When it comes to choosing a day care for your child, you have a range of options. Home-based care centers are available in many neighborhoods, as are full-service preschool facilities. Great Beginnings Learning Center in St. Charles and Cottleville, MO, believes choosing a licensed child care facility offers many benefits for children and families. Here, they share a few reasons to choose a day care center instead of home-based care.

Experienced Staff

Every staff member at a licensed day care facility has extensive experience working with children and providing the level of care parents expect. In many cases, they also have educational backgrounds in child development. Home-based care facilities might not be staffed by people with comparable experience. 

Diverse Programming

Day care centers often accommodate several age groups and offer extended hours for working parents. Their programs range from infant care to after-school care, helping your child establish long-term friendships with other children at the center and engage in activities designed for their developmental stage. Home-based care typically does not provide unique lessons for the different age groups and may only operate during regular business hours.

Substitute Teachers

If a staff member at a child care center is ill, someone will be able to fill in. Your child’s routine will not be disrupted, and you won’t have to find a substitute caregiver on short notice. If a home-based caregiver is sick, they might not open their business for the day, leaving parents to find alternate arrangements.

Opportunities to Socialize

Enrolling your child at a day care center gives them the chance to socialize with their peers. Many times, this is their first chance to meet kids from other communities and backgrounds. As they learn through constructive play and hands-on instruction, they also figure out how to navigate their differences. Home-based child care often limits enrollment or focuses on a particular neighborhood, so children meet fewer new people throughout the day.

If you’re looking for a quality day care focused on providing kids with a fun and enriching educational experience, then you can count on Great Beginnings Learning Center. Visit their website for more information about their programs. To schedule a tour and meet with the experienced staff, call (636) 724-5048 for the St. Charles location and (636) 447-4212 for the Cottleville location.