What Age Can a Child Start Daycare in Saskatchewan? | Age Guide | Daisy Days

One of the most common questions from new parents in Regina SK is: “How old does my baby need to be before they can start daycare?” The answer is simpler than many parents expect — and with CWELCC, the financial case for enrolling early is stronger than ever.

Minimum Age for Daycare in Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan does not set a provincial minimum age for licensed daycare. Licensed daycare centres can theoretically accept infants from birth, subject to their own internal policies and capacity.

In practice, most licensed daycares in Regina SK accept infants from 6 to 12 weeks of age (corresponding to the end of many parental leave periods). Some centres have informal minimums of 3-4 months to ensure infants have completed initial vaccinations.

Contact Daisy Days Daycare at 306-807-3233 to discuss your infant’s specific start date and current availability in our infant program.

Saskatchewan Infant Care Ratios (Birth-18 months)

Saskatchewan’s The Child Care Regulations, 2015 require a 1:3 staff-to-infant ratio — one ECE educator for every three infants. This is one of the most protective infant care ratios in Canada, and means that licensed infant programs in Saskatchewan provide substantial individual attention to each baby.

When Parents Typically Start Daycare in Saskatchewan

• 6-12 weeks: Parents returning from short parental leave (typically EI period end)
• 4-6 months: Most common infant daycare start; many parents maximize EI before returning to work
• 12-18 months: Some families take the full extended parental leave before starting daycare
• 18 months-3 years: Toddler program entry (often coincides with infant program aging out)

CWELCC from Birth — No Minimum Age

The CWELCC program in Saskatchewan applies from birth. There is no minimum age for the $10/day rate. An infant starting at Daisy Days Daycare at 8 weeks old receives the same CWELCC rate as a 4-year-old preschooler — approximately $10/day.

This means returning to work at 6-8 weeks after a baby’s birth has become financially viable for Saskatchewan families in a way it never was before CWELCC.

Choosing the Right Age to Start Daycare

There is no single “right age” to start daycare — it depends on parental leave arrangements, financial considerations, family values, and available spots. Research suggests that quality daycare from ages 1-2 produces strong developmental outcomes, though many families choose to maximize parental leave time at home first.

What matters most is the quality of the care — licensing status, ratios, educator qualifications, and responsive programming. Use our step-by-step guide to choose the right daycare in Regina SK.

→ Infant care at Daisy Days Daycare — what to expect
→ Saskatchewan daycare ratios by age group
→ Enrollment documents checklist

Contact Daisy Days Daycare to discuss your baby’s start date. | 306-807-3233 | 2007 Potts Crescent East, Regina SK S4V 2E5