Requirements may vary by location, but in general a daycare director needs at least 60 college credits -- the equivalent of an associate's degree. The specific classes should include early childhood psychology, child psychology and adolescent psychology. A daycare director should know how to make lesson plans, how to target projects and lessons for specific age groups and how to deal with interpersonal problems with students. The daycare director may need to supervise less qualified personnel and is required to know CPR and basic first aid.
Daycare operations include creating contracts with parents, maintaining liability insurance, maintaining building and playground areas, billing and collections, ordering, menu planning, payroll accounting and other general business activities. A person planning to run a daycare should take basic bookkeeping and payroll accounting; they could benefit also from basic carpentry.
Hygiene is essential when caring for children. A daycare owner should know how to clean bathrooms, walls, floors, toys and fabrics using non-toxic cleaners. The owner should be aware of child-safe building standards, such as the type of paint recommended for use around small children, how to prevent spread of common pests such as head lice. This type of instruction may be best covered through small workshops or classes offered by Family Services or local Health Centers.
Meals are a vital part of a daycare service. They need to be nutritious, appropriate, and budget conscious. Daycare cooks need to be trained in preparing various types of diets, including meals for children who are lactose intolerant or diabetic. They need to be able to prepare a variety of simple foods with high kid appeal and know the appropriate serving amounts for different age groups. Food service classes would be beneficial and are often offered at community or trade colleges.