Reviewed October 17, 2026 · By the Kiddy Garden team
Start with your care date, not a fixed countdown
Contact centers once you have a likely start date and schedule. Infant places may need earlier planning, but there is no single waitlist timeline that applies to all Lake County providers.
Openings depend on the classroom, days requested, staffing and when other children move or leave. A published estimate cannot confirm a place for your family.
Before you join a list
- Share your child’s age at the planned start date and the days and hours you need.
- Ask whether there is an opening, a waitlist, or only an inquiry list.
- Ask how families are contacted and how long you have to respond.
- Get any deposit, registration fee and refund terms in writing.
- Ask when and how to check back.
A simple planning sequence
Explore: compare locations, hours and programs.
Visit: see the classroom and ask about realistic availability.
Confirm: get the agreed schedule and start date in writing.
Prepare: complete the center’s required records and discuss the first-day routine.
If you need care soon
Tell the director your actual deadline. Ask whether an alternative schedule or later start could work. Compare other providers if needed, and check whether any payment is refundable before committing.
Do not assume an older classroom is appropriate just because it has an opening. Placement depends on the child and the program’s requirements.
Ask Kiddy Garden about current availability
Call Hawthorn Woods at (847) 469-6988 or Schaumburg at (847) 352-5744. We can discuss the current options for your child; this article is not a live availability list.
Bring our daycare tour checklist. If you are exploring tuition assistance, start with the CCAP guide.
Talk through your next step
Tell us your child’s age, the schedule you need and your preferred start date.
Schedule a Tour