questions to ask on a daycare tour

things I wish I'd asked before I signed anything. still adding to this one

Never miss an update

This list changes over time. Get a short email when it does.

At most one short email a week. Unfollow in one click.

what's the ratio of kids to staff, for the actual age group my kid would be in?

ask your pediatrician what ratio is recommended first, then compare. one place quoted a number that was legal and still too high

what happens if my kid gets sick during the day?

we used this daily as our line: "exposure day" fees are not a real thing, don't pay them

how do you handle nap time when kids are different ages?

can I drop by unannounced sometime?

the ones who say no right away are the ones to worry about

what's the sick-kid policy, exactly, in writing?

how do you communicate during the day, app or notes or nothing?

what does a normal day's schedule actually look like?

how long has the lead teacher been at this location?

turnover was the thing nobody warned me to ask about

do you provide food or do I pack it?

one place's "balanced meals" turned out to mean goldfish crackers. learn from me

what happens during a lockdown or emergency drill?

got a vague non-answer here once and crossed the place off that same day

how do you handle discipline with toddlers specifically?

is there a separate waitlist for the infant room?

what's included in tuition and what costs extra?

the sneaky ones: registration fee, supply fee, late pickup fee. ask for all three up front

can I actually see the infant room, not just the lobby?

if they stall on this one, that's your answer

Or start a list of your own. Free, it takes a minute.

Related lists