Childminder Family or Daycare? The Honest Comparison

Childminder Family or Daycare? The Honest Comparison

Daycare or childminder family? Thousands of Swiss parents ask themselves this question every year. Both forms of care have clear strengths — and honest weaknesses. In most guides you read diplomatic phrases like "it depends on the individual needs". That is of course true — but this article goes a step further and names the specific advantages and disadvantages from the parents' perspective. With cost tables, daily routine comparison and an honest assessment of which form of care suits which child best.

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At a Glance: Childminder Family vs. Daycare

Criterion	Childminder Family	Daycare
Staff-to-child ratio	1:3 to 1:5	1:5 to 1:8 (age-dependent)
Group size	3–5 children (mixed)	8–20 children per group
Opening hours	Often more flexible (6:30–18:30)	Mostly 7:00–18:00
Costs	CHF 8–12/hr	CHF 90–150/day
Pedagogical concept	Everyday-oriented, family-like	Structured programme
Supervisory authority	Cantonally licensed	Cantonally licensed
Location	Carer's private household	Dedicated premises
Settling in	Often more individualised and quicker	Standardised settling-in process
Social contacts	Small, mixed-age group	Larger, mostly same-age group
Meals	Freshly cooked, family-style	Professional kitchen or catering

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Daily Routine: What a Typical Day Looks Like

Childminder Family

Time	Activity
7:00	Arrival, free play
8:30	Shared morning snack
9:00	Going out: playground, forest, shopping
11:30	Shared lunch (freshly cooked)
12:30	Afternoon nap / quiet time
14:00	Crafts, reading aloud, free play
15:30	Afternoon snack
16:00	Playing indoors or outdoors
17:30–18:00	Pick-up

Everyday life in a childminder family follows normal family life. The children experience everyday situations — shopping, cooking, walking the dog — and learn practical life skills along the way.

Daycare

Time	Activity
7:00	Arrival time, free play
9:00	Morning circle (greeting, songs, topic of the day)
9:30	Guided activity (crafts, painting, music, gymnastics)
10:30	Morning snack
11:00	Free play or garden time
11:30	Lunch
12:30	Afternoon nap / quiet time
14:00	Afternoon activity (project, outing, experiment)
15:30	Afternoon snack
16:00	Free play, staggered pick-up
18:00	Daycare closes

The daycare daily routine is more structured, with a pedagogical programme tailored to children's development. There are guided activities, projects and often a thematic weekly plan.

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Cost Comparison

Childminder Family

Childminder family costs are generally calculated per hour:

Canton/Region	Cost per hour	Cost per day (10 hrs)	Cost per month (2 days/week)
German-speaking Switzerland	CHF 8–10	CHF 80–100	CHF 700–870
Western Switzerland	CHF 7–9	CHF 70–90	CHF 610–780
Major cities	CHF 9–12	CHF 90–120	CHF 780–1,040

These costs are before subsidies. Many municipalities subsidise childminder family places just like daycare places.

Daycare

Daycare costs are mostly calculated per day or half-day:

Canton/Region	Cost per day (private)	Cost per day (subsidised)	Cost per month 2 days/week (private)
German-speaking Switzerland	CHF 100–140	CHF 20–80	CHF 870–1,220
Western Switzerland	CHF 90–130	CHF 15–70	CHF 780–1,130
Major cities	CHF 120–160	CHF 25–90	CHF 1,040–1,390

Cost Comparison: What Is Cheaper?

Care extent	Childminder family (average)	Daycare private (average)	Daycare subsidised (average)
2 days/week	CHF 740/mo.	CHF 1,000/mo.	CHF 500/mo.
3 days/week	CHF 1,110/mo.	CHF 1,500/mo.	CHF 750/mo.
5 days/week	CHF 1,850/mo.	CHF 2,500/mo.	CHF 1,250/mo.

Cost conclusion: Childminder families are generally 20–30% cheaper than daycare centres with private funding. However, with subsidised daycare places, daycare can be cheaper — depending on income and municipality. More on daycare costs at Daycare Costs in Switzerland.

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Flexibility: Opening Hours, Illness, Holidays

Opening Hours

	Childminder Family	Daycare
Earliest opening	Often from 6:30	Mostly from 7:00
Latest closing	Often until 18:30–19:00	Mostly until 18:00–18:30
Saturday	Individually negotiable	Rarely
Overnight	Possible (by arrangement)	No
Spontaneous changes	Often possible	Mostly not possible

Child Illness

	Childminder Family	Daycare
Mild cold	Often not a problem	Mostly allowed
Fever	Individual — some accept children with mild fever	Usually not allowed above 38.5 °C
Stomach bug	Mostly not	Not allowed (24–48 hrs symptom-free)
Individual carer ill	No substitute — child stays home	Internal cover

Childminder family advantage: Many childminder families are more accommodating with minor illnesses than daycare centres. This can be a decisive factor for working parents.

Daycare advantage: When a carer at daycare is absent, there is cover. If the childminder family is ill, care drops out entirely — a disadvantage you need to plan for.

Holidays

	Childminder Family	Daycare
Operational closures	Individual (often 2–4 weeks)	Mostly 2–3 weeks (summer + Christmas)
Holiday care	Some also offer holiday care	Mostly reduced operation during holidays

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Which Child Suits Which Option?

Childminder family is particularly suitable for:

• Babies and toddlers (0–2 years): The small setting and close attachment figure provide security. The staff-to-child ratio of 1:3 to 1:5 allows for plenty of individual attention.
• Shy or sensitive children: Children who feel uncomfortable in large groups often flourish in the small childminder family.
• Children who miss siblings: In the mixed-age group of a childminder family, they experience sibling-like dynamics.
• Families with irregular working hours: If you work shifts or need early/late care.
• Families in rural areas: Where there is no daycare nearby.

Daycare is particularly suitable for:

• Children from 2–3 years: At this age, children actively seek contact with peers and benefit from the larger group.
• Sociable, curious children: Children who need many playmates and variety.
• Children who need structure: The pedagogical programme provides support and orientation.
• Children with language needs: The larger group promotes language development — especially for children with a different mother tongue.
• Families who need reliability: Daycare centres are less likely to cancel because there are multiple carers.

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Staff-to-Child Ratio: What Does It Mean in Practice?

The staff-to-child ratio describes the relationship between carers and children. According to kibesuisse, the following benchmarks apply:

Daycare

Children's age	Recommended ratio
0–18 months (infants)	1:3 to 1:4
18 months – 3 years	1:5 to 1:6
3–5 years (preschool)	1:6 to 1:8

Childminder Family

Setting	Typical ratio
Childminder family (incl. own children)	1:3 to 1:5
Childminder family (max. per licence)	1:5 (depending on canton)

What does this mean? In a childminder family, a toddler generally receives more individual attention than in a daycare group. At the same time, daycare offers more diversity in activities and more same-age playmates. A detailed comparison of all forms of care can be found in our guide Daycare, Playgroup or Childminder: The Comparison.

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Quality: How Do I Recognise a Good Childminder Family or Daycare?

Quality Features of a Good Childminder Family

• Licence: The childminder family has a valid licence from the responsible cantonal authority
• Training: The carer has completed a first aid course for children and ideally further pedagogical training
• Premises: Child-safe, clean household with sufficient space to play (indoors and outdoors)
• Criminal record extract: The carer has provided a current criminal record extract and special private extract
• Network: The childminder family is affiliated with a childminder association (e.g. kibesuisse member), which offers professional advice and further training
• Observation: Visit the childminder family unannounced or for a trial session — how does the carer interact with the children?

More tips can be found in our guide Finding a Childminder: How to Go About It.

Quality Features of a Good Daycare

• Licence: Valid cantonal operating licence
• Pedagogical concept: Written concept addressing children's development
• Staff-to-child ratio: Compliance with recommended benchmarks
• Qualified staff: At least 50% trained professionals (FaBe, diploma level)
• Parent meetings: Regular development discussions
• Transparency: Open communication, parents are always welcome
• QualiKita label: Daycare centres with the quality label from kibesuisse meet particularly high standards

A detailed guide can be found in our article Recognising Daycare Quality.

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Combination Models: The Best of Both Worlds

More and more families are choosing a combination model — and for good reason. The advantages of both forms of care can be combined:

Example: 2 Days Daycare + 1 Day Childminder Family

• Monday + Wednesday: Child at daycare (social contacts, pedagogical programme)
• Friday: Child at childminder family (family atmosphere, flexibility)
• Tuesday + Thursday: Child with parents

Advantages of this combination:

• Child has peers at daycare and a close attachment figure at the childminder family
• When daycare is closed (operational holidays), the childminder family can step in
• The childminder family may be more accommodating with minor illness

Disadvantages:

• Two settling-in periods needed
• More coordination for parents
• Child must adapt to two different environments

Tip: With a combination model, it is important that daycare and childminder family are on different days — not split within the same day. This way the child has a clear attachment figure and a clear place each day.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Does a childminder family need a licence?

Yes. In most cantons, a childminder family needs a licence as soon as they regularly care for other people's children. The licence requirement varies by canton but usually starts from one child. The licence is granted by the municipality or canton.

Can childminder family places be subsidised?

Yes, in many municipalities childminder family places are subsidised just like daycare places — provided the childminder family is affiliated with a recognised association and has a valid licence.

What if the childminder family falls ill?

This is the biggest disadvantage of the childminder family: if the carer is unavailable, there is no substitute. Some childminder associations organise replacement care, but this is not guaranteed. Plan a back-up for this situation (grandparents, neighbours, emergency nanny).

Can I switch from childminder family to daycare over time?

Yes, many families start with a childminder family (for the baby phase) and switch to daycare at around 2–3 years when the child benefits from the larger group. This is a very common and proven model.

Are childminder families less professional than daycare centres?

Not necessarily. Childminder families that are affiliated with an association receive regular professional advice and further training. The care is different — more family-oriented and everyday-focused — but no less valuable. What counts is the quality of the relationship between the carer and the child.

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Conclusion

Childminder family or daycare — both forms of care have their place. The childminder family offers more closeness, smaller groups and greater flexibility. Daycare scores with its pedagogical programme, larger children's groups and reliability. For many families, a combination of both forms is the ideal solution. In the end, it is not the form of care that determines quality, but the people who look after your child.

Find the right daycare or childminder family near you now on kizi.ch — and compare options that suit your family.

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Sources: kibesuisse — Swiss Childcare Association, Swiss Association of Childminder Family Organisations, Federal Social Insurance Office (BSV), cantonal guidelines for supplementary childcare. As of: February 2026.