The director is showing you the classrooms, you’re nodding politely, and your brain is doing its best to remember everything. Then you get to the car and realize you forgot to ask the one thing you really wanted to know.
Bring this list of 25 questions to every tour. Don’t ask all of them — pick the 8 to 10 that matter most to your family. Listen for confident, specific answers (not vague ones), and notice whether the director seems energized or annoyed by your curiosity. The good ones will love that you came prepared.
Curriculum and learning
- What curriculum framework do you use, and how does it change as my child gets older?
- How do you prepare children for kindergarten, specifically?
- How much of the day is structured learning vs. free play?
- What does a typical day look like in my child’s age group?
- How do you handle children who are ahead — or behind — developmentally?
- Do you offer enrichment programs like Spanish, music, sign language, or fitness?
Teachers and staff
- What credentials and training do your lead teachers have?
- What’s the average teacher tenure at this location?
- What’s your child-to-teacher ratio in each age group?
- How do you handle staff absences or substitutes?
- Are teachers CPR and first aid certified, and how often is that refreshed?
Cleanliness, health, and safety
- What’s your daily cleaning protocol for classrooms, toys, and bathrooms?
- How do you handle illness — what’s your policy on fevers, runny noses, and pink eye?
- What security measures do you have at the entrance and during pickup?
- How do you handle allergies and dietary restrictions, especially nut-free environments?
- What’s your policy on medication during the day?
Communication and parent involvement
- How will I hear about my child’s day — daily reports, an app, photos?
- How often are formal parent-teacher conferences?
- How do you communicate with parents in an emergency?
- Are parents welcome to visit, eat lunch, or volunteer?
Logistics and policies
- What’s your full tuition cost, and what additional fees should I expect (registration, supplies, summer camp)?
- What’s your sick day, vacation, and holiday policy?
- Do you offer part-time or flexible schedules?
- What happens if my child needs to leave a classroom for behavior or other reasons?
- Can you give me two parent references in my child’s age group?
What strong answers sound like
You’re listening for specifics, not generalities. “We follow a research-based curriculum” is a non-answer. “We use the L.E.A.P. curriculum, which has weekly themes that build on each other from infants through pre-K. Right now the 4-year-olds are working on early phonics and patterns” is a real answer.
The Learning Experience Frisco (Winnie), for example, can typically point to specific weekly lesson plans, a published kindergarten-readiness checklist, and named enrichment programs (Music, Movin’ & Groovin’, Spanish, sign language, yoga) included at no extra cost. That kind of specificity is what you’re looking for everywhere you tour.
One question that always reveals a lot
Ask the director: “What’s something you’re working to improve here right now?” A confident, honest leader will have a thoughtful answer. A defensive one will say “nothing.” Trust me — every school has something they’re working on, and you want a director who knows what it is.
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