House helps play an important role that some parents are unable to attend to. However, a good number of them have their shortcomings that cannot be overlooked. So when relatives or friends can’t step in to help, parents are left with no option but to consider enrolling their children at the daycare – they are a practical solution indeed.

Raising children is expensive and paying for daycare can present a financial challenge. The average cost of childcare in Kenya ranges from Kshs.300 to Kshs.1,000 per day depending on the location and age of the child. That’s Kshs.9,000 to Kshs.30,000 monthly (cheaper without weekends).

Contrary to popular belief, younger children need more attention than older ones! But despite this notion, daycares still charge a flat rate for all children regardless of their ages. Is it because parents wouldn’t pay more to have their older children taken care of, or is it because working with a flat rate figure makes administration work easier?

How Daycares Determine Their Charges

Few things set most daycares apart; such as most daycares do not consider registration fees, contingency fee or even insurance.

Daycare charges are not arbitrary figures and coming up with reasonable and affordable rates requires putting into account a number factors some of which include;

• the area of operation
• the level of decoration and how well the daycare is equipped
• normal operational costs – rent, staff, licenses, extras
• hours of operation
• daycare programs involving extra activities
• a more unique arrangement
• a special needs child
• to some extent, popularity

Striking a balance is tricky when deciding on daycare rates. For a daycare owner, a pre-opening survey can do you good before deciding on what to charge for daycare services. Too high a price might lock out your potential clientele while too low a price might also keep them away but attract the unintended group.

Meals and Daycare Charges

Offering meals at a daycare present a unique challenge and cost altogether. Obviously, daycare rates without meals are cheaper than cooked food at the daycare. On the other hand, warming pre-cooked from home and not letting the children eat freshly cooked meals is a compromise.

Caregiver-to-child ratio

This could also be a determining factor in pricing. Daycares shouldn’t have too many children with fewer caregivers to save on operational costs at the expense of the children’s welfare. Pricing should be reasonable enough to cater for all these.