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So you’ve begun researching potential daycare options for your child. Many parenting books and blogs will strongly encourage you to visit child care centers before making a decision. In fact, visiting daycare centers is more than just a suggestion — it’s a requirement if you want to be certain your child is in a safe, educational, and friendly environment.

While Montessori child care may differ in some ways from other child care options, there are certain things that indicate a good day center across the board, such as:

  • An open door policy
  • A reasonable adult-to-child ratio
  • Healthy meals
  • Clean and safe facilities
  • A caring and qualified staff

Now, let’s go into more detail on what each of these mean.

Open door policy

A good daycare center will be welcoming and accommodating to visitors and parents regardless of whether or not they set up an appointment ahead of time. If a daycare center won’t let you drop in unannounced, they likely have something to hide.

Reasonable adult-to-child ratio

We all know that children require a lot of care and attention. An understaffed daycare center is bound to have problems down the road. Ratios change as children get older so be sure to know what to expect for your child’s age group.

Healthy meals

Most likely, your child will be eating at least one meal a day at their daycare facility. Eating habits start early so healthy food options are essential to a good center.

Clean and safe facilities

This may sound like common sense, but some child care facilities are so flashy you forget to look for more basic qualifications. Be sure to know the difference between a mess made from finger paint and a mess made by mold or mucus.

Caring & qualified staff

Take the time to get to know the adults who will be spending the most time with your child after you. Even if the child care center isn’t Montessori-specialized, all daycare facilities taking care of more than four children must be licensed under state law.

Get started by visiting one of our child care centers! Click here to see our locations and visit hours.