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Make a list of what's important to you.  Do you want a center close to home? Close to work?  Do you want your children to be with several children or prefer smaller groups?

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Research all your possibilities.  Ask your friends, family, doctors, and referral agencies for centers they would recommend.  Look on the Internet and in the phone book for other possible centers.  When doing your research, be sure to think about your list of important topics.

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Once you have a list of possible centers, call them on the phone and ask some preliminary questions.  This is a very important step.  Make sure you remember your initial feeling of the conversation and write down if you had a good or bad feeling, including what made you feel that way.  You should ask about their policies, hours, fees, activities, and philosophies on teaching children.  Are they flexible to help you with your schedule?  Will they accommodate your special requests?  What is their teacher to child ratio?  Do they change activities frequently?  Do they have experienced teachers?

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Narrow down your list by crossing off the centers you had a bad feeling about.  Next, visit and interview the center you had a good feeling about.  Get a list of the activities and look around at the facility.  Is the center a warm, clean, safe environment in which you think your child would learn and have fun?  Be sure to pay close attention to the actual teacher to child ratio during your visit to verify what they told you it was over the phone.  Also, ask any more questions you may have and make sure the director is allowing you free access to look at everything you want to see or know about.  Again, your gut feeling is most important.

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Narrow down your list again then start checking references.  Call parents of children who are currently at the center or have had children at the center in the past.  Ask their opinion of  the center and if they would recommend it to you.  If their child is no longer at the center, ask why.

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Take you child to the center for a visit.  Observe how your child acts in the environment and around the teachers.  Does your child seem comfortable?  Do you think your child would be happy at the center?

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Once you find a daycare center that meets your qualifications and one that you feel your child would like, enroll your child.  If there is a waiting list, get your name on the list and find a temporary caregiver until a spot becomes open.

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