Childcare is the supervision and care of young children, usually while their parents are working or busy with other responsibilities. A childcare provider might be a babysitter watching kids for an evening, a daycare center caring for toddlers during the workday, or an after-school program where elementary students go until their parents finish work.

Good childcare involves keeping children safe while helping them learn, play, solve conflicts with other children, and develop important skills. A childcare worker might read stories, organize games, help with homework, prepare snacks, and comfort a homesick child. In many countries, early childcare programs teach basic skills like counting, sharing, and following instructions that prepare children for kindergarten.

Parents often face tough decisions about childcare: Should they hire a nanny to come to their home? Enroll their child in a daycare center? Ask grandparents to help? Each family solves this puzzle differently based on their needs, schedules, and resources. The term can also refer to the cost of these services, which families budget for carefully. Some parents take turns providing childcare, with one parent working while the other stays home, and then switching roles.