Questions to ask during a daycare orientation
Visiting a nursery before your child starts is your best chance to see the place as it really is and to picture your child in it. It is easy to be charmed by bright displays and forget the things you actually needed to ask. Going in with a few well-chosen daycare orientation questions helps you look past first impressions and judge whether this setting will keep your child safe, happy and well cared for.
Questions about settling in
How a nursery handles the first days tells you a great deal about its approach. Ask how they settle new children in, whether they offer gradual visits where you can stay and then leave for short periods, and how they support a child who finds separation hard. Ask how they will get to know your child and who will be their key person. A thoughtful, child-led settling process is one of the strongest signs of a nursery that puts young children's emotional needs first.
Questions about the people
The adults are the heart of any setting, so focus your daycare orientation questions on them. Ask about the ratio of staff to children, how the key person system works, and how long staff tend to stay, since high turnover can be unsettling for young children who need consistent relationships. Ask what qualifications and training the team hold, including first aid, and how they are supported. Watching how the staff interact with the children during your visit often tells you as much as the answers do.
Questions about a typical day
Ask to walk through an ordinary day so you can picture your child in it. When are meals and snacks, how are naps handled, how much time is spent outdoors, and what is the balance of free play and adult-led activity? Find out how they comfort an upset child and manage behaviour between children. Understanding the rhythm of the day helps you judge whether it suits your child's temperament and whether their routines will be respected.
Questions about health and safety
Safety questions are never rude to ask. Enquire about security at drop-off and collection, how they confirm who is allowed to collect your child, and their policies on illness, medicines and allergies. Ask about hygiene, nappy changing or toileting, and what happens in an emergency or if your child has an accident. A good setting will answer these openly and may show you their written policies. Hesitation or vagueness on safety is worth noting.
Questions about food
If the nursery provides meals, ask to see a sample menu and find out how they cater for allergies, intolerances and family preferences. Ask how they handle a child who is a fussy eater or is being weaned, and whether you can supply food if you need to. If you are still breastfeeding or your child has a bottle routine, check how they will support it. Food is a daily part of nursery life, so it is worth understanding before you commit.
Questions about communication
You will want to know how your child's day has gone, so ask how the setting keeps you informed. Do they use a daily diary or an app, will they tell you about naps, meals and mood, and how would they contact you if there was a problem? Ask how they share your child's development and how you can raise concerns. Strong, open communication is the foundation of the partnership between you and the nursery, especially in the settling-in period.
Questions for your own peace of mind
Some of the most useful daycare orientation questions are the personal ones. Ask whether you can call to check on your child during the first days, whether they will let you know once your child has settled after a tearful goodbye, and how they would handle it if your child struggled to adjust. The answers reveal whether the setting sees you as a partner and understands that starting nursery is an emotional step for the whole family, not just an administrative one.
Trust what you see and feel
Beyond the answers, pay attention to the atmosphere. Do the children seem content and engaged? Are the staff warm and attentive, getting down to the children's level? Is the space clean, safe and welcoming? A setting can have all the right policies and still not feel right for your child, or it can feel warmly reassuring in a way that confirms your instincts. Combine the practical answers with your own impressions before deciding.
A note on when to raise concerns
If a setting is evasive about safety, staffing or how they handle distressed children, or if what you see does not match what you are told, it is reasonable to look elsewhere or to ask for clarification. Once your child has started, keep the conversation going. If your child stays severely distressed for weeks, seems frightened rather than sad, or their wellbeing declines, raise it with the manager and, if needed, seek advice from your health visitor.
Key point: Go in with a short list covering settling in, staff, the daily routine, safety, food and communication, then weigh the answers alongside how the place feels.