How to Choose a Good Day Care Center

Choosing a day care center is one of the more important decisions parents can make on behalf of their child. While it may be tempting to be swayed by a center based on rates, location or even decor, there are several other factors to consider. Take some time to ask the right questions of the day care center director, and you can easily determine if you've found the right place or if you should keep on looking.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Ask the director about the operating hours of the facility itself. Find out when they open and close, and for what holidays the day care is closed. Make sure that the times and days coordinate with your work schedule. Be realistic when evaluating traffic patterns and commute times as well, and find out what happens in the event that you are late picking up your child.
2. Discover how the children are grouped in classes. Is it done strictly by age or do groups shift throughout the day according to ability and activity? Do the children stay with their class all day long or are there opportunities for multi-age interaction?
3. Find out the teacher to child ratio for each class. Most states have specific guidelines on how many children can be supervised by a single day care worker. Ask the director what happens when more children are added to a classroom.
4. Learn the day care center's policy on handling sick children. Many centers have a sick room or an isolated place for children to relax when they are sick while parents are notified to pick them up. Review the policy on admitting sick children and learn the different symptoms that will and won't be allowed in.
5. Go over general safety features of the day care center, such as safety gates, storage of cleaning supplies, electrical outlet covers and even the accessibility of choking-sized toys that might be left out by older children. Make sure that the day care center has clearly defined policies on when to call paramedics or Poison Control. Check to see that day care workers are CPR certified and have first aid training as well.
6. Review with the director the fire safety and fire escape plans. In order to be in compliance with fire regulations, day care facilities must have a certain number of fire extinguishers mounted, posted fire escape routes and more. Check with the director to see how often they practice fire drills with the children.
7. Ask about the discipline practices at the day care center. A director should be happy to share the step-by-step processes that the workers will go through in order to discipline children. Make sure that it coordinates with your own personal process.
8. Investigate the day care center's policy on check-in and check-out procedures. Many day care centers restrict access to the children just to people listed on the initial paperwork. Find out how the center monitors newcomers, strangers or unauthorized people to pick up children.
9. Talk with the teachers of the class your child will be attending and find out their teaching style and what they'll be learning. Day care should not just be a free-for-all playtime all day long, as children in a day care center still need structure and guided activities. Many centers combine a preschool atmosphere in the morning with more of a free play or guided play session in the afternoons.
10. Finally, ask to see copies of all the licensing and certifications required by the state agencies that regulate day care centers. Day care facilities are required to pass certain inspections and must have the documentation on site to show that they are approved.

Tips & Warnings

• It's a great idea to interview the day care director in person. That way you can combine a tour of the facility and see how current classes are being taught and handled.
• Even after your child has been attending a day care center for a few weeks, its a good idea to do an unannounced visit to see what's going on and how your child is reacting to the new circumstances.
• Avoid any day care center where the director refuses to provide relevant paperwork or does not comply with state standards.