Hi just wanted to add my 2 cents worth. I have worked in early childhood for 7 yrs and just wanted to clarify a few things. Obviously you need to feel good about the Centre and go with your gut feeling. It's also a good idea to ask for a copy of the Centre's parent handbook if they have one so that you can read the policies and most importantly the centre philosophy to see if they coincide with your beliefs. Free play based on the children's interests is what is concidered best practice in the industry especially for younger children and although it may seem like babysitting if the centre is good there will be alot more going on. If you want to do some reading google emergent curriculum. Some good questions to ask are "can I see the centre's program", and "do the children have developmental records which the parents can freely access". The centre should provide these and they should ask about your childs interests very early on. I would also suggest a few visits at the service at different times of the day especially with 2yr olds as separation anxiety is very common and one day can often be hard for young ch'n. Also expect your child to resist going to the centre after a few weeks, this stage is very common and is often about power, they no longer feel in control of the situation. Also in relation to family grouping (young ch'n and old mixed) this can be a very positive thing if done properly as young children develop social skills role modelled by older ch'n and language while the older learn empathy and nurturing skills. Hope this helps.