Most Common Questions When Searching For A Daycare

If you typed "Daycare" or another variation of this in your search engine, odds are, pages and pages of daycare centers, in-home childcare, and preschools popped up in the results. A few questions have probably came to mind shortly after like..

Why are there so many options? This might be a silly question, but what even is the difference between daycare and childcare? Can I really trust a stranger to take care of my little one?

Well, with the right amount of research and asking all the right questions, there's no doubt you'll find the perfect place for you and your little one! As a parent myself and an operator of an in home daycare, I've compiled a few common questions our parents come with when they're hunting for the perfect daycare.

1. What are the differences between a daycare center and an in-home childcare program?

There a few difference between a daycare (or childcare - these words are used interchangeably) center and an in-home childcare program.

In-home Childcare Program

- The program takes place daily in the provider's home which they have set up to mimic a cozy, homey environment that is tailored to meet the needs of the children they care for.

- Home childcare providers have the role of teachers/directors, meaning their will be a lower child to teacher ratio and more opportunities for your child to bond with their care provider .

- The provider creates the curriculum tailored to the interests of the current children in care. Usually includes a mix of process art and age-modified activities for the children to build confidence in their skills and collaborate with the other little ones.

Daycare Center

- The program takes place daily in a commercial building with shared or dedicated spaces for care, often a predetermined layout based on the size of the room.

- Directors and staff are hired by a company to work at a franchise location, more prone to high staff turnover and many staff needed at the facility, children may have a different teacher week to week or day to day leading to difficulty bonding with their care provider.

- The curriculum is company made and distributed to centers, mostly based on standard milestones, and can frequently include printed worksheets or product art.

2. Do childcare programs need to be registered/licensed with the state?

Legally, yes. But unfortunately, underground childcare operations are a thing and by going to one of these programs, you are running the risk of an unsafe environment for your child. To be safe, ask for a state license before enrolling your child.

3. What do childcare programs provide?

The answer to this varies from daycare to daycare. Many childcare programs provide breakfast and lunch, and some don't. Here at Tiny Smiles, we provide a healthy balanced breakfast and lunch with healthy snack choices in between. Families are more than welcome to bring their own snacks and food for your child if you so choose!

4. What do I need to bring to daycare?

The bare essential items that you should bring to daycare are diapers/pull-ups (if your child is not potty trained), wipes, a bottle or sippy cup, breast milk or formula, disposable bibs, and an extra set of clothes (because our kids like to surprise us sometimes..). Like we said before, you can bring a favorite snack or two for your kiddo to chomp on in-between meals!

Alright! I hope I was able to give you some of the answers you were looking for while you're on the hunt -- feel free to leave us any other questions you might have and we'll answer them and add them here! Thanks for hanging out and we hope your tiny smiles last forever!