What is the differences between daycare and preschool?

Question

What is the differences between daycare and preschool?

Answer 1

There are many differences between daycare and preschool.  It might be hard to find the differences if you are looking at two high quality programs, with the exception of hours.  Some main differences are daycares are normally open longer and also tend to have a wider range of children enrolled normally 6 wks to 12 yrs. where preschools have specific age ranges there is Pre 3, Pre 4 and Kindergarten.   Preschools are normally only run during the school year and daycare is run year long.  Unfortunately their are poorly run daycares and preschools as well.

"Daycare is not babysitting because, babysitters come to your house, eat your food, watch your tv, play on your computer, watch your child for about 2 hrs and put them to bed and get paid any where from 5 to 15 dollars an hr depending on the area."  (a dear friend).  

At a daycare there are child care providers whom are required to complete several courses each year, most are required to obtain CPR and First Aid Licenses.   Often the courses and licenses are required to be obtained at their own expense.  Often the child care providers do offer a preschool like program in their setting.

At a preschool teachers depending on the school are certified and could possibly have obtained more education but not necessarily (I know several daycare providers working toward their Masters and preschool teachers that just have their Associates Degree and certification.)  Teachers are also required to complete addtional classes each year but this is normally covered by the district that they teach.

In good programs both will try to do what is absolutely best for the child.

Answer 2

First of all a true preschool will provide learning activities that encourage children to explore, and investigate their world.  The teachers are normally better educated, there is a curriculum in place, some type of assessments, and it provides developmentally appropriate school readiness skills.  It usually follows a typical school schedule and has behavior policies and standards that are actually enforced.  A true preschool will often include options such as computers, dance, karate, or foreign languages.  Also they usually cost more but are more focused on Best Practice, not Minimum Standards.

Many daycares now try to incorporate these principles into their existing structure, but it is often inconstant, and lacking the expertise of a preschool administrator, not just a licensed director.  Many preschool administrators are former public school educators, while daycare directors need not even have an Associates Degree in many states, though the requirements vary.

That being said there is really no licensing difference, at least here in Texas, but parents will know the difference.

There are high quality child care facilities and low quality preschools.

Answer 3

In daycare, it's pretty much baby-sitting. The little kids do things like coloring, drawing, nap-time, and things that are fun They also do things like sing their ABC's and count to ten.

  In pre-school your not really in school yet. So it's pre- elementary school. They actually learn more things like how to sing their ABC's, how to count to ten, usually nap time, like in day-care, In pre-school there isn't much to learn.

I think they are pretty much the same, others think they're totally different

Answer 4

Daycare is far from babysitting!  

The only difference between pre-school and day care is the hours that they are open.  pre-school will usually follow typical school schedule and daycare is usually open anywhere between 8 and 10 hours to accommodate working parents.

Answer 5

Day care is for the younger child/baby. Definitely is NOT a baby sitter. It encourages free play, but also encourages simple structured activities. Eg, Mathematics, Imagination, creative cognitive, social and emotional, language and physical skills. At the Nurseries I have worked with we have also potty trained them so they are ready to go onto pre school.

Pre school do all of these things, but as they are a stepping stone to school they will do a lot more structure activities and will have more of a similar routine to the school.

Answer 6

Daycare is care provided for children ages 6 weeks -12 years. Daycare offers a loving, safe, supportive area for children to learn. They are exposed to many different areas of learning, including ABC's numbers, colors, shapes, math, reading, spelling. All of this takes place in the same aspect as a home school does. It is preparing the children for life.

Preschool is an outside area where children go for about 3 hours a day to learn in a learning environment. It is exclusively for learning, and preparing for elementary school.

Answer 7

preschool is pre kindergarten school which is for age 4..daycare is for ages 2-3**

Answer 8

One is a school, and the other is a child care service.

Answer 9

daycare is where someone just watches your child and lets them maybe color.....preschool is where they begin to learn and get ready for kindergarten........

visit the link below......that should help......

Answer 10

Daycare is exactly that.....Care during the day with nothing added.   there are dog day cares...elderly daycares...etc

Preschool is a teaching facility!  They take care of your child while giving the tools they need to move throughout life.

Answer 11

It is all of those things plus more:

Daycare - not potty trained, a babysitting service, entertains, 1-3 years old usually, educational

Preschool - 3-5 years old, potty trained, doesn't play all day, There is a "teacher", learns a bit more than Daycare, older

They are pretty similar! Hope it helps!

Answer 12

Pre school is exactly what it says, a pre- elementary school where they learn. Day care is simply a babysitter

Answer 13

preschool is where you sit down and get a child ready for kidgarten

daycare where you development social skills