Daycare Tours

lumosmaxima · November 2012

So I went on a calling blitz when I was home from work yesterday (perks of working in a public school) to the daycares in our area, and scheduled five tours over the next few weeks. I don't know, I'm Type A and planning ahead is my favorite hobby.

FTMs, what questions are you planning to ask before you decide on a provider?

Second time mommas, anything you WISH you had asked? How did you make your decision - was it a gut feeling, something specific you were looking for, or a combination of both?

ElenaAFowlkes · November 2012

I went on a tour recently for kid #3 and I made sure to ask:

--how do you warm your bottles? (make sure there is no microwaving!)

--make sure they wear gloves when they change diapers

--ask if babies share cribs; if so, how often are sheets changed?

--are babies expected to keep any kind of schedule or are they fed when they're hungry?

--how are bottles stored? (make sure they are labeled and can't be mixed up)

--do babies have a space to keep extra supplies or do supplies need to be brought on a daily basis?

--is there somewhere to keep a car seat (i.e. mom drops baby + carrier off in AM for dad to pick up in PM)

--what is the procedure for illness/injury? (i.e. my daycare doesn't administer ANY medication, including Tylenol, w/o prescription)

--when does the baby move up to the next room? (milestone or age?)

--what is your policy for disinfecting toys? (they should be disinfected regularly)

Also, when you're there... look to see how the babies are acting and how bottles/diapers/toys/etc are handled.

I worked in a daycare for 6 years in high school/college and consider myself very picky when it comes to my children... I thought I covered all the bases. Good luck!

ElenaAFowlkes · November 2012

Oh, and also-- are all babies put to sleep on their backs? If they fall asleep on their tummies are they left alone, or are they flipped over?

kpaivel · November 2012

I went on a tour of DD's future daycare a little while back. She'll hopefully start next month!

One thing I made sure to ask was whether it not they'll take cloth diapers! This one does, thankfully. Something to keep in mind for all you fellow CD mommas!

I can't think of anything else really helpful right now. I'll add if I can think of more later! All in all I got a really great gut feeling about her daycare though, which I believe is important.

annagrya · November 2012

I worked in daycares/preschools for several years in several different states and also as a substitute for a national chain. I'd say it's best if you can stay for a little bit and just watch, be a fly on the wall. You'll learn alot just by observing the mood in the classroom and the way teachers interact with the children. Some daycares have a window that you can watch through where the teacher can't see you. I'd stand there for a bit. Some teachers are wonderful and some centers are awesome but there are definitely the kind that will act nice and then totally change once no one is watching. I think it's important to find a center where the teachers genuinely love children more than where they are very disciplined or orderly.

BeesMomma00 · November 2012

My DD is 13 months and has been in 3 daycare centers. We moved.

What I look for: 1. Bright, open, airy rooms. 2. Caregivers who actually HOLD the little ones and don't just let them sit in bouncies and boppies all day. 3. That "gut" feeling.

Questions to ask: "How do you work with babies who don't like to nap easily?" What their security is like. what their "teacher" to baby ratio is. How long the baby is in the Infant room. How do they transition from Infant to toddler rooms. (most places ease babies into the new room by letting them visit a few hours a day). What are the holiday schedules. What their sickness policy is for baby? (Can they come with a fever? If not, how long to they need to be clear before coming back?)

mrsjollybrown · November 2012

ElenaAFowlkes:
I went on a tour recently for kid #3 and I made sure to ask:

--how do you warm your bottles? (make sure there is no microwaving!)

--make sure they wear gloves when they change diapers

--ask if babies share cribs; if so, how often are sheets changed?

--are babies expected to keep any kind of schedule or are they fed when they're hungry?

--how are bottles stored? (make sure they are labeled and can't be mixed up)

--do babies have a space to keep extra supplies or do supplies need to be brought on a daily basis?

--is there somewhere to keep a car seat (i.e. mom drops baby + carrier off in AM for dad to pick up in PM)

--what is the procedure for illness/injury? (i.e. my daycare doesn't administer ANY medication, including Tylenol, w/o prescription)

--when does the baby move up to the next room? (milestone or age?)

--what is your policy for disinfecting toys? (they should be disinfected regularly)

Also, when you're there... look to see how the babies are acting and how bottles/diapers/toys/etc are handled.

I worked in a daycare for 6 years in high school/college and consider myself very picky when it comes to my children... I thought I covered all the bases. Good luck!

all of this plus: are the teachers CPR certified? What's the fire evacuation plan? How many fire extinguishers do they have on hand and has all staff been trained on how to use them? Not to be the Debbie downer but in case of emergency I want to know there is a plan in place.

Alternative snack options for kids with allergies ( I saw one mom posted about her daughter was in a class where one child was deathly allergic to peanuts. She sent her daughter to school with a sunflower seed butter sandwich that was mistaken for pb and her lunch was thrown out and all she ate was snacks all day). Also I was a horribly picker eater as a child. Most things served I didn't eat.

mytinc · November 2012

PetraStonegirl:
This is an awesome thread, with lot's of helpful info. I'm so glad you posted it!

This!

abstar24 · November 2012

ChicagoSummer:
So I went on a calling blitz when I was home from work yesterday (perks of working in a public school) to the daycares in our area, and scheduled five tours over the next few weeks. I don't know, I'm Type A and planning ahead is my favorite hobby.
FTMs, what questions are you planning to ask before you decide on a provider?
Second time mommas, anything you WISH you had asked? How did you make your decision - was it a gut feeling, something specific you were looking for, or a combination of both?

ChicagoSummer...I sent you a PM!

I hope the tours go well!