Daycare or Preschool: Which One Should You Choose?

47% of children under age 5 spend at least some time in licensed child care each week. If you need childcare, however, it can be difficult to choose between your options.

While daycare and preschool are both popular childcare programs, they’re not quite the same. They each have different pros and cons that will make them more or less suitable for your child.

In this guide, we’ll help you decide between daycare or preschool and will help you understand their differences.

Know Your Educational Priorities

One of the most significant ways that daycare and preschool differ is in the level of education that they provide.

Daycare prioritizes taking care of your children and there will be less structure in the educational schedule. On the other hand, preschool programs have a stronger academic focus than daycare does.

Although daycare will provide basic education to your children, preschool will go even further and will put significant effort into preparing your child for attending kindergarten. There will be a more rigid structure to the education they provide and they’ll teach all of the major subjects to your children.

Understand the Age Ranges

Another major difference between daycare and preschool is the age of the kids that can attend.

Daycares welcome kids of a wider age range and can care for babies, toddlers, and older kids already in school. Many daycares will take care of kids as old as 12. Preschool, on the other hand, is more limited and will typically only care for kids between 3 and 5.

While the separation of children’s ages at preschool can be great for educational development, they won’t get to interact with kids of other ages as much.

Check the Hours of Operation

The operating hours of daycares and preschools are also different.

Preschool has a very rigid schedule and will typically be the same as a typical school. Preschool hours of operation will be fairly short. Students can usually attend as little as two times per week or can go more days if needed. Preschools are sometimes closed on holidays and during the summer just like other schools are.

Daycares usually offer a bit more flexibility as far as hours go. Kids can stay at a daycare for longer hours. A daycare will likely be open in the summer and on weekends as well.

If you need your kids to have care during your work hours and need more flexibility, you’ll probably want to start looking for Kid City daycare locations near you.

Making the Choice Between Daycare or Preschool

So which should you choose, daycare or preschool? While both daycare or preschool can serve as good childcare solutions, your choice will vary based on your needs.

If you want to prioritize early childhood education, then you’ll likely want to choose preschool. If finding someone to take care of your kids while you’re at work is your primary goal, then a daycare might be the better choice.

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