Daycare Holiday Closures: Planning for School Breaks and Holidays 2026

Your daycare is closed for two weeks over winter holidays. Your preschool has spring break. Your child's school has a teacher workday you didn't know about. For working parents, daycare and school closures create a constant challenge of cobbling together care during what feels like endless breaks.

This guide helps you plan ahead, build backup systems, and survive the many days when regular childcare isn't available.

Understanding Childcare Closures

What to Expect

Typical daycare closures:

• Major holidays (Christmas, Thanksgiving, New Year's, etc.)
• Teacher training/professional development days
• Annual deep cleaning days
• Weather emergencies

Hours to know:

• 10-15 closure days per year is common
• Some programs close significantly more
• Check calendar before enrolling

Types of Closures

Planned closures (predictable):

• Major holidays
• Scheduled breaks (winter, spring, summer)
• Teacher workdays
• Annual maintenance

Unplanned closures (unpredictable):

• Weather emergencies
• Power outages
• Building issues
• Staff illness outbreak
• COVID or other illness protocols

Partial closures:

• Early dismissal days
• Late opening days
• Half-day schedules

School-Based Programs

If child is school-age:

• School holidays (10-15 days typically)
• Teacher workdays (5-10 additional days)
• Early dismissals
• Summer break (10-12 weeks)
• Winter break (1-2 weeks)
• Spring break (1 week)

The math: A school calendar often has 180 student days—leaving 185 days of the year needing alternative care if you work year-round.

Planning for Known Closures

Get the Calendar Early

When to ask:

• At enrollment (get full year)
• Each fall (for coming year)
• Ongoing (check for updates)

Create a master calendar:

• All closure dates
• Early dismissals
• School events
• Your work deadlines
• Partner's schedule
• Backup availability

Common Holiday Closures

Most daycares close for: | Holiday | Typical Closure | |---------|-----------------| | New Year's Day | 1 day | | MLK Day | 1 day | | Presidents Day | Sometimes | | Memorial Day | 1 day | | Independence Day | 1 day | | Labor Day | 1 day | | Columbus/Indigenous Peoples Day | Sometimes | | Veterans Day | Sometimes | | Thanksgiving | 2-4 days | | Winter holidays | 1-10 days |

Varies widely:

• Religious programs may close for additional holidays
• Some close between Christmas and New Year's
• Some offer care during breaks at additional cost

Planning Coverage

For each closure, decide:

• Can you or partner take off?
• Is family available?
• Do you have backup babysitter?
• Is employer backup care an option?
• Can you work from home?

Divide and conquer:

• Split holidays with partner
• Rotate with other families
• Mix strategies by closure

Building Your Backup System

The Backup Roster

Layer 1: Family

• Grandparents
• Local relatives
• Family who visits during holidays

Layer 2: Paid care

• Regular babysitter
• Backup babysitter list
• Backup care services
• Drop-in care programs

Layer 3: Other parents

• Trade childcare days
• Co-coverage with friends
• School/daycare parent network

Layer 4: Professional options

• Holiday camps and programs
• Employer backup care
• Extended care at school/daycare if offered

Finding Holiday-Specific Care

Holiday camps:

• Many offer school break coverage
• YMCAs, community centers, museums
• Day camps during winter/spring break
• Often themed (art, science, sports)
• Book early—popular ones fill

Drop-in care:

• Some daycares accept drop-in
• Register in advance
• May have limited spots
• Higher daily rates

Emergency sitters:

• Agencies that specialize in last-minute
• Care.com, Sittercity
• College students home for break

Managing Summer Care

The Summer Challenge

If your child is in preschool or school:

• 10-12 weeks of summer
• Regular care may not be available
• Summer camp costs can equal school year
• Different schedule than school year

Summer Options

Summer day camps:

• Full-day programs
• Themed or general
• Various providers (YMCA, parks, private)
• Often week-by-week enrollment
• Transport may be required

Summer programs at school/daycare:

• Some continue through summer
• May be additional cost
• Familiar environment
• May have different hours

Extended family time:

• Grandparent visits
• Trips to relatives
• Family vacation coverage

Part-time work or schedule change:

• Reduce hours for summer
• Work-from-home arrangements
• Flexible scheduling

Nanny or babysitter:

• Hire for summer specifically
• College students available
• Share with another family

Summer Planning Timeline

January-February:

• Research camp options
• Note registration dates
• Budget for summer costs

March-April:

• Register for camps (popular ones fill)
• Coordinate with partner
• Confirm family help

May:

• Finalize full summer calendar
• Arrange transportation
• Prepare for transitions

School-Age Childcare Gaps

Types of Gaps

Before and after school:

• Extended care programs
• Nanny/babysitter
• Neighbors or family

School holidays during work days:

• All the breaks mentioned above
• 2-4 weeks total beyond summer

Teacher workdays:

• Often unexpected or forgotten
• Can be 5-10 per year
• Usually single days

Half days:

• Early dismissals
• Conference days
• End of grading periods

Coverage Strategies

Before/after school:

• School-based programs
• YMCA or community programs
• Nanny or sitter
• Neighbors or family
• Self-care (older children, with guidelines)

Full days off:

• Day camps
• Drop-in programs
• Family
• Vacation days
• Work from home

Half days:

• Early pickup by sitter
• Half-day camps
• Parent takes partial day
• Neighbor covers

When Partners Both Work

Dividing Coverage

Strategies:

• Alternate taking holidays
• One parent covers winter, other spring
• Rotate by year
• Based on work flexibility

Example split:

• Parent A: MLK Day, Spring Break
• Parent B: Presidents Day, Winter Break
• Both: Thanksgiving (both may be off)
• Trade: Based on work demands each year

Coordinating Schedules

Make it work:

• Plan at start of year
• Put all closures in shared calendar
• Discuss work conflicts early
• Have backup for when both can't cover

Dealing with Unexpected Closures

Snow Days and Weather

Be prepared:

• Know your area's likelihood
• Have backup list ready
• Discuss with employer in advance
• Know neighbor/friend availability

When it happens:

• Check early morning
• Contact backups immediately
• Communicate with work early
• Be flexible about work location

Emergency Closures

Types:

• Power outages
• Building issues
• Staff shortages
• Illness outbreaks
• Safety concerns

How to handle:

• Have backup plan ready
• Stay calm
• Contact backups
• Communicate with work
• Check for updates on reopening

Illness Closures

When daycare closes for illness outbreak:

• May be several days
• Little warning
• Often during busy seasons
• May affect your backups too

Planning ahead:

• Multiple backup options
• Work flexibility discussion
• Family on standby
• Accept some chaos

Work Considerations

Communicating with Your Employer

What to discuss:

• Expected closures you know about
• Your coverage plan
• Times you may need flexibility
• Remote work options

Building flexibility:

• Demonstrate reliability
• Plan ahead when possible
• Offer solutions, not just problems
• Be proactive about coverage

Using Paid Time Off

Strategic use:

• Save some PTO for closures
• Use for gaps you can't otherwise cover
• Combine with partner's PTO
• Consider half-days when possible

Employer Backup Care Benefits

If available:

• Understand the benefit fully
• Register before you need it
• Know the booking process
• Use for unexpected closures

Typical benefits:

• 10-20 days per year
• Subsidized cost ($15-50/day)
• In-center or in-home options
• May require advance booking

Cost Planning

Budgeting for Closures

Costs to anticipate:

• Backup babysitter fees
• Holiday camp costs
• Summer camp costs
• Drop-in care fees
• Lost wages if you miss work

Ballpark:

• Backup sitter: $100-200 per closure day
• Day camp: $200-500 per week
• Summer camp: $2,000-5,000+ for summer

Reducing Costs

Strategies:

• Trade with other parents (free)
• Use family help (free or low cost)
• Book camps early (early bird discounts)
• Look for scholarship programs
• Use employer benefits
• FSA for camp costs (if qualifies)

Key Takeaways

Plan ahead:

• Get full calendar at start of year
• Identify every closure date
• Plan coverage well in advance
• Book camps early

Build your network:

• Multiple backup options
• Family, friends, paid sitters
• Other parents for trading
• Professional services

Prepare for surprises:

• Unexpected closures will happen
• Have backup plan ready
• Communicate with employer
• Stay flexible

Budget realistically:

• Closure coverage costs money
• Factor into childcare budget
• Use employer benefits
• Get creative with trades

Work with your partner:

• Divide coverage responsibilities
• Communicate about conflicts
• Have backup when both stuck
• Be a team

Daycare closures are an inevitable part of working parenthood. The families who handle them best are those who plan ahead, build strong backup networks, and accept that some chaos is unavoidable. Start planning now, and next year's winter break won't catch you off guard.

---

Related guides you may find helpful:

• Daycare for Shy Children: Helping Introverts Th...
• Child-Led Learning in Childcare: What It Means ...
• Potty Training at Daycare 2026
• Attachment Theory and Childcare 2026