Choosing childcare that fits your schedule and your children's needs can be hard. Read these tips to help you choose and print out and use the tools below to help you look for the right childcare.

• Learn about the different types of childcare. For example, what are the benefits of using "formal" childcare like a daycare center or "informal" childcare, like your aunt or another babysitter? Formal childcare may have more educational activities and prepare children for school while informal childcare may have evening or weekend hours.
  
  
• Before choosing childcare, visit and ask lots of questions. Take the time to visit each childcare provider. See what activities are offered, if the place is clean and how many staff members are working. Try to have at least three places to choose from.
  
  
• Find a childcare program in your neighborhood, close to transportation, or near your work. You can contact a Childcare Resource & Referral Agency (link to Help Finding Childcare page) to get a list of childcare in your area. Reach out to other community organizations that have childcare programs in your area or can help you find one.
  
  
• Make short-term plans if what you want isn't available right now. Many daycare centers have long waitlists. It can take more time to find a spot in a center-based program or with a place that has evening and overnight care. Don't give up - put your name on the waitlist and make other plans until what you want opens up.

• Use our Types of Childcare chart to see a list of the different types of childcare and the "pros and cons" of each kind.
  
  
• Use our Choosing Childcare Checklist to help you decide what type of childcare is right for your family. It gives you a list of things to think about when visiting childcare places, like safety, cleanliness, and activities.
  
  
• Use our Staff to Child Chart to see the number of staff members each childcare place should have for the number and age of the children in care.