Questions to Ask on a Nursery Tour: 22 for Parents

On a nursery tour, ask about the licence, how many children each adult looks after, staff training, who can collect your child, illness and food policies, the daily routine, how you will hear about your child, and what the fees cover. These 22 questions fit on one page, so take them with you.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) advises touring before you enrol and visiting during open hours, so you see a real day. It is a US source, but many of its questions suit any nursery in the Gulf. Take your time and write down the answers. A question is never a rude thing to ask about your own child.

What should I ask about the licence and staff?

• May I see your licence? Does it cover this branch?
• Do you have any unresolved violations?
• What training and qualifications do the teachers have, and who holds a first-aid certificate?
• Who covers when a teacher is absent?

In Saudi Arabia, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development Controls require a separate licence for each branch (Art. 9) and a first-aid certificate for all staff (Art. 12).

What should I ask about my child's room?

• How many children and adults are in my child's room today?
• Does that change at nap time or at the end of the day?
• Who will be my child's main teacher?

A NAEYC checklist for toddler programmes says the schedule should let each toddler bond with a primary teacher.

What should I ask about safety and pickup?

• How are children supervised by sight and sound, including during naps?
• Who opens the door, and how do you record visitors?
• How do you confirm the identity of whoever collects my child, and what happens if someone not on my list arrives?
• Where are the cameras, how long are recordings kept, and when can a parent see them?
• What do you do in an emergency, and how will you reach me?

In Saudi Arabia, recordings must be kept for at least 30 days (Art. 10), and a parent may access them on a complaint (Art. 17). Elsewhere, ask what the nursery's own rule is and ask for a clear answer.

What should I ask about health and food?

• May I have your written policies on health, illness, medication and nutrition?
• When should a child stay home, and when will you call me?
• Who gives medicine, and how is it recorded?
• Which meals do you provide, who prepares them, and how do you handle allergies?

If your child has an allergy or a health condition, raise it on the tour itself, and ask how every teacher who cares for your child will know about it.

What should I ask about my child's day?

• What does a typical day look like, from arrival to pickup?
• How do you welcome a new child, and may I stay during the first days?
• Which language do teachers use with the children?

Raising Children, an Australian parenting site, suggests starting with short days where you stay, so it helps to know whether the nursery allows that before you enrol.

What should I ask about communication and fees?

• What will I hear about my child each day, and how?
• Who do I go to with a complaint, and is there a written policy?
• What do the fees include, what costs extra, and what is the refund policy if we leave?

Saudi centres must give a daily report on the child and a monthly report on acquired skills (Art. 15), and Art. 13 requires policies on complaints, contracts, payments and refunds.

What should I notice while I am there?

• Is the licence on show? In Abu Dhabi, a 2019 ADEK notice said it should be displayed in reception, though we could not confirm the notice still applies.
• Does the number of children match the licence? Kuwait Times reported that Kuwaiti licences state it.
• How do teachers speak to children when they are not busy with you?
• Is the space clean and tidy, and is the outer door closed?
• Do the answers you heard match what you see in the room?

Some nurseries use Bambini, which shows parents attendance, meals, naps, photos and messages on their phone.

Last checked 4 November 2026. This is general information, not medical advice.