https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 10 May 2026 13:04:30 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/home-based-daycare-vs-center-based-daycare#post-74650 Tue, 14 Feb 2012 15:10:50 +0000 Andrea 74650@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrstilly: That is interesting about NY law. I didn't realize that it was law since I live in NY and I know of a local daycare that doesn't provide daily outdoor time. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/home-based-daycare-vs-center-based-daycare#post-74649 Tue, 14 Feb 2012 15:09:24 +0000 banana 74649@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@spaina96: Good point. I never bothered to ask. I knew I was forgetting something! I'll be sure to ask about what happens when the daycare provider is sick.</p> <p>@mrstilly: Thanks for your feedback! The home-based daycare is in this small townhome and they have this tiny patio area. It has a small slide/jungle gym type of thing. But that's it. I think that's what they consider "outdoor" time but it doesn't allow kids to run around outside. They can just go outside and play on that plastic slide. I do like that the home-based has more free play and less kids. But the outdoor thing really bugs me. And I've checked out a few other home-based daycares and they're not as loving and nurturing as this one.</p> <p>Are you at all concerned about having your LO prepared for a more structured kindergarten class? That's one thing that I"m a bit concerned about with the home-based so I would love to hear your thoughts on that! Thanks!!! :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/home-based-daycare-vs-center-based-daycare#post-74018 Mon, 13 Feb 2012 21:40:04 +0000 mrstilly 74018@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Just wanted to weigh in since we went through this not too long ago. DS started daycare at 5 months, since my maternity leave ended just as DH got the summer of from teaching. </p> <p>In NY state, it's law that any licensed day care (in home or center) provides at least 1 hour of outdoor time, except in cold/extreme weather conditions. Maybe double check the requirements for your location. It does seem odd to me that they wouldn't offer any outdoor time. </p> <p>We looked at a day care center, which is about 10 minutes out of the way for both of us. I liked the structured routine, and the fact that there were a set of rules/policies. They did get outside for an hour a day. The daycare center had classes based on age. </p> <p>We looked at about 6 in home places, and ultimately decided based on gut feeling and location. They provide food and have a more relaxed schedule. There are six kids there of all ages (but only 2 under 2 years old). At first I wasn't sure about the mix of ages, but it turns out that it's awesome! DS is the youngest (at 10 months now) and he spends ALL DAY interacting with the kids! They love him and play with him, making faces, talking, showing him how to do things, etc... He's really getting a jump on his verbal skills and is very social for a 10 month old. I love that it's like a second family. They do less structured, classroom type activities, but I like the free play for DS while he's younger. He's got plenty of time to learn classroom skills. I do expect that he will stay at this daycare for a while. She is flexible with our schedules, since I have 2 days a week that I work later. </p> <p>In the five months DS has been in this daycare, she hasn't closed once. She has two back up "teachers" who can fill in if she has an appointment or is sick, but that hasn't happened. Both backups are licensed as well, and one is her adult daughter, who I've met and is very sweet. Two other in home places we interviewed also closed very infrequently. They had both closed or had a back up teacher fill in less than 2 days the prior calendar year. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/home-based-daycare-vs-center-based-daycare#post-74006 Mon, 13 Feb 2012 21:23:13 +0000 spaina96 74006@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Also what happens if the homebased teachers get sick, then do they close? Where I live the closest daycare is twenty minutes away and I don't go that way for work but I worry about homebased care closing too frequently. Not sure if this is something else to think about. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/home-based-daycare-vs-center-based-daycare#post-73997 Mon, 13 Feb 2012 20:32:15 +0000 Andrea 73997@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@banana: it is scheduled but it is still fun! glad to help! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/home-based-daycare-vs-center-based-daycare#post-73996 Mon, 13 Feb 2012 20:30:19 +0000 banana 73996@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@andrea: Thanks! You make some really good points. Part of my hesitation for the center is that I can't imagine him being in a classroom full of other kids and on such a strict schedule since he's so used to running around at home all day long. Seems like such a drastic change, you know? But the outdoor thing and the curriculum thing ARE really important things to consider. I'm hoping that a daycare setting will help him verbalize more (and finally speak!).</p> <p>Thanks Andrea and Mrs.Bee for your advice. Looks like the center is the way to go for us. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/home-based-daycare-vs-center-based-daycare#post-73992 Mon, 13 Feb 2012 20:24:09 +0000 Andrea 73992@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@banana: Since he is going to stay there for a while, I would take the curriculum into high consideration since you do want him to be properly prepared for kindergarten. If you think the center might be better for that, then it would be worth going a further distance. And outdoor time really is huge. My LO's daycare takes them out twice a day. It does bum me out when I hear of toddlers in other places not going outside at all. Especially in the summer! It is so fun for them to do water play on the playground during the summer. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/home-based-daycare-vs-center-based-daycare#post-73989 Mon, 13 Feb 2012 20:18:24 +0000 banana 73989@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@andrea: Oh, good question about the curriculum! I should find out more about it. But from what I've seen, the curriculum is pretty different. The home-based center is less rigid with their schedule. They have a lot more free play. The center has a very strict schedule and they totally stick to it. They allot around 30-45 minutes of free play. Everything else is kind of scheduled (like story time, arts/crafts time, ABC learning time, etc). I totally want my LO to have free play but I'd also like him to be prepared for a more scheduled environment once he hits kindergarten. He'll be staying here from 2 1/2 - preschool so this will be his only experience before hitting kindergarten.</p> <p>@mrs.bee: All the things you mentioned are totally spot on. The whole outdoor thing definitely bums me out because our LO absolutely loves outdoor time. That's so awesome that Charlie's daycare has so much outdoor time. The convenience factor is huge for us too. Sigh. Such a tough decision! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/home-based-daycare-vs-center-based-daycare#post-73984 Mon, 13 Feb 2012 20:06:48 +0000 Mrs. Bee 73984@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>i think either a home based or center based can be great so you have to weigh the pros and cons.</p> <p>our daycare is down the street from us, and it's soooooo convenient. it really makes our lives way easier (it's a center based daycare but feels like a home based one since there are only 10 kids and 3 teachers). convenience is definitely a huge factor to consider, and the food is a huge plus too.</p> <p>but no outdoor play, that's tough. charlie's daycare takes them to the playground for an hour every day (unless it's too cold), and then they go on a walk around the block after naptime. toddlers really need that outdoor time i think. as important as convenience is for me, i think no outdoor time might be a dealbreaker! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/home-based-daycare-vs-center-based-daycare#post-73982 Mon, 13 Feb 2012 20:06:04 +0000 Andrea 73982@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@banana: ah, the ratio, sorry i missed that. i think having flexible hours at the home day care is good if that makes your life easier when working. and i think having the meals provided is huge. i love that about my day care. not having outdoor time is a bummer, though. but maybe not enough to pick the center. </p> <p>how about the curriculum differences? will your LO be staying at these places for preschool? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/home-based-daycare-vs-center-based-daycare#post-73975 Mon, 13 Feb 2012 19:55:06 +0000 banana 73975@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@andrea: That's kind of the problem. I don't really know what the advantages/disadvantages are of either. :( That's the only difference I saw. Aside from the kids to adult ratio. There must be SOME other difference that I'm not considering. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/home-based-daycare-vs-center-based-daycare#post-73973 Mon, 13 Feb 2012 19:47:23 +0000 Andrea 73973@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Is the only advantage of the center based day care the outdoor time? From what you have described, the home one sounds better! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/home-based-daycare-vs-center-based-daycare#post-73967 Mon, 13 Feb 2012 19:29:30 +0000 banana 73967@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We're considering between a home-based daycare and a center-based daycare and can't decide! </p> <p>The home-based daycare is literally right down the street from us which would make it soooo convenient. And they only have 4-5 kids at home time with 2 full-time adults watching the children. They also provide breakfast, lunch and snacks! But they don't do much (if any) outdoor time with the kids. And my LO absolutely loves going outdoors. </p> <p>The center-based daycare is a bit more inconvenient (pick up /drop off times are strict) and it's more of a classroom type setting with around 6-7 kids per adult. But they DO have a great outdoor playyard and allow the children around 30-45 minutes of outdoor play every day.</p> <p>Do any of you have experiences with either home-based or center-based daycares? </p>