Daycare vs. Preschool: What's the Difference?

When searching for early education programs in your area, you may come across daycare centers, preschool programs, daycare centers with preschool programs, and you may find yourself wondering, "what is the difference between daycare and preschool?" More importantly, how do you know which option is the best fit for your child? To help you decide, here is a breakdown of the differences and similarities between daycare and preschool.

Hours and scheduling

Daycare programs typically have hours that accommodate the schedules of working parents. Some childcare providers open as early as 6:00 am and may offer overnight care or weekend options. Daycare centers or in-home providers are generally open through the summer and during school holidays. Some childcare providers may even offer "holiday break" camps for children during school breaks. 

Preschool programs generally have much shorter days and more breaks. They tend to follow the local school district's calendar and may be closed through the summer. Preschools usually have part-time and full-time scheduling options and some offer before or aftercare to accommodate the needs of working parents. Also, to make things even more confusing, some daycare centers have dedicated preschool programs for their three and four-year-olds, so it is important to explore all the options in your area before deciding. 

Structure and Curriculum

Daycare doesn't get enough credit when it comes to pre-academic skills. Most larger daycare centers follow a curriculum and a routine or schedule similar to a preschool program. Most in-home daycares also have structured playing, eating, and sleeping times and incorporate learning activities into the day. If you are leaning towards daycare over preschool, be sure to ask if the program follows a curriculum, what the daily schedule looks like and what the children learn throughout the day. Both daycare and preschool do wonders for a child's social-emotional development as they learn to navigate friendships and manage their emotions. 

Preschool programs may be inspired by a specific philosophy like Montessori or Waldorf (although so can daycares) or follow a particular curriculum. The classrooms are divided into "centers," or different play areas, and children receive whole group and small group instruction in early academics. 

Licensing and Accreditation 

Although licensing regulations vary from state to state, preschools and daycares are often licensed through the same agencies. They have to follow similar rules regarding health and safety, adult/child ratios, and staff training. In-home daycare programs may follow slightly different regulations. They generally care for infants and toddlers and require more caregivers depending on the age of the children in the group. But otherwise, you can rest assured knowing that if your daycare is licensed, they are being inspected and have to meet the standards of their governing agency. The inspection and violation reports that a daycare or preschool program receives are public records and can be found on the program's Winnie page.

Staff requirements

The requirements for staff may differ between daycare and preschool, depending on state and local guidelines. If the preschool program is offered through a district, the teachers may need to be state-certified teachers, whereas a private preschool may not require teacher certification. Regardless of the program, all teachers and caregivers must complete training and pass background checks before working with children. 

Age groups  

The minimum age requirement is where daycare and preschool differ the most. While preschool programs typically don't accept children before the age of two at the youngest, childcare programs may serve children as young as six weeks old. Whether it is a daycare center or in-home daycare, the children are usually separated by age groups. A larger daycare center may have smaller age-range groupings (0-6 months, 6 months-1, 1-18 months, etc.) but a smaller center or in-home daycare may have children of all ages grouped together. The minimum age of the children in the program may also affect whether children need to be potty trained before starting. Some preschool programs require children to be potty trained, while most daycares do not.  

Still having trouble deciding between daycare and preschool? Start by doing a search of the options in your area and reading reviews from other parents. Schedule tours for the programs on your shortlist and have a list of your questions handy. At the end of the day, you know your child best- trust your gut and go with what feels right.