Daycares open on weekends are not as easy to find as daycares with regular weekday hours, but they can be a fantastic resource for many families. If one or both parents work on the weekend, or if a stay-at-home parent needs some time to run errands or relax for a few hours, weekend daycare is a great option. Some parents might also want give their children access to the social or pre-academic environment that a daycare center can provide, but can only afford one or two days a week. Whatever the reason, a babysitter might not always be as good as weekend child care centers. Weekend child care can come in various shapes and sizes, from smaller home-based daycares to larger child care centers open on weekends. However, because it is less common than full-time daycare or weekday part-time daycare, parents may not always have many options to choose from. For parents who only need a few hours of child care on Saturday or Sunday, another option to consider would be drop in daycare. Typically, programming will mimic what happens on weekdays, but it's possible that a less structured schedule or additional extracurricular activities will be offered on weekends. Child care providers offering weekend child care services usually have the same training as full-time daycare employees. In fact, many full-time teachers and caregivers also work part-time at weekend daycare centers. However, it's always smart to ask for a State license or County permit, and confirm that all employees have received the proper training and undergone the required background checks. Finally, if you don't intend to drop-off your child at the same time and day each week, you should inquire about drop-off daycare policies and whether there is a difference in daycare cost compared to having your child on a fixed schedule.