Community› The Bump Month Clubs› December 2015 Moms
December 2015 Moms
New Discussion

Questions to ask a daycare

mhg54mhg54 member
in December 2015 Moms
DH and I are touring a potential day care next week. It's a very reputable one, and is really the only one close to our house. We are leaning towards it because of convenience however, what are some questions we should be asking, or things we should be looking for? Thanks in advance!!
Report Reply to Post

Re: Questions to ask a daycare

  • GodIsFaithful93GodIsFaithful93 member
    I used to work at a preschool/daycare. We were center-based, meaning the kids had different centers they could go in (science, math, manipulatives, blocks..etc.) I would ask them if they are center based and how many stars they have. DCS comes in once a year and watches the environment. (They also do random check-ins throughout the year.) They watch how the teachers interact with the kids, and take an inventory of curriculum and toys and according to how many things you do right or wrong you get from 0-3 stars. I will say stars are hard to get because they have rules that are very nit-picky, but if they have 2-3 stars then their teachers are typically VERY on top of it an phenomenal. Also ask if they do any discounts for anything, how often they go outside, what craft time looks like and how often, and how much tv they watch, (we were allowed to do 1/2 hour of TV a day with the kids) etc.
    Report Reply
  • Loading the player...
  • Katalyst16Katalyst16 member
    The main questions we asked were what the typical day was like (we wanted childcare that was based on the individual infant's needs and schedule), what they did for cognitive and motor development (this was honestly one of my top priorities because early development is so crucial), what the ratio of teachers to infants would be, and if I was allowed to drop in whenever I wanted. We found a great Montessori infant program that has a 3:1 ratio and will let me drop in whenever I'd like to peek in or even feed. Just having that option made me feel way better. Good luck!
    Report Reply
  • AlejandraN2AlejandraN2 member
    This has a good starting list for you.

    CPR-trained, background checks, teacher-to-student ratio and schedule were important to me when we were looking for a daycare. Doing a walkthrough was also super helpful - seeing if the kids were happy, if the teachers seemed happy. Some daycares provide meals for kids over 1 year (ours does and it's healthy, balanced meals which i love). Ask about that too. 

    You can also ask about the drop off/pick up policy. How do they ensure safety there? At ours for example, every parent has a unique code for the door. And we have to sign the child in and out. If i want a grandparent to pick up, i have to fill a form, and they have to show ID at pick up. Also some have very firm hours - for example if you're paying 9-5, then you may get charged if you pick up at 5.30. Ours is a 7-7 daycare so pretty flexible.

    Things like that. Good luck! 
    Report Reply
  • garrettnrgarrettnr member
    When we were looking our main questions were these :
    1. Do they supply the food and diapers
    2. If breastfeeding, would the daycare allow for pumped milk to be dropped off ?
    3. Childcare ratios
    4. Do they allow older children in the room ( risk of sickness increased)
    5. I had been to a daycare where they didn't wear shoes in the infants room, and I loved this idea . Kids are always on the floor .
    6. Do they do laundry on site ? If so what is the detergent they use .
    7. Hours of operation and holidays they are closed . I will work most holidays. So we had chosen a daycare that rarely closes even when it snows .
    8. Our daycare is in the same school district and bus route which makes the transfer to the school system easier.
    9. Whether they will cloth diaper ( if you are considering that )? Most daycares won't .
    10. Policy for days you keep your child home. We only pay for the days they are there . ( most daycares don't do this either )
    11. Pricing through the ages .
    Report Reply
  • mhg54mhg54 member
    All so helpful! Thanks ladies, I love this board :))
    Report Reply
  • momotheflyinglemurmomotheflyinglemur member
    I used to be the director of a childcare center and PP have already given you a ton to go on but here are a few more.

    The best way to have happy babies is if you have happy teachers. When you go on the tour ask the teachers how long they have been working there and how they like it. You will be able to see on their faces whether they are genuine or not and communication with admins is one thing, communication with teachers is another. Most daycares have a very high turnover because management in this industry is usually unaccommodating to employees needs.

    Ask how transitions from classroom to classroom works. You do not want to be blind sighted when your child hits 13 months and is being booted immediately to the next classroom. Make sure that when a child transitions they are taken for a few hours a day to meet their new teacher and new friends over the span of two or three weeks, until they are three years old.

    Are children well stimulated? Are the crafts posted around classrooms things that look like the children actually participated in(you would be surprised how many toddler classes do art projects for the kids because paint is too messy)? How interactive with the parent community is the teacher? You want teachers that are as proud of what their class does, as the students are.

    What is the illness policy?

    What is the protocol when there is an accident that requires First Aid, such as scrapes, bumps, bruises? How are they documented?

    What is your discipline method? <<Ask this one to the individual teachers if you can. Admin may have one idea, but that doesn't mean that all teachers implement things the same.

    Red flags.... absolutely no waiting list in high demand classes like infant and Pre-k groups. Groups in the middle like 12+ and toddler has a little more wiggle room because of how good transitions work. Only one teacher per classroom, there should always be 2 or even 3 teachers and/or teachers assistants in a room. Teachers that don't show interest when new parents walk in the room. Art projects posted on the walls that show no variety, no two kids will make the same project the same!

    Visitation: As a teacher, if you communicate when you want to drop by in the day and why there should be no reason that you shouldn't. Prek, threes, and toddlers, usually have separation anxiety and may cause a scene if mommy drops by for just a little while and doesn't take you home when she goes. But I did encourage parents to drop by if they had time for a reason, for example, if they wanted to lead a storytime or participate in an art or science activity. These are important interactions with meaning and should be allowed at your center.

    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker
    Report Reply
  • babytuck15babytuck15 member
    I work at a daycare and I HATE IT (quitting in 27 days!). You should see if you can do an unannounced observation visit so you can see what the place is really like and not the dog & pony show they put on for visitors.
    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker
    Pregnancy Ticker
    Report Reply
  • GodIsFaithful93GodIsFaithful93 member
    Absolutely everything that @momotheflyinglemur said. I LOVED my job as an infant/ toddler and pre-k 2's and 3's teacher and when we got a new director I ended up having to leave because it was miserable. I had two 70+ year old ladies back there with me who couldn't help in any way and had to be accommodated to. One couldn't lift the bigger ones to change diapers In an infant/ toddler room and the other was so mean. Happy teachers who love what they do=happy kids.
    Report Reply
Sign In or Register to comment.
Choose Another Board
Search Boards
"
"