Runny Nose at Daycare: Sick Policy and When to Stay Home

Updated November 2026.

A runny nose or a mild cough on its own is usually not a reason to keep a child home from daycare. Keep your child home if they have a fever, trouble breathing, or are too sick to take part in the day. Green or yellow mucus by itself does not mean your child needs antibiotics or has to stay home.

Here is a simple way to decide on a cold-weather morning, based on Illinois licensing rules and advice from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH).

Usually fine for daycare

• Clear, white, yellow or green runny nose
• Mild cough, without trouble breathing
• Sneezing
• A lingering cough after a cold, which can last two to three weeks
• Your child is eating, playing and acting mostly like themselves

Young children in group care catch many colds, especially in their first year. A runny nose can come and go for weeks. See how often daycare kids get sick.

Keep your child home if

• They have a fever. Keep them home until they have been fever-free for 24 hours without fever-reducing medicine and their symptoms are getting better.
• They have trouble breathing, such as fast breathing, wheezing, or the skin pulling in between the ribs.
• They are unusually tired, fussy or crying a lot.
• They cannot take part in the day, or need more care than teachers can give without neglecting other children.
• Their cough comes in fits that end in vomiting or a whooping sound. Call your pediatrician.

Illinois licensing rules for day care centers require staff to screen children every morning and to exclude children with fever and a change in behavior, unusual lethargy or irritability, persistent crying, difficult breathing, or illness that keeps them from participating comfortably. Read our guide to daycare fever rules.

Call the pediatrician if

• Your baby is under 3 months and has a fever of 100.4°F or higher
• Breathing seems hard or fast
• Your child is not drinking or has fewer wet diapers
• Fever lasts more than 2 to 3 days
• Ear pain, eye discharge or a sore throat develops
• A cough lasts more than 3 weeks

Get emergency care for severe trouble breathing, bluish lips, or a child who is very hard to wake.

What about cold medicine?

The AAP advises against over-the-counter cough and cold medicines for children under 4. Do not give honey to babies under 1 year. For comfort, try saline drops and gentle suction for babies, a cool-mist humidifier, and plenty of fluids.

Helping a child with a cold at daycare

• Send extra tissues and a labeled water bottle for older toddlers.
• Tell the teacher about any new symptoms in the morning.
• Ask the teacher to let you know if your child seems worse during the day.
• Keep up handwashing at home and at drop-off.

Frequently asked questions

Can my child go to daycare with a runny nose?

Usually yes, if there is no fever and your child is acting well enough to take part in the day.

Does green snot mean my child is contagious or needs antibiotics?

Not by itself. Mucus often turns green or yellow during a normal cold.

Can my child go to daycare with a cough?

A mild cough without fever or breathing trouble is usually fine. Keep your child home if the cough comes with fever, trouble breathing or coughing fits.

How long after a fever can my child go back?

Once they have been fever-free for 24 hours without fever-reducing medicine and their symptoms are getting better.

When a child gets sick at Children's Land

If a child becomes sick during the day at Children's Land, the director calls the designated adult from the Emergency Information Form, and the child rests away from the group until pickup. Learn about our toddler program, find a location, or contact us.

Related reading: Daycare Fever Rules: When Your Child Has to Stay Home.