August 1, 2024

Daycare vs. Early Childhood Education: What’s the Difference?

Early Childhood Education vs Daycare | Benefits of Early Childhood Care and Education | Advantages of Early Childhood Education | Pros of Early Childhood Education

If you’ve made the decision to seek outside care for your child, that is the first of several choices you’ll be faced with. When it comes to something as important as who will be caring for your child while you’re at work, you want to feel confident that you’ve weighed all your options. And there are a lot of options!

From location to hours to cost to “vibe,” every parent has to make the choice that’s right for their family. But first and foremost, you need to decide what type of child care you’re looking for.

While there are several terms used to describe types of child care, not all are equal in terms of what’s offered or what you should expect from them. The biggest difference is daycare versus early childhood education. So what do these terms mean, and what should you consider when making your decision?

Early Childhood Education vs Daycare | Definition of Early Childhood Care and Education | What is The Purpose of Early Childhood Education | Benefits of Early Childhood Education

What is an Early Childhood Education Center?

Early Childhood Education Centers are what the name describes. These are child care centers that are built on a foundation of educational principles, early childhood development, and skill acquisition.

Early Childhood Education Centers typically start with infants and extend through kindergarten readiness, or beyond. They often have structured curricula that focus on specific cognitive, social, emotional and physical development skills.

Trained, certified teachers and educators are employed to both write and execute on the curriculum. Because staff:child ratios are much lower for young children than school aged children, you can rely on your child’s teacher being supported by loving, nurturing teacher assistants.

Features of Early Childhood Education Centers

Choosing an Early Childhood Education Center as your childcare option offers a number of advantages to your child:

Children are cared for by trained education professionals
Days are structured around a set, developmentally-appropriate curriculum
Children are grouped by age, offering abundant peer socialization
Focus is education, and building a learning foundation from a young age
Children are often more prepared to enter kindergarten, when the time comes
Classrooms are designed to facilitate learning
Teachers and teacher assistants provide nurturing, close attention to each child
May have more limited hours than daycare options
May have increased tuition costs over daycare options

Early Childhood Education vs Daycare | Benefits of Daycare | Benefits of Daycare for Infants | Benefits of Daycare for Toddlers

What is Child Care or Daycare?

Daycare typically describes a care setting in which the primary goal is to keep children safe and occupied while they’re in attendance. While you may find a broad range of day care centers with a variety of models and educational goals, they are typically less formal and are not held to the same standards as education centers.

Daycare centers may be run out of an owner’s home, or they may be standalone centers. They may be programs through various community or civic centers, or have religious components.

Ultimately, day care centers are there to supervise your children and provide a safe, engaging place for children up to age 12 or 13. They are staffed by caring adults or teens who will care for your child and provide them opportunities for activity and engagement, which may or may not be guided.

Features of Daycare

Choosing a daycare for your child has a few advantages, based on your circumstances and priorities.

Centers often have extended hours
Locations are often extremely convenient
May have lower costs for care
Days may be less structured
Staff may not be certified teachers
Children may not be grouped by age, offering more limited peer socialization
Children will be taught basic age-appropriate foundational skills
In-home daycares might operate outside of licensing bodies

Which Choice is Right?

Ultimately, decisions about who you trust to care for your child can only be made by you and your family. While early childhood education centers offer more in terms of education and child development, daycare centers may offer more convenience and budget-friendliness.

To learn more about the Doodle Bugs! early childhood education philosophy, visit our curriculum page.

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