Daycare vs. preschool: What’s the difference?

When you’re dealing with child care for an infant or toddler, the distinction between your primary options feels pretty clear: Daycare, nanny, parent or family member. But it can get a bit muddy when you’re dealing with daycare vs. preschool, as the lines between child care and school preparation start to blur. You might find yourself questioning how the two options differ.

“While both daycare and preschool provide nurturing environments for young children, the key difference lies in their purpose,” says Gigi Schweikert, parenting and education expert and chief executive officer of Lightbridge Academy. “Daycare is primarily focused on providing safe, dependable care and typically serves children from infancy through early childhood. Preschool, however, is designed to prepare children for kindergarten through intentional, play-based learning experiences that foster cognitive, social and emotional development.”

So, how do you know which is the right fit for your family? Below, experts walk through the differences between daycare and preschool and share what factors to consider when making the choice for yourself.

Daycare vs. preschool: Age range 

If your child is in daycare, they may start as early as 6 weeks old and continue there until they start kindergarten at around 6 years old. Some child care locations may even provide after-school care for older children. This mixed-age element is a major distinction between a stand-alone preschool and daycare. 

In contrast, the age range in preschool programs is typically from 3 to 5 years old, as they prepare children for entering kindergarten.

Preschool vs. daycare: Program focus

“At its core, preschool is about education and school readiness, not just care,” says Schweikert. “While daycare provides essential care and opportunities for socialization, a preschool environment introduces children to structured routines and learning experiences.”

In preschool, she adds, children build skills to create a smoother transition to kindergarten, including:

• Early literacy.
• Problem-solving.
• STREAM (science, technology, research, engineering, art and mathematics) skills.
• Independence.
• Collaboration.
• Confidence.

However, don’t assume that learning doesn’t take place in daycare — it just might look a little different.

The term “daycare” is typically used to describe a place “in which children are cared for in a formal setting, ensuring basic health and safety needs are met… while a child’s parent or caregiver works or attends school,” says Lisa Grant, the vice president of education programs at KinderCare Learning Companies. However, she argues that the word “daycare” is antiquated because it doesn’t recognize that this form of child care also provides structured learning for children, designed with the primary purpose of supporting children’s development.

“At its core, preschool is about education and school readiness, not just care.”

— Gigi Schweikert, parenting and education expert

Daycare vs. preschool: Staff qualifications

When evaluating daycare and preschool programs near you, it can be helpful to look at staff credentials while you’re making your decision. “Preschools are often associated with credentialed teachers, but high-quality daycares also employ qualified educators and robust early childhood education programs that meet or exceed state standards,” says Schweikert.
While education and training requirements can vary by state, preschool teachers are likely to hold at least an associates degree, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, whereas education for child care workers can range from no formal education to a certificate in early childhood education.

Preschool vs. daycare at a glance

	Daycare	Preschool
Age range	6 weeks to 6+ years old	3 to 5 years old
Program focus	Age-appropriate developmental support and care.	Kindergarten readiness, including early literacy, problem solving and STREAM skills.
Staff qualifications	May range from no formal education to a certificate in early childhood education or beyond.	Requirements vary by state; often credentialed with an associate’s degree or beyond.
Schedule	Full-day, full-year care.	May be half-day, follow a school-day schedule or offer extended care.
Potty training expectations	May support and aid in potty training.	Typically requires kids to be potty trained.
Cost	Varies by state, facility and hours.	Varies by state, facility and hours. Grants and funding may be available depending on location.

Daycare vs. preschool : Schedule and hours of operation

Because preschool programs are meant to be a precursor to the public school system, they often operate on a school-day/school-year schedule, says Grant. Depending on the program, the days may also be significantly shorter — think, two to three hours a couple days a week. 

“This schedule is a great way to support children with the transition to elementary school and provides just the right amount of exposure to the structure of a school setting,” adds Grant. “However, it may not provide adequate coverage and support for working families or caregivers who attend school.”
This is an important factor to clarify when researching daycares and preschools because offerings may be different at each location. Some preschools or early childhood programs may follow the local school district’s hours and schedule, while other preschools “provide full-day, full-year care, not only supporting a family’s full-time care needs by… but also providing a rich learning experience that promotes children’s ongoing learning and development,” says Grant.

Preschool vs. daycare: Potty training expectations

Preschools may require children to be fully potty trained (especially in classrooms of older children). On the other hand, daycare centers are more likely to have the resources and provide a supportive environment for potty training, as they typically have younger clientele, says Schweikert. “Many daycare classrooms are equipped with age-appropriate, child-sized toilets located within the room itself, making it easier for children to access the bathroom quickly and comfortably,” she adds.

“Younger children or infants often need full-day care while older, potty-trained preschoolers may thrive in structured, shorter-day programs.”

— Diana McClarien, early childhood education expert

Daycare vs. preschool: Cost and funding

As with any form of child care, preschool vs. daycare cost is a big factor in making a decision. In general, one is not more expensive than the other — the average posted weekly child care cost in the U.S. is $343, according to the 2025 Cost of Care report. That said, specific costs will depend on the state, the facility, the hours of care needed and potentially even your finances (whether or not you qualify for discounted or free programs.)

Universal pre-K

For example, universal preschool isn’t available on a federal level, but most states offer it to some degree. As of the 2023-2024 school year, the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) shared that all but five states have some form of state-funded preschool (Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota and New Hampshire are the odd states out). 

However, according to NIEER’s reporting, only five states (Alabama, Hawaii, Michigan, Mississippi and Rhode Island) met the ten research-based minimum quality benchmarks they recommend.

Local pre-K funding

In addition to state offerings, “some cities subsidize early learning for low-income families and offer sliding-scale tuition models and Head Start or Early Head Start options,” as well, says Diana McClarien, vice president of the Early Head Start Network. She also advises exploring “scholarship opportunities offered by local organizations, as well as potential tax credits for child care expenses.”

When it comes to cost, if you are lucky enough to be in an area that offers preschool, don’t forget to factor in the cost of additional child care if you need a full day of coverage.

How to choose between daycare and preschool

Thankfully, when it comes to deciding between daycare and preschool, it’s not really a question of making the “correct” decision, but rather making the right one for your family. “Younger children or infants often need full-day care while older, potty-trained preschoolers may thrive in structured, shorter-day programs,” says McClarien.

And it’s important to note that even with the above-listed distinctions between daycare and preschool, there is plenty of overlap: For example, “many high-quality child care centers include preschool curriculum and structured learning segments, and many preschools offer extended day options,” adds McClarien.

“Every family is unique, so the right decision comes down to your child’s developmental needs and your family’s schedule,”adds Schweikert. “If you need flexibility and extended hours, a high-quality child care program is essential. But if your child is showing signs of readiness for more structure and learning, an educational preschool environment may offer the best opportunity for growth.”

When it comes time to choose care for your child, “evaluate programs based on what will be the best fit for their personality and learning style and the ages served within that program, in addition to your family’s overall care needs,” advises Grant.