Which names are used for centers that care for infants from about three months to three years old?

In the context of preschool education, centers that provide care for infants—typically those in the first phase of childhood from about three months to three years of age—are known by several names depending on the region.1

Common terms for these institutions include:

• Infant school1
• Day care1
• Day nursery1
• Crèche1

The term crèche is widely used not only in French-speaking countries but also in regions such as the United Kingdom, Russia, Scandinavia, Poland, and Israel. In the United States, terms like day nursery, day-care centre, and nursery school are often used interchangeably to describe various forms of child care and early educational programs.12