What is the difference between daycare and preschool?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One other critical difference...most preschools follow a traditional school calendar. So summers off, long breaks for holidays, etc.

Daycares run all year round.

Most daycares do that too. They have school session from about Sept-May. Then they switch to summer camp session for the summer. At least our daycare does this (TCCC in Tysons Corner).

I guess my point is there is some provision for summer care even if they're calling it something else. All of hte morning-only preschools I looked into (a lot in NoVa) just close shop for the summer.

Most of the half day preschools in Va offer summer camp.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One other critical difference...most preschools follow a traditional school calendar. So summers off, long breaks for holidays, etc.

Daycares run all year round.

Most daycares do that too. They have school session from about Sept-May. Then they switch to summer camp session for the summer. At least our daycare does this (TCCC in Tysons Corner).

I guess my point is there is some provision for summer care even if they're calling it something else. All of hte morning-only preschools I looked into (a lot in NoVa) just close shop for the summer.

Most of the half day preschools in Va offer summer camp.

That's true in DC too, but it's usually a few weeks long, and leaves weeks before and after that are open. A daycare center usually just keeps going. They might start calling it "camp" and change up the activities, but there isn't much of a gap. A week off for Professional Development, and then a few days at Christmas and Thanksgiving is the most I've seen.