Choosing daycare and childcare
Child Care Aware of America, a national nonprofit, says location, cost and safety are the top things families weigh when looking for child care. Visit more than one program, ask each the same questions, and bring our printable checklist.
Checked October 29, 2026.
What should I ask when I visit?
Our daycare questions checklist covers the license, the grown-ups, safety and health, a typical day, and how the program works with families. Print it, tick the questions as you ask them, and write the answers beside them.
How can I help my child settle in?
Visit together first if the program allows it. Read My first day at daycare or preschool in the days before, keep goodbyes short and warm, and fill in a handoff sheet so the caregivers know your child's routines and comforts.
Where can I learn more?
Child Care Aware of America has guides on choosing care at childcareaware.org. Your state's child care licensing office can tell you how programs are licensed where you live.
Sources
- Child Care Aware of America: Choosing Quality Child Care (checked October 29, 2026)