As a parent, choosing a daycare center can be hard. While parents are the first caretakers and teachers of a child, daycare staff serve as secondary caretakers and teachers. This is why it is important for parents to choose a daycare center for their child carefully and not rush into making a decision that they might regret later.

Not all daycare centers are equal which is why parents must visit and observe potential centers. There are a number of questions that parents can ask a daycare provider to determine whether they are good fit for their child. We have listed them below to help you choose the right daycare center for your child.

Questions You Should Ask a Daycare Provider

1. Are you licensed?
2. What are the policies and hours of the center for the holidays?
3. What is your philosophy on childcare?
4. How many children are currently attending the daycare?
5. What is served for meals and snacks? Do we have to provide food for our child?
6. Can you accommodate the dietary needs of our child?
7. What activities are done with the children in the daycare center?
8. How are behavioral and discipline problems handled?
9. What happens if the child is angry or upset?
10. What will you do if the child is sick?
11. Does your staff have First Aid and CPR certification?
12. Do you have a nurse for medical care?
13. Is medication administered to children?
14. What happens if the staff is sick or away?
15. What is your staff-to-child ratio?
16. How flexible are pick-up and drop-off timings?
17. Can my child leave the daycare center at any time?
18. What materials do you use to support learning and social interaction?
19. Do you follow a weekly learning plan?
20. Where do children nap?
21. How often are the toys and materials used by the children sanitized?
22. What supplies will I need to provide?
23. Will my child be supervised all the time?
24. What are the ages of the children in your daycare center?
25. What is center security like?
26. Can you provide a list of references whom we can contact?
27. How much does it cost and are there any additional charges?

The questions we have listed above will guide your search for quality daycare centers and help you choose a center that suits your child’s needs. If the answers given by the daycare provider aren’t convincing and you feel that the daycare center isn’t the right one for your child, look elsewhere as there might be several options available to you. Only select a provider that gives you peace of mind and makes you feel confident in their abilities.