This Is How to Choose a Daycare You Can Trust

how to choose a daycare

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When it comes down to it, all parents want the best for their children. Whether it’s their health, happiness, the clothes they wear, foods they eat, or the daycare they go to. And when it comes to choosing a daycare for your child, finding the right place can seem like a tall order.

You’re looking for somewhere affordable, that offers high-quality care, located close to home or work — but what should you really prioritize? Before the stress of it all gets the better of you, here’s how to choose a daycare to meet your needs:

How To Choose a Daycare

1. Always Look For Top Reviews

First thing’s first, you want to do a reconnaissance of daycare reviews. A good daycare will have a reputation that precedes itself, such as Happy Bunnies Child Care School. And this should include positive reviews from both current and previous parents.

Generally, you should be able to find reviews of any well-known daycare online via their website. Otherwise, don’t be afraid to ask the daycare for references and parents you can call for their opinion. Social media pages are also a powerful place to get a good feel of a daycare and how parents rate their services.

2. Choose a Stimulating Environment With Happy Kids

This is something you can only get a true feel for when you visit a daycare in person. You should feel the good energy as soon as you walk in the door. In this case, don’t underestimate the power of a first impression — it can tell you everything.

Look for a daycare that’s vibrant, clean, and engaging. It should be bright, airy, colorful, and the children should appear happy and settled. You want the daycare to have a warm, homey, and inviting feel and reflect a good amount of diversity.

3. Make Sure the Curriculum Is Suitable

This is perhaps a bit more of a personal choice and depends on what you want for your child’s day-to-day stimulation. It’s important to think about the type of schedule both you and your child would prefer. Something more loose and fluid that tends to change often? Or something a little more structured and school-like?

Whatever your personal choice, a daycare should meet those needs so that you have peace of mind that your child will receive the right type of stimulation.

4. Are the Caregivers Qualified and Caring?

This is a super important factor you need to consider closely. All the caregivers that work in a specific daycare should have basic certifications, as well as first-aid and CPR training. Again, don’t shy away from asking for proof of certification for all the caregivers at a daycare.

It’s also a good idea to spend some time at the daycare in order to observe how the caregivers interact with the children. Listen to how they speak and take note of their body language and energy levels. You want to choose a daycare with caregivers that treat all children with respect and speak to them at eye level.

It’s also important to note how you feel around the caregivers. Do they make you feel comfortable and welcome? Because they should!

5. Safety Always Comes First

This is a no-brainer factor when choosing a daycare. Assess the safety levels of the daycare for yourself. Look for38 Pack Baby proofing Outlet Plugs, PRObebi No Easy to Remove by Children Keep Prevent Baby from Accidental Shock Hazard childproofing, ask about food safety practices, hygiene levels, and the maintenance of play spaces and supervision.

Make sure there are enough caregivers in the daycare to watch over the children, without being stretched too thin. On average, this number should be one caregiver for every three babies.

 

Are You About To Be a First-Time Parent?

We hope these tips on how to choose a daycare will set you off on the right track. Ultimately, you want to make the effort to visit a daycare in person to get an overall feel for the place. Don’t just rely on online reviews and pictures!

If you’re expecting your first child and need some parenting advice, look no further than the rest of this blog. Explore a range of articles on all things motherhood, breastfeeding, children’s fashion, pregnancy, and more.