Choosing a childcare centre (also commonly referred to as daycare or early learning) is an important decision that can feel overwhelming for many parents. Even if you’ve settled on a childcare philosophy, every centre can have a different approach and feel to their care and environment.
Booking a daycare tour is one of the best ways to evaluate the quality of the centre. To help you know what to look for, we’ve put together an expert checklist you can use during your childcare tour, aligned with the same National Quality Standard (NQS) best practices we uphold at KIDS ELC.
First impressions matter
Finding the best early learning centre for you takes time. That said, there are often signs as to whether a centre is the right fit for your family. At a glance, it should be clear that the environment is clean, organised, and welcoming, with professional leadership presence (QA7) to indicate their everyday involvement. Ask yourself:
- Is the centre clean and well-maintained?
- Are staff welcoming and engaged with both you and your child?
- Is information clearly displayed?
- Does your child already seem comfortable in the environment (if they are also attending the tour)?
Educator interactions
As a parent, you want to know that your child is supported and nurtured in the best way possible when in care. While the NQS promotes building respectful, responsive relationships with children to give them a sense of security and belonging, how centres approach this can vary widely (QA5).
This is where it helps to know what to ask on a daycare tour. Better yet, come prepared with some questions to ask the childcare centre about staff qualifications.
Questions to ask the childcare centre during your tour:
- What are your staff-to-child ratios?
- Are trainees included in the staff ratio, and if so, how many?
- Are most educators Certificate III, Diploma, or degree-qualified?
- How do you help children feel safe and settle into the centre? (Q5)
- How do educators handle conflict between children? (Q5)
- How do you teach children to manage their frustration or big emotions? (Q5)
- What happens if a child refuses to participate in an activity?
- How do educators communicate with children who are shy, non-verbal, or still developing languages? (Q5)
Learning programs and school readiness
When it comes to choosing a childcare centre, it’s important to understand how they integrate the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) into your child’s daily routine. This includes the centre’s play-based learning strategies and how they benefit your child’s physical, social, emotional, and cognitive development while preparing them for school (Q1).
The best early learning centres use a combination of different play-based and interest-led learning opportunities to help children develop their own love for learning. In the right environment with the right educators, a simple question about how something works can be nurtured into an opportunity to explore and investigate to find an answer (Q1).
To learn more about how a centre integrates the EYLF, ask:
- How is learning documented, and how does this help with their progress? (Q1)
- How do you help prepare children for school? (Q1)
- How do you nurture a child’s interests and integrate them into the program? (Q1)
Health, safety, and environment
The NQS is very specific about the requirements that every child care environment should follow to keep kids safe. It’s not just about making sure your child is in a clean, safe physical environment, but also about ensuring there’s a plan for every possible situation, from allergies and illness to how often surfaces and hands are cleaned.
During your daycare tour, observe the cleanliness and maintenance of the premises, furniture, and equipment to ensure they are safe and in good condition (QA3). Check that resources are accessible and suitable for varied use so all children can participate (QA3). Educators should clearly understand their roles in supporting each child’s safety and wellbeing, including how to prevent and respond to emergencies (QA2).
What to ask on a daycare tour to assure this can include:
- How do you manage supervision during busy times, such as pick-up, drop-off times or staff rotations?
- What happens if my child gets ill during the day?
- How often are toys and surfaces cleaned?
- What processes are in place to manage allergies or anaphylaxis?
- Are staff up-to-date with CPR, first aid and asthma management training?
Family partnerships and communication
Your childcare provider will play an active role in your child’s development, so it’s essential to ensure they’re aligned with your vision for your child’s future (QA6). Often, choosing the best early learning centre from your shortlist comes down to how proactive they are in having you involved in your child’s care.
Many parents and caregivers are often surprised to learn that daily updates aren’t mandatory under the current framework. At KIDS ELC, we believe that you shouldn’t be left wondering what your child is up to throughout their day, which is why we share regular updates through the Storypark app.
Having a parent communication app that lets you access updates on your child’s progress, learning, and wellbeing at any time should be something you look for in a centre (QA6). It also helps to have a clear process for providing feedback to ensure your family’s culture, values, and beliefs are respected (QA6). These are all things you can confirm on a tour.
Questions to ask a childcare centre about family communication
- Do you have an app or portal for me to access my child’s progress, and how often is it updated?
- How can parents share changes in routines or family circumstances?
- How are family values or cultural traditions included in your programs?
Centre culture and community connection
At KIDS ELC, we recognise and value the rich diversity of our families, particularly across regional Queensland. Respecting and responding to different cultures, values, beliefs and strengths is central to our practice and is embedded within the National Quality Framework (QA6). A centre’s genuine engagement with its families and broader community is an important consideration when choosing a childcare centre.
Booking a childcare tour or attending a community open day is a great opportunity to see first-hand how connected the centre is to the local community. You can also ask:
- Do children ever visit or have visitors from local organisations or groups?
- How do educators help children learn about the area they live in?
- How are different family beliefs and cultures respected and reflected in programs? (QA6)
- How is each child made to feel included when introduced to a new experience? (QA5)
How to make the most of your childcare tour
Armed with this information, we hope it helps make choosing a childcare centre easier. Be sure to bring a list of questions to your tour and take time to observe the environment and interactions, as this can be just as telling as the answers you receive. Trust your instincts and visit more than once if needed.
At KIDS ELC, we welcome families to visit as often as they like to get to know our team. Book a tour at your local KIDS ELC centre to see why families value our early learning community.
