What's the difference between daycare, preschool and nursery school?

For many new parents like you and I, the search for daycare is an adventure itself. Which is why earlier this month, I posted an opportunity for you to submit your daycare questions. 

The first one below is from "Confused" and answering Adventures in Baby Savings' daycare questions is my childcare expert, Kat J., the cool mommy blogger behind Childcare Chat.

Q. What's the difference between a daycare and preschool? My child is two and I don't know which one I should be enrolling her in. I don't need her in full-time care, just a few times a week. Thanks! -Confused

A.  Basically, there really isn’t a difference. Whether they’re called daycares, preschools or nursery schools, they all offer schedules. Some are willing to offer part-time childcare, while others won't. Nursery school, for instance, is usually a morning program, which runs for a few hours and is a great option for those looking to save money on childcare and expose their kids to socialization (or perhaps have a few hours during the day to get things done!).

If you need more information, I found a great link here - I feel it hits the nail on the head! 
-Kat J. 

Check back here next week, when Kat J. reveals what you need to look out for in full-time childcare. And in the meantime, if I spot any hot savings, I'll let you know!

Mastermind Warehouse Sale - ends May 26, 2013

Yesterday was the first day of the annual Mastermind Warehouse Sale - and I totally missed it! But luckily, it's running until May 26, 2013. Here are the details:

Location: International Centre, 6900 Airport Rd, Mississauga, Ont, Hall 6

Hours for the remaining days:
Friday, May 24: 8:30am-8pm
Saturday, May 25: 9am-6pm
Sunday, May 26: 11am-5pm

I got a flyer from the store which says the Warehouse Sale can save you 30-70% off. So if you see any great deals at this year's sale, let me know!

Have you been to the Mastermind Warehouse Sale before? Post your experience here - I wanna know if it's worth it!

Review: Jungle Cat World Wildlife Park, Orono, Ontario

What was supposed to be a day at the Canadian Tire Motorsport Park turned into an eye-popping experience at the Jungle Cat World Wildlife Park.

We stumbled upon this park in a little town called Orono and we thought we'd check it out. (Ok, let's be be real - we got lost, had a cranky toddler in the backseat and wanted to make the most of our road trip.)

The result? AMAZING and better than the Toronto Zoo! Here's why:

• Admission for adults is $15, toddlers ages 2 and under are free. Great price AND it's not like you're walking through a dinky pet store! Unlike the Toronto Zoo, where you can barely see a thing, you get an amazing view of the animals. Hey, my husband claims he heard a cougar crush a carcass while it was eating, what does that tell you? (No, we were not in the enclosure, we were properly situated and safe behind the fencing.)
• They had 50 cent popsicles. Woot Woot!
• The park had a decent variety of animals. If you're expecting, giraffe, alligators, elephants and the whole shebang, forget it. BUT you will see lions, tigers, cougars, monkeys, wolves, donkeys, birds, and a kangaroo and tortoise in an enclosure together.
• Not a lot of walking to do - score!  Everything is spaced out yet not too far away. 

Ok, the cons ...

• Alpaca, geese and goat poo everywhere. They're walking around being friendly with everyone, great, BUT you gotta watch where you walk. And where your kid falls.
• Not many garbage cans - don't bring a cup of coffee with you, trust me on this.
• Not much shading, so bring lots of sunscreen and wear a hat!

Bottom line: If you want to go somewhere zoo-like and you're on a budget, two thumbs up for the Jungle Cat World Wildlife Park! Great staff, good view of the animals, a super experience for the whole family - especially if you have young kids!

Have you been here? Which zoo have you taken your family to?

Betcha didn't know this place price-matches ...

Not a baby- , tot- or kid-related post, but I do believe some of you are pet owners. Which is why I'm letting you know that Petsmart price-matches, yay!

This is good news to me, as owning a pet or two, plus a kid, can be pricey.

My cats eat Iams, so I am lucky to have access to coupons from Proctor and Gamble and I can price-match. So for a 5-lb bag, I pay around $12-13 dollars, and I purchase food once a month for them. (Although they're about four years old, they're tiny cats!)

How do you save money on your pets without sacrificing their health?

Toys R Us book discount - expires Jan. 31, 2014

From my experience, Toys R Us doesn't have the best prices on books, but occasionally you'll find some good ones.

I was browsing the store last weekend and found this new savings card highlighting this deal:

Buy any 1 book, save 10%, buy any 2 books, save 15%, buy any 3 or more books, save 20%

Just read the fine print before you make your purchases: "The offer excludes clearance items, Leapfrog and Vtech hardware, Duplo Read & Build books, Imaginarium furniture, LEGO Building sets and LEGO games."

(D'oh, guess I can't just settle on their clearance books!)

There's a PDF of the savings card here. I'm not sure if you can print it out and show it to the cashier. But if you want the real Toys R Us card, just ask them.

Parent's Choice coupon in Today's Parent Newborn Guide

My daughter is two and a half, but sometimes I still like to read the newborn magazines. You never know what you'll find, right?

So when I went to a Mississauga Library location and found this new Today's Parent Guide, I discovered this deal, which I had to share with Adventures readers: A coupon for $10 off any Parent's Choice Infant Formula, woot, woot! (Expires Nov. 30, 2013)

This is in the Spring 2013 issue of Today's Parent Newborn Guide, so if you come across it and your baby or tot is on formula, pick it up. I haven't seen any decent coupons like this in awhile, so take it or leave it!

P.S. Did you check out my last post? I'm accepting your childcare questions here, which could be featured and answered by childcare expert, Kat J., author of the blog Childcare Chat. Read last week's post and submit your questions here.

Ask your childcare questions here!

So one thing that's always amazed me is the costs that go into daycare and pre-school. That said ... I'm welcoming your questions on childcare and any saving components that come with it!

I'd like to introduce to you my long-time friend, Kat J., blogger for Childcare Chat, who will be answering childcare-related queries for Adventures in Baby Savings. Check out her profile:

After graduating from Sheridan College with High Honours in Early Childhood Education I quickly began working in the childcare field. I have had varied experiences with children aged 12 months to 12 years. I have worked in a school board setting as well as a not-for-profit childcare. After recently having my own child, I have added a whole new perspective on childcare and hope that through my experiences (and keeping in mind that this is just my humble opinion) I can offer guidance to anyone curious about the ins and outs of Early Childhood Education.

So post your questions below or tweet them here. Have fun!