Are you a parent searching for great child care for your kids? Are you wondering what the difference is between preschool vs. daycare and which one is better?
To start off, what is a preschool and what is a daycare?
Preschool is a business that provides early childhood education prior to kindergarten.
Daycare for children is daytime care for kids who are unable to care for themselves.
Both of these types of child care arrangements can be a fantastic fit for your family. It all depends on what you value in a child care program.
Below we’ll review some of the major differences, and some of the similarities, of preschool and daycare. Understanding these differences will help you make an informed decision about which is right for you. Keep in mind that what is good for one kid is not good for another. Similarly, what is good for a kid at one age won’t necessarily be good for them at all ages! It may be that daycare meets your family’s needs with you have an baby, while preschool is better when they get a bit older.
Cost
Cost is an incredibly important factor in deciding which of child care is right for your family. The reality is that not all families can afford the type of care they prefer. Understanding the price range of different types of care will help you narrow down your list of programs that you’re considering. So what is the difference in cost when it comes to preschool vs. daycare?
Preschool
Lower total cost if not full-time
Costs are similar for different age groups
Higher average hourly cost
May require an upfront deposit
Daycare
Cost varies a lot between different programs
Costs are lower for family child care programs and care provided by a family, friend or neighbor
Costs are higher for daycare programs located in a center
Costs are higher the younger children are (infant care is most expensive)
More options to pay by week or by month
Location
Location is a big factor in determining the right child care for your family. A program that is too far away from either your home or your work will simply need to be crossed off your list of considerations. Ease of access is also a consideration too. If you’re a family that uses a car you may prioritize a daycare or preschool that has easy parking and isn’t on a busy street. Other families might prioritize daycare programs located on a bus line or in walking distance.
When it comes to preschool vs. daycare, location as a factor will depend on the lifestyle of you and your family. There are preschools and daycares all over, but here are some of the biggest differences when it comes to location.
Preschool
Tend to have fewer locations
Sometimes located in religious institutions
Usually in commercial, not residential, areas
Daycare
Many locations, in standalone buildings or within other businesses (ex. work child care)
In either commercial or residential areas
Sometimes located in the daycare provider’s home
Learning and academics
The learning environment of a preschool or daycare is a key component of child care quality. This is especially true for preschool-age children who are preparing to enter kindergarten.
Both daycare and preschools have the potential to provide a high-quality learning environment for their kids. When it comes to daycare vs. preschool, it is usually the emphasis on learning that is the key to the difference.
Here are some of the main ways that daycare and preschools tend to be different in their learning environments.
Preschool
May have a tailored curriculum like Montessori, environmental, or language immersion
Often have kindergarten readiness as a primary goal
May feature project-based learning
Usually have a social-emotional component
Daycare
Focus is split between learning and care (feeding, rest, cleanliness)
Extent of learning depends greatly on the program’s curriculum and core focus
May have a greater range of ages in a classroom which can make it harder to provide individual instruction
Hours of operation
Each child care program sets its own hours of operation. The majority of daycare programs operate during a standard hour before the work day and hour after it. For many programs this means that they are open from around 7 in the morning to around 6 in the evening. on weekdays. These hours work for many families. But for those families with non-traditional schedules it can be tough to find care for parents who need care in the early mornings, evenings, or on the weekends.
When it comes to preschool vs. daycare, hours of operation tend to be one of the biggest differences between the two types of care. Daycare generally has full-time hours while preschool usually does not.
Many parents who work full-time are not able to send their kids to preschool because of the limited hours. It can work when combined with another type of care (a nanny for example) but many families find this approach cost prohibitive.
Preschool
Typically preschool programs do not offer classes five days per week
Many preschool classes only go for half of the day
Some preschools do not offer classes during summer
Daycare
Most daycares start in the morning before 8 and end after 5
Most daycares offer care five days per week
Daycare programs are more likely to offer care on evenings and weekends
Ages served
Another area where daycare programs differ from preschools is the ages served. Daycares usually serve most ages of young children: infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. Preschools frequently only serve preschoolers, sometimes toddlers, and rarely infants.
The limited ages served in preschools can be a big drawback for families who need care for younger children. This can be especially difficult when a family has both a preschooler and a younger child. If they want to use a preschool for their older child, their younger child will have to attend a different program. This adds a layer of complication and coordination that is not present when both children are in one program.
Preschool
Frequently only serve children who are preschool-age: 3 to 5 years old
Sometimes will serve toddlers: 18 months to 3 years
Daycare
Typically will serve all young children including infants, toddlers, and preschoolers
Will sometimes serve school-age children for after-school care