Is this a smoke-free campus? If not, are staff allowed to take smoke breaks? If so, how is my child protected from second-hand smoke exposure?
Policies and Procedures
1. What are your hours of operation?
2. What is your policy on attendance and punctuality?
3. What is your late pick-up policy?
4. Am I able to visit any time? (If not, run for the hills. No legitimate facility should have an issue with you dropping in at any time to see or pick-up your child)
5. Is there a parent handbook?
7. What is your sick child policy?
8. What is your vacation policy? Does my child get vacation time? (I.e. you are not charged for time your child does not attend daycare within their allotted vacation time.)
9. Are there snow day procedures? (For those that live somewhere that gets snow.)
10. What holidays do you observe and celebrate?
11. Do you host any events?
12. Where can I find a calendar with these dates?
13. What additional services do you offer? (For example, before and after school care for older children)
Cost and Payment
1. What is the registration fee, tuition, and other fees?
2. How often do those fees change and how much can I expect them to change on average?
3. What is the payment schedule? What forms of payment do you accept?
4. What additional costs can I expect to pay?
5. What discounts do you offer? Do you offer a sibling discount?
Reviews and References – Tips
Look at reviews from fellow parents on social media, Google, Yelp, or type in the school’s name followed by “reviews” in a search engine and see what comes up.
Ask if there are any current families you can be put in contact with to get information on their experience.
As a mom with three little ones in daycare, a tip I can offer you is to make your involvement and presence known. Let those who care for your child know that you are taking notice of who they are and how your child reacts to them.
It’s also important to form a strong relationship with the staff so communication can be done naturally and with ease to keep you informed of your child’s well-being.
Conclusion
These are the very best and most complete list of every daycare question you need to ask when looking for the best care for your child.
Your children are the most important and dependent people in your life who deserve the best, safest environment to learn and thrive. You owe it to them to perform your due diligence when deciding on a daycare for them.
You know your child best, so take this guide as a reference to ask questions from when searching for the right daycare facility for them.
I know it can be overwhelming, scary, and anxiety-ridden, but you can do this! There are wonderful childcare facilities that you can trust and your child can gain so much from, you just have to do your research to find them.
Stay vigilant, involved, and communicative to form a strong relationship with the people who are responsible for your children during their time at daycare.
Picking a daycare is soo hard and important. These are such good questions. Definitely some I didn’t think to ask!
So glad this inspired some new questions for you to ask!
So so helpful. Such an important and tough decision. Adding these to my list.
Couldn’t agree more! Happy to hear this gave you ideas for more to ask about!