What is the Difference Between Daycare and Preschool

The main difference between daycare and preschool is their main function. Daycares focus on looking after children while parents are at work while preschools focus on educating children through play.

If you are a working parent and have a child that is below school age, daycare and preschool are two safe childcare options for you. It’s important to know the difference between daycare and preschool well before deciding what option to choose. 

Key Areas Covered

1. What is Daycare 
     – Ages, Focus, Benefits
2. What is Preschool
     – Ages, Focus, Activities
3. What is the Difference Between Daycare and Preschool
     – Comparison of Key Differences

Key Terms

Daycare, Preschool, Children

What is Daycare

A daycare is a place that provides child care services. They mainly cater to working parents, allowing them to leave their children in a safe environment while they are at work. Daycare workers focus on looking after the children, feeding them, putting them to sleep, and making them play with other children. Daycares are open to infants, toddlers, preschoolers, as well as school-aged children.

Daycares often have flexible hours – they open early and close later. If you are a working parent, you can leave your infant or toddler at the daycare on your way to work. If your child is older and attends school, he or she can stay at the daycare after school, until you return from work. Daycare centres are usually open all year round; they don’t close for school holidays.

There are many benefits of daycare – the main one being the convenience. Since daycares take in children of various ages, your child will get the chance to socialize with both older and younger children. Moreover, spending time in daycare will also familiarize your child to routines and schedules, providing a smoother transition to kindergarten and school.

What is Preschool

Preschool is a childcare and education option of young children aged 3-5 before they start schooling. The main aim of a preschool is to educate children through play, rather than just taking care of them while parents are at work. They focus on the child’s development and lay the foundation for school years. Kindergarten and playschool are two other popular names for preschool.

Preschool has shorter hours than daycare, usually in the morning. But some preschools may also offer full days. In addition, preschools follow a similar schedule to school, closing on holidays.

Preschools generally accept children from ages 3 to 5. The age groups tend to be separated at preschools; for example, 3-year-olds in one class, and 4-year-olds in another. Therefore, preschool gives children a chance to socialize with children of their own age. Children learn different skills through preschool – for example, to socialize, to solve problems, to communicate their needs and ideas, etc. Some of the activities children may engage in a preschool include painting, drawing, playing with blocks, solving puzzles, singing, dancing, listening to stories, and playing with clay.

Difference Between Daycare and Preschool

Definition

A daycare is a child care centre that caters to working parents, allowing them to leave their children in a safe environment while they are at work. Preschool, on the other hand, is a childcare and education option of young children aged 3-5, before they start schooling.

Focus

While daycares focus on looking after children when parents are at work, preschools focus on educating children through play.

Activities

Daycare workers will take care of the children, feed them, put them to sleep, and make them play with other children. In preschool, children will engage in different types of fun learning activities. 

Ages

Daycares are open to infants, toddlers, preschoolers, as well as school-aged children while preschools usually admit children from ages 3 to 5.

Hours

Daycares have long hours (from morning to night) while preschools are usually for a half day.

Holidays

Furthermore, daycares are open during school holidays, but preschools are closed during school holidays.

Conclusion

Daycares focus on looking after children while parents are at work while preschools focus on educating children through play, not just looking after them. Moreover, Daycares are open to infants, toddlers, preschoolers, as well as school-aged children while preschools usually admit children ages 3 to 5. Thus, this is the difference between daycare and preschool.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Baby Boy Child Free Photo” (CC0) via Needpix
2. “2204239” (CC0) via Pixabay