Is there really a big difference in daycares?

We went to a way more expensive one for 2 years because I traveled routinely for work and my wife needed to drop off by 7:00. The more expensive one was open at 6:30 where other ones opened at 7:30

Not sure if serious.

At worst (if the actual experience itself is the same as you say), the price difference forces a significant difference in the type of clientele. That alone is a positive.
But no, they're not all the same. Tour them and you will see. Do not throw your kids in one before actually taking a tour.

My oldest 2 went to the same daycare. By the time they were finished they knew their ABC's forwards and backwards (literally), the presidents, state capitals, how to read, and some basic math.

My third kid goes to a different daycare, the have TV's in the class and color. He can't do anything the oldest 2 could at the same age.

Yes, there is definitely a difference in daycares.

ETA: my son's daycare is much more expensive than the one the other 2 went to. It's not always the price.

Nah, fam, get that discount on who’s going to be taking care of your kid while they’re fragile as shite.

Make sure you put all the savings in the travel ball fund though. It’s like an index fund, but with way higher ROI

I visited 5 ranging from a cheap home daycare to the corporate office looking one and settled between 2 mid tiers roughly $500 apart but something in the back of mind is saying why don’t I go cheap OR why am I compromising my baby by not sending her to the best.

Also reviews are not useful because moms are crazy and can’t see objectively so if they are mad at a teacher, 1 star.

I have only dealt with 2 different daycares with similar pricing. $150 a week per child, but one was better than the other for sure. One had older women teachers who truly cared about the kids. They were fed home cooked meals and had relatively low teacher turnover.

The other was basically a baby sitting daycare. Young kids who were just there to get a paycheck.


I would take a tour and try to get to know as many day cares as you can and look at the staff.

The modern daycares are mostly run by former teachers. I didn’t see a huge deviation + legally there are quotas for kids to caregiver ratio so hard to say ones better than other.

I do know home daycares are sketch tho can’t do that

Is there really a big difference between a Toyota Corolla and a Ferrari? They are both cars that get your from Point A to Point B???

Gee idk, pay a premium for good care, or go the cheap route and potentially have videos of your babies getting cheese thrown at their faces.