Some parents choose to send their babies and toddlers to half-day daycare. This might work well for their schedules, and some parents worry about leaving their child in daycare all day long. However, if you have decided that you want to send your toddler to an all-day daycare, this can be what will work for you, especially if you have a full-time job, for example, or if you want to start getting your little one prepared for when they start school. Either way, read these helpful tips and advice for sending your toddler to an all-day daycare.
Choose the Right Daycare
First of all, you probably don't want to leave your child in the care of just anyone for any part of the day. If your child is going to be spending all day each weekday at daycare, however, it's normal to be more concerned about where you are going to leave them. Plus, since all-day daycare can be quite a bit more expensive, you will need to find a daycare that fits your budget. Lastly, you'll need to make sure that you find a daycare that actually offers all-day daycare services since not all of them do. Basically, you may find that you will need to check with multiple different daycares in your area before you find the right one for your toddler. Start your search sooner rather than later since this can help you find a good all-day daycare and can help you prepare in case the daycare has a waiting list.
Check the Hours of Operation
Even though there are plenty of all-day daycares out there, some of them open earlier than others, while others are open later than others. You'll need to be aware of drop-off and pick-up times for your child. Then, you can make sure that you pick your child up when you're supposed to and that you aren't charged additional fees for picking your child up late.
Start With Half-Day Daycare
If you are getting ready to send your child to daycare for the first time, consider starting them out with half-day daycare. Then, once they become accustomed to spending part of the day away from home, you can transition them to all-day daycare. This is not an option for everyone, but it can work out well if it does fit in your schedule. In no time, your child is sure to be ready for all-day daycare.
Reach out to a local facility that offers 3-year-old long daycare to learn more about your options.