What to Ask and Look for When Going for a Tour of Preschool?

Hi There,
Here you go...(sorry so long) I used this when my oldest started 4 years ago and updated it with my second. #1 rule... don't be intimidated if they act funny when you are asking them these questions. Bottom line is that most people spend more time and energy looking for a car then childcare and these people are going to be with your boys more hours a day then you so ask away :-)

* Do you keep the age groups separate? Playrooms, Playgrounds?
* What is the teacher/child ratio?
* What do they do if the teacher calls in sick -- who fills in? Is there a standard sub?
* What changes occur during the summer i.e. attendance, ratio, staffing changes, special activities?
* Do you offer part time care? After hours care? What is the fee?
* What type of security you they have in place?
* How clean is it, is there a cleaning crew or are the teachers responsible?
* Is there a budget for weekly activities of are the parents expected to supply the rooms with supplies?
* What is your policy on disinfecting toys?
* How involved are the parents in supporting the center… are there fundraisers? Are they for charity or the center?
* Are there parent meetings for decision making? How often?
* What are the avenues of communication from the Director/administrative staff… website with lesson plans, menu, etc.? Newsletter?
* What does the menu consist of… healthy food… is it the same food every week or a 4 week rotation?
* Do you offer extra activities such as Stretch –N- Grow, Flips Bus, Karate, Music Together or computer enrichment? Is there an additional fee?
* Can I see a sample of your lesson Plan/Daily activities plan? (This is important even with infants)
* Are the teachers thoroughly screened for background and health issues?
* What training are the teachers expected to have… degree, CPR, First Aide?
* When is tuition due… Weekly, Monthly, what day of the week?
* Will the center debit a bank account/debit card/credit card for tuition?
* Is the tuition less if the center is closed for a facility event like training?
* What does the Holiday schedule look like?
* Is there an annual tuition increase (Montessori has a set yearly increase FYI)
* What is the inclement weather policy? What is the fire / Tornado plan with the kids?
* What is the sick child policy? Is there a 24 hour rule?
* How does the teaching staff communicate to the parents about potty/diaper changes, eating progress, naps… daily take-home sheet/something in the classroom?

I would also look at the DFPS website to see if your center has any recent violations, here is the website. Good Luck!

http://www.dfps.state.tx.us/Child_Care/Search_Texas_Child...

E.

Discipline procedures. Safety of kids in school. The preschool I have my child in is through the school district and they had the doors locked at all times. You can only get in through ringing the front door bell at the school. Any extra fees that are not included in the tuition. We have the tuition fee, plus a yearly snack fee, and lots of other little things that i never thought of-like school supplies. I never thought I would be purchasing supplies for preschool too.

One thing, that hasn't been said, is the screening process of the teachers and employees. I would definitely make sure they have very thorough background checks. (county, state, country) Also, whether or not the teachers are experienced and certified instructors.

One thing that was key for me, that I didn't see listed below was their toilet accidents policy. This was key for me.

Some schools have a 'no touch' policy, which means that if your kid has an accident, they will clean up the floor, etc, but as for your child, they will only change his clothes clean him up.

Good luck
M.

Trust your instincts when you're there. If they're a great facility, they shouldn't have any problem having you there at any time observing the classrooms.

Two things that struck me when we toured places:
1. Did the teachers/administrators know the families? I loved when a parent walked in at the end of the day, and the administrators knew them by name and could tell them something about their child.
2. Did the kids seem happy?

Not every kid is going to love preschools/day care, but you'll get a general feeling.

Teachers will come and go often. So, don't select a school just because of one teacher who may leave, be transferred to another class, etc.

Ask for referrals.
Ask how they discipline.
Ask how they assess if a child can be there for common medical conditions: fevers, colds, flu, head lice, MRSA, etc.
Ask what the food options are (do you bring vs. them providing)
Ask what happens if you're late picking a child up

In the end, we chose a day care based upon our instincts at the facility, the proximity to home. We don't have the nicest facility, but it's safe, our kids don't hate being there, and the instructors/administrators know us (and who our kids are) just by seeing us.

We asked about class options, size, teacher/student ratio, daily activities or structure.
Also outings/field trips, how many days/week/hrs. Food, naps, toilet traininng necessity, emergency procedures.

And I think most importantly, what is their procedure or policies if there are issues or sickness?

Hi, C. -

it's been awhile since my kids were in preschool so I know others will give you more but here are some basics I looked for and asked:

1) Location of the school:
- distance from your home
- what type of street is it on: busy, heavy traffic, quiet residential?
- is the playground visible to people walking by - can strangers sit and watch your kids, could a car have an accident and crash into the school or playground area?
- where is the parking area located where your kids would get out of /into the car? Is it on the street or off the street in a school parking lot? Is it big enough for the size of school or is it congested with parents' cars coming through?

2) Class questions:

- Size / ratio of teacher to student in each child's class
- schedule for the class ( may be diff based on your child's age)
- does the schedule work with your child's maturity, etc?
- Is it all scheduled activities or is there free time for socializing , etc?
- Meet the teachers they would have. Spend time talking with them - their approach, philosophy. Spend time watching them teach their classes- are they patient when kids are having a bad day or are they impatient and grabbing kids' arms to talk with them , yelling etc?
- What do they teach in class? Do they look to encourage creativity or conformity? How to manage the different learning levels of kids within a class?

3) School facilities:
- Are they large enough for the amount of kids they have?
- Are they clean - in the classroom, bathrooms, playground?
- Are there grassy areas / park like for the kids? Is there shade for sunny, hot summer days?
- Is it all cement and playground?
- Supplies for kids, etc.

4) School & policies:
- What is the population of the school made up of? What is the teacher pool made up of? Is it diverse or only one socio-economic group?
- Kids being sick, holidays,
- issues between kids at the school, issues with teachers,
- In case of emergency - for your child, for the school, major earthquake, etc.

Think of your kids and what their personalities are like, what they each need. Does this school, the atmosphere, etc make you feel comfortable leaving your kids there? Or do you have doubts?

Hope these few things help. In the end - go with your gut. Spend a lot of time with them. If they only allow limited time to spend with them before you bring your kids there, I was not encouraged. I liked the schools that said I could come by anytime, stay as long as I wanted to check them out - where I felt it was very open and transparent to me as a parent vs them being able to 'prepare ahead of time' for a parent's inspection.

Good luck and hope you find a great place for your kids!

T.

First and for most go to this website and check the school out.

http://www.dfps.state.tx.us/Child_Care/Search_Texas_Child...

if you email me w/ your personal email i will give you a checklist i have. i used to teach in preschool for about 13 yrs. and also teach a class on what to look for. I will look for the file and attach it for you. it is a stressful thing to leave your heart and soul w/ others and you should have the best!!! xo

I know you got some great tips, but here is a link to some free check lists that you can use and they incorporate how to evaluate developmentally appropriate learning practices as well.
http://www.campfirefw.org/CampFire/Families/FindChildCare...

Hello,

You should ask what does a typical day look like. What fine motor and gross motor skills do they work on? How do they handle discipline? What involvement as a parent do you have at the preschool and can you stay if you need to to help your kids adjust? Look for pictures on the wall and words that describe things. This encourages early literacy and everything possible should be labled. What types of books do they have? Do they have centers and how are those centers organized and what are they. What is their policy for sickness and sending kids home that are sick? How do they communicate to parents - are there parent conferences throughout the year?

I just finished as president of the board at a Dallas preschool and my boys attended for 4 years. We had a stellar director and she taught me what to look for and expect in a school.

Good luck!

G.

I wanted to add one thing to all of the great posts! I used to work for a learning center(I quit because I wasn't happy how the children were being treated etc) and while the children learned a tremendous amount while they were there-they weren't allowed to just be kids. They were expected to always behave and act like little soldiers. There is so much pressure today on children and at such an early age. Here in VA we have SOL's(a new set of tests that the children must pass before going on to the next grade.) This puts so much pressure on the students and teachers. Anyway, what I am getting at is that my opinion is if you can't be a kid when you are in preschool(before you get to real school) then when in the world can you? Just make sure that you look to see if the preschool you are checking out is a fun place for your kids to learn and play. I am not saying that you wouldn't but, just coming from a teacher's perspective. I would also ask for a tour when the children are there and actually see them having a meal,in class, having play time etc. When they toured at my old school-we had to take the children outside or down to the gym to watch a movie. The parent's never got to see the children actually in action. I thought that was so ridiculous. Good luck to you and sorry to be negative just want you to be aware! :)