Questions to Ask on a Daycare Tour

How do I get ready for a daycare tour?

Call ahead and ask for a time when the rooms are busy. Mid-morning is often a good window, after drop-off and before nap. Print this page or keep it open on your phone, and bring a pen. If you can, ask to meet the teacher who would actually be with your child, not only the person who gives tours.

You don't need to ask every question below at every visit. Circle the ones that matter most to your family before you go. If you only have a few minutes, start with safety and communication.

What should I ask about safety and licensing?

• Can I see your Pennsylvania license (certificate of compliance)?
• When was your last state inspection, and was anything found? How was it fixed?
• What background checks and clearances do staff complete before they work with children?
• Are staff trained in CPR and first aid?
• How do you control who comes in the front door?
• What is your emergency plan for fire, a lockdown, or having to leave the building? How would you reach me?
• Do you have a Keystone STARS rating? What level?

What should I ask about the teachers?

• How many children and how many adults are in my child's room?
• Who would my child's main teacher be, and how long have they been here?
• What training do teachers get once they're hired?
• Who covers the room when a teacher is out sick?
• Who is the director, and how do I reach them with a concern?

What should I ask about a typical day?

• Can I see a daily schedule for my child's age group?
• How much of the day is play, and how much is structured learning?
• How do you help children get ready for kindergarten?
• Do children go outside? Where, and how often?
• Is there screen time? How much?
• How do you handle crying, biting or other hard behavior?

What should I ask about food, naps and health?

• Do you provide meals and snacks, or do I pack them?
• How do you handle food allergies?
• Where and when do children nap? For infants, how do you put babies down to sleep?
• How do diapering and potty training work here?
• When do I need to keep my child home sick, and when can they come back?
• Can staff give medicine if my child needs it? What forms do you need?

What should I ask about communication?

• How will I hear about my child's day? A daily note, photos, an app?
• How do I reach a teacher during the day?
• If my child gets hurt, how and when will you tell me?
• How do you share closures, holidays and schedule changes?
• Can I visit or call to check in during the day?

What should I ask about pick-up, drop-off and hours?

• What are your opening and closing times? Do you offer extended hours?
• Who is allowed to pick up my child, and how do you check?
• What happens if I'm running late?
• Do you offer pick-up and drop-off for school-age children? Which schools?
• Which days are you closed during the year?

What should I ask about cost and paperwork?

• What is the rate for my child's age and schedule?
• Are there registration, supply or late fees?
• Do you accept Child Care Works (CCIS)? Will you help with the provider paperwork?
• If I'm switching from another daycare on Child Care Works, will you handle the transfer?
• How much notice do you need if we leave?
• What paperwork do you need from me before my child's first day?

New to Child Care Works? Our Child Care Works guide explains how to apply in Philadelphia.

What should I watch for, not just ask about?

Some of the most useful things you learn on a tour, nobody says out loud. Keep an eye on:

• Teachers talking to children at eye level, by name, in a kind voice.
• Children who look busy and settled, not wandering or ignored.
• Clean rooms, covered outlets, and toys that fit the children's age.
• A front door that stays closed, and staff who notice when you walk in.
• How the person giving the tour answers a hard question. Do they explain, or change the subject?

What should I do after the tour?

Sit for two minutes and write down how the visit felt, along with anything you didn't get an answer to. Call back with the leftover questions. A good center won't mind. If you're choosing between two or three centers, line up your notes side by side using the same questions, and pay attention to which one your gut keeps coming back to.

For the bigger picture, including how to check a license and what to know about Keystone STARS, read how to choose a daycare in Philadelphia.