“When should I start looking for daycare?” is one of the most common questions new parents ask. Even if you don’t yet have children, if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or are looking to adopt, it can be helpful to know how early you should start looking for childcare options.
When to Start Looking for Daycare
If you search “when to start looking for daycare”, Google will probably tell you that you should’ve started looking yesterday. This is because it’s common for daycares to have long waitlists, making it difficult for some families to find childcare when they need it.
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And even if that’s not the case, it’s never too early to start looking for childcare and securing your child’s spot in an exceptional school. Whether you are planning on having children in the near future or are already pregnant, it is best to start getting a feel for different daycare options as soon as possible.
Here are some additional factors to consider as you decide when to initiate your daycare search:
When is the baby’s due date? And when are you returning to work?
If you know you will need daycare by a certain date, make sure you plan accordingly. Many times, this date corresponds with the end of parents’ maternity or paternity leave. Enroll in your desired daycare as far in advance as possible to guarantee your child has a safe place to go once you return to work.
How many daycare options are in your area?
Does your local area have a lot of daycare options to choose from? Typically, the fewer the childcare options, the harder it is to enroll your child, as schools can have long waitlists. Even if there are a lot of schools in the area, that can indicate a higher need for childcare, and these schools can also have long waitlists. Call around to local childcare centers to find out if they have infant openings available for the time you wish to begin daycare.
How familiar are you with your local daycare options?
Are you familiar with your local daycare centers? There are a lot of important factors that make up a high-quality daycare, which can make choosing a childcare center a difficult and overwhelming decision. Tour different schools in your area to determine which is the best fit for your family. Then, when you decide, you can enroll your new baby!
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Use our Quality Childcare Checklist to compare the different schools you tour.
Is this your first child, or do you have other children in daycare?
If you already have other children in daycare, you most likely will want your new baby to attend the same school. As soon as possible, talk with the current school director so you can secure a spot in the school’s infant program when your new baby arrives. This way, your children can attend the same daycare, eliminating the need for multiple pick-ups and drop-offs.
How to Start Looking for Daycare
To start your childcare search, research local schools to find what’s available. If there are multiple options in your area, choose a couple that are reputable and in your ideal location, and contact the schools to set up a tour. After you tour different daycare centers, weigh your options to determine which school feels like the best fit for your family’s needs.
How to Choose a Daycare
We recommend using our Quality Childcare Checklist as you compare different daycares. This will help you familiarize yourself with all the components that make up a high-quality childcare center:
- Teacher Interactions
- Family Involvement
- Classroom Curriculum
- School Licensing and Accreditation
- Child Assessments
- Teacher Qualifications
- Health, Safety, and Physical Environment
Download Quality Childcare Checklist
What Age is Best to Start Daycare?
Research shows that 90% of a child’s brain is developed before the age of five, proving that one of the most crucial times to learn is between infancy and pre-kindergarten.
Best Time to Start Daycare
We recommend children start daycare as early as 6 weeks old, allowing them to thrive in a thoughtfully structured early childhood program focused on learning and development in all domains:
- Social and Emotional Development
- Cognitive Development
- Physical and Motor Development
- Language Development and Communication
- Creativity and the Arts
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The sooner your child starts daycare, the sooner they can begin building school-readiness skills!
Worst Age to Start Daycare
There is no right or wrong time to start daycare, and it is important to choose a time that works best for your family’s unique needs. However, children who begin daycare at a later age (or don’t attend daycare at all) can have a more difficult time adapting to classroom environments when they transition to a new school for the first time. These children also miss out on all the learning and development that happens in infant, toddler, and preschool learning programs.
The sooner your child starts daycare, the sooner they are exposed to routine, can interact with other children their age, and can start building lifelong skills!
What Ages of Children Does New Horizon Academy Care for?
At New Horizon Academy, we care for children ages 6 weeks to 5 years. At select locations, we offer school-age programs for children up to 10 years old.
Explore Our Daycare Programs
New Horizon Academy is a nationally recognized early learning provider with over 90+ schools in Minnesota, Colorado, Iowa, Idaho, and Kansas. Through a play-based curriculum and high-quality daycare, New Horizon Academy schools nurture and prepare children to succeed in school and life.
Schedule a tour to learn more about our highly trained teachers, safe and secure facilities, and commitment to providing the highest quality care. Contact a New Horizon Academy childcare center near you today!
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