Finding the Best Baby Daycare Experience
Let the daycare tours begin! When you visit each potential location, keep a list of ideal center and classroom features in mind — and see which locations check all the boxes.High-quality infant programs might look slightly different across centers, but some features should be present in all locations to ensure the environment is age-appropriate, nurturing, safe, and beneficial to babies.
Furniture Designed for Babies
Chairs, tables, shelves, bookcases, and more should be safe, sturdy, and the appropriate size for your baby. Child-size furniture can help babies feel more independent as they begin to crawl and/or walk.
Dedicated, Defined Areas
The baby daycare experience should include classrooms and spaces designed for babies — for example, an outdoor space or movement area just for them. Infant classrooms should have spaces for play, meals, naps, and diaper changes. Babies’ schedules are different; with dedicated spaces, babies who are napping won’t be disturbed by those who are eating or playing. This also helps teachers keep the classroom clean and safe. All of these areas should have age-appropriate toys and materials for babies to explore.
Secure, Soothing Environment
Babies are absorbing massive amounts of sights, sounds, and other bits of data — and the baby daycare experience can be overwhelming for your little one at first. Everything they knew and were familiar with gets altered drastically when they start the daycare routine.
But a soothing environment can help. Look for classrooms with soft spaces, natural light, music playing softly in the background, and age-appropriate materials, objects, and toys to explore.
Interesting Experiences
Finally, sensory-rich spaces where babies can discover and explore are paramount to their development and the baby daycare experience. This can be as simple as offering access to diverse materials — buckets and baskets full of different items with varying textures, balls, blocks, and more.
