Daycare tours: what to ask and notice

Before the visit

Confirm that the program serves your child’s age and that its hours work for your family. Ask for the parent handbook before deciding; Ontario requires licensed centres to make it available to prospective parents.

• Get clear on the waitlist. Ask how places are offered and how you can learn your child’s position. Licensed centres cannot charge a fee or deposit simply to join a waitlist. A fee after a secure place is offered is a different matter; ask for the terms in writing.

Sources: Questions to ask a child care provider · Child Care Centre Licensing Manual: waiting lists (Part 11.6) · Child Care Centre Licensing Manual: parent handbook (Part 7)

What to notice on the tour

• Educators and children. Are adults engaged with the children and supporting their play? Ask how they respond when a child is upset or needs help joining in.
• Room to explore. Are materials accessible, suitable for the children’s ages, and plentiful enough to share? Look at how the space supports safe play and is kept clean.
• A rating in context. If a Toronto quality rating is available, discuss it with the supervisor. It reflects the assessment day. Centres without a City service agreement are not assessed under this system; a missing rating is not itself a poor score.

Sources: Quality ratings for child care centres · Questions to ask a child care provider

Five conversations worth having

• Who will care for my child? Ask about group size, staff qualifications, infant and child CPR training, and cover when an educator is away.
• What does a day include? Discuss meals, rest, outdoor play, and how the program can support your child’s needs.
• How do you keep children safe? Confirm whether the program is licensed. Ask about secure collection, cleaning, illness and medication policies, and emergency plans.
• How will we communicate? Ask how you will hear about the day, raise concerns, and work together when something is difficult.
• What will we pay? Confirm CWELCC participation, subsidy availability, and all charges, including absences, holidays and late pickup.

Sources: Questions to ask a child care provider

Before accepting a place

Read the handbook’s actual fees, payment schedule, refund rules, hours and closure dates. Check the admission and discharge policies and how concerns are handled. Ask the centre to explain anything that does not match what you heard on the tour.

Sources: Child Care Centre Licensing Manual: parent handbook (Part 7)

FirstDrop planning tip: record the answers and any follow-up questions in your daycare notes while the visit is fresh.