Daycare or Learning Center, What’s the Difference — Brain Science

While there is no legal or official distinction between a daycare and learning center, the purpose of each business model caters to different purposes. Instead, these are marketing labels that provide parents with information about the primary purpose between daycare and learning center.

Both daycare facilities and learning centers (also known as child development centers) may be licensed by the State.  Both offer hours of operation that fit most parents work schedule.

Where the differences start are in the ways children are cared for in terms of learning development.  Often, for lack of staffing, daycares tend to be in private homes and have smaller population numbers of children attending. These are typically private, for-profit ventures that allow an owner to work from home.

Child development centers are open year round and are primarily staffed by professionals who have earned college degrees in specialties like early childhood development, and, along with childcare, concentrates more on the academic, social, and disciplinary skills for early mind development.  Learning Centers are designed to take advantage of the phenomenal growth of the human brain from ages 0—5 years of age.

The first three years of life present a unique stage in the human lifecycle—the time of infancy and toddlerhood—are especially critical to children’s lifelong trajectories. During this time, children lay the neural foundations that will support development of cognition and character as they grow toward school age, adolescence and adulthood. The stronger that foundation, the more likely children are to lead healthy, productive and successful lives.  The chart below illustrates the target of learning that is now being focused on to give American children a jump ahead when discipline and learning skills are at their height.

This period of learning (0-4) is a target educators are working to enhance for families with newborn.  The U.S. has been slow to adopt measures already being used in other parts of the world.  According to a report released by the Paris-based OECD*, the United States ranks 28th out of 38 countries for the share of 4-year-olds enrolled in pre-primary education programs, at 69 percent. That’s compared with more than 95 percent enrollment rates in France, the Netherlands, Spain, and Mexico, which lead the world in early-childhood participation rates for 4-year-olds.

“Parents can actually partner with the instructors of their children in the first three years with Cardinal Kids Learning Center to provide the curriculum that makes a difference.” said Dan Tunink, board member.  “We can help guide a child’s future course by helping to apply learning and disciplinary skills at a time when children’s minds are most receptive to growth and learning.”

(Note:  To learn more, the public is invited to a free meeting Thursday, August 10 at the east elementary gymnasium.  Tours of the facility will be offered from 6:30 to 7:00 p.m. followed by an information meeting starting at 7 p.m. Refreshments will be provided.

Next week’s topic:  “How is the school involved and why should we be concerned about school enrollment?”