Lagos is a different country and most Lagosians can agree to this. Getting married, having a baby, and deciding when to enroll them in a creche around the busy streets of Lagos can be cumbersome. 

Having a toddler stuck in traffic isn't the fanciest moment. They’ll fuss until you become uneasy. Nobody wants to put their child in a slim situation. As such, when you've decided to enroll your toddler in a creche or daycare, there are certain things to remember.

Use this article as a short guide to help drizzle your way out of the many schools surrounding Lagos state. Whether you're on the Island or the Mainland, this article will help you find the best creche or daycare to meet you and your toddler's needs.

Factors to consider when choosing a creche/daycare in Lagos

Note that this list isn’t the entire areas you should focus on but rather a tipping stone to guide in your search;

• Have a list 

Have a list of 2 to 5 schools as possible options for your child. This will help you segregate their unique selling point from one another and determine if they meet your criteria. Be open and remember that seeing is believing. What you see on their website or flier may be different from the physical location. 

• Visit-in person

This can be tricky as when creches are in session, parents are probably at work too. Find time to visit the creche at their busiest hours and unannounced. However, some creches have booking policies where you have to book a tour of the facility at certain times. Check on their website or contact them beforehand. If the creche doesn't have a booking policy, you can visit around 12-2pm. This is usually when children tend to be tense and easily irritated. 

Notice the level of tidiness of the environment, the neatness of the staff, and how they engage babies and toddlers. Do they look emotionally equipped to handle crying babies at peak hours? What is the child-per-caregiver ratio? Is the environment well-ventilated? How well does the facility take security? Do they have a first aid kit in case of emergencies? And do they use age-appropriate toys for babies? Do they have a working fridge to store breast milk?

When there are a lot of crying babies unattended to, it says a lot about the creche. This is why it is important to visit yourself to see what their day-to-day looks like.

• Location

Lagos isn’t the kind of place to have your child 2 hours away from your workplace and home in the never-ending traffic hot spots. Proximity is vital when choosing a creche, especially in cases of emergencies. Would you be able to rush down from home or work conveniently in an emergency? So, picking a school that’s close to either your home or workplace is convenient.

• Recommendations

Nothing beats the good old word-of-mouth effect. Ask parents who currently have kids in the potential creche. They'll have an unbiased view of the facility. Don't just stick to one parent. Ask 2 to 3 parents to get their different perspectives on the creche. Never be shy to ask around. This is for the safety of your child. The environment your child stays in contributes to their foundational stage of learning.

• Financial capacity

Last but not least on our list, be aware of the financial implications it'll incur on you or your partner when choosing a creche. A creche doesn't have to be expensive to be excellent. While that Nigerian mentality is real, weigh your options. Would your child still learn in a vibrant environment at a lower cost? Does your child need certain assistance that a less expensive school might not be able to offer? Think this through and make your decision. 

A creche or daycare is the foundation in the formative learning years of babies and young children. Hence, choosing an excellent creche has a long-term effect on their behavioural and intellectual ability.