Living in Mexico, Childcare Options

Many clients planning to relocate to Mexico with their families, ask us about childcare arrangements. As working parents, we are happy to share our experiences, hoping to help you find the right option for your family.

You might not be thinking of any childcare services, after all you are moving to Mexico to relax and spend more time with your kids, right? But once your and your family finally settle down, you might want to take that yoga lesson in the morning, or go out for drinks with your friends and find there is no one you trust lo leave your kids with.

Living away from home means you leave behind your family and friends, so you find yourself sitting indoors with your kids going slowly but inexorably mad, wishing you could call for grandma to come and rescue you.

Before this happens to you, know that is plenty of alternatives for childcare, here some of the most popular:


  1. Fulltime Daycare:
    There is plenty of daycare centers in the Mayan Riviera area, with services like meals, homework support and extracurricular activities. This is an excellent option for parents that have to work on a regular schedule and some of them cater for children with parents working overnight.
    Daycare centers fees vary, according to the area and services provided, as well as the group size and teacher/student ratio.  Make sure to ask around for recommendations, ask to visit the place to see their daily routines and get a feel of the place. Make sure they have emergency exits, fire extinguishers and First aid equipment and that they have an emergency service and insurance included in their fees.
  2. Daycare by the hour: this is an excellent option if you want to be at home most of the time, but want to have a night out or run errands without your children. This service is offered in limited places and can be bought by the hour or have a prepaid fee and buy a package and use it in a certain amount of time.
    The available activities are limited, these spaces tend to be a big play area, and most of them won’t offer meals or help with homework. Keep in mind that most of these centers have a TV playing continuously, which can add up to your child’s allotted TV time.
    A daycare by the hour won’t have enrolling fees so you can try different ones and see
    which one is the most convenient for you and your children.
  3. School:  If you only need a few more hours to finish your errands or your part-time job, most schools in the area offer of an extended schedule. This means your children will have lunch at school, then homework support and an extracurricular activity of their choosing.
    For younger children, schools offer classes for kids as young as two, starting with maternal (nursery) and the three grades in kindergarten. Schools tend to be more expensive than a childcare center, but they tend to have a stronger curriculum and developmental activities.
    If you have older children this can be a good option for you, since you will have one stop to drop them and pick them up.

  4. Nanny
    : Having a nanny has been a wonderful experience for our family, it’s affordable, it’s convenient and you cannot imagine life without them. Taking the kids to take beach? Yes!, Going on a weekend trip? Why not? You’ll find that having an extra pair of hands to help with the kids does wonders. You get to sit and relax, you chew on your meal for the first time since the birth of your first born – nine years ago. If you want to go this route, the easiest way to find a nanny is asking your friends or other mothers with kids. Make sure to ask for references and be sure to be around for the first days or weeks until you and your kids feel at ease with her.

We have tried a mix of all of the above, in different stages of our children’s growth and it has been a fantastic experience. People is really big on families, but go ahead and try different options to see which one is the best for you.

-By Bea Lozano

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