Key difference: Preschool is the preparatory education provided to children between the ages of three and five that introduces them to the environment of school education. Daycare means the act of a child being looked after by a person, in absence of the child’s parent or legal guardian.

Preschool, as the name suggests, is the education that precedes school education. Preschool is also known by different terms such as Playgroup, Kindergarten or Nursery, across various countries in the world. Children in Preschool are taught the basics of education, along with intermittent fun activities such as games and art. Some governments are known to provide handsome subsidies to the masses, in order to supplement the Preschool educational system in their countries.

Daycare takes place when the parent or the legal custodian of a child is unable to take adequate care of it, due to his/her work commitments etc. Day care is also known as Child care or Creche in many countries. Since the child has to be taken care of during daytime, the term ‘Daycare’ was coined. Daycare basically stresses on the well-being of the child, which is why activities like playing, watching TV or sleeping, form an integral part of daycare. Daycare may or may not include a little amount of formal education as well.

Comparison between Preschool and Daycare:

Image courtesy: examiner.com, yummymummyclub.ca