Parent Resources

Site Visit Checklist

Below is a list of things to look for when visiting potential child care providers.

Provider/Child Interactions:

provider is warm and friendly with the children
provider and children are happy and actively involved in a variety of age appropriate activities
provider speaks to individual children frequently and at their level
provider handles discipline in a calm manner with an emphasis on helping children resolve conflicts
provider interacts with children through conversation and play, rather than just supervising
provider allows children to make choices throughout the day
provider encourages independence
provider has clear, consistent rules and gives reasons for them
provider helps children use words to solve problems
provider teaches children to respect differences in others

Indoor/Outdoor Spaces:

ample indoor and outdoor space is clean and suitable for children including those with special needs
safety is addressed through working smoke alarms, posted exit signs, covered electrical outlets, etc
if the program is licensed, ask to see the most current licensing inspection report
adequate lighting is present and child sized furniture is available
age-appropriate toys are visible, easily accessible and stored in an organized manner
children’s projects are displayed at children’s eye level
activities are encouraged that focus on all areas of development
fine motor skills (i.e. stringing beads to develop hand muscles)
gross motor skills (i.e. dancing, skipping and jumping)
social/emotional skills (i.e. reading books that discuss feelings)
cognitive skills (i.e. putting together puzzles)
noise level is comfortable for children
diapering/toileting areas are sanitary; toys and play areas are sanitized daily
posted schedules are flexible and designed to meet the needs of individual children
enough providers are present for the group’s size and age

Materials and Supplies:

there are a variety of materials for the number of children in the program
age-appropriate toys are reflective of many cultures, ethnicities, genders
materials encourage children to learn new skills and are in good repair
books and other reading readiness materials are available and used daily

Program Policies:

policies exist and are shared with parents regarding fees, payment, vacation time, sick children, etc.
program provides references of current/past parents
program follows an educational curriculum
care is consistent, with little turnover in staff

Parents’ Needs:

parents are well informed about their child’s day through daily conversations or notes
parents’ input is valued and there are opportunities for meaningful involvement in the program
parents are allowed access to the program at all times and encouraged to visit
parents are greeted in a warm and friendly way

While visiting the program, talk to other parents that you see and ask them about their experiences with the program. A next step can be to check the references of current/past parents who used the program. Some questions to ask include:

What did you like best/least about the child care provider?
Did the provider offer activities geared towards the child’s age?
Did the provider make you and your child feel comfortable in the program? How?
Did the provider keep you well informed about your child’s development? How?
Was the provider dependable and reliable?
If you could change anything about the program what would it be?

For more information on what to look for when visiting child care providers, please call 2-1-1 Child Care at 2-1-1 or 1-800-505-1000.