I am moving with my two kids to the Dordogne region (exactly where is still TBD) at the end of the year- they will be 5 and 2.5 then. I obviously need to find a school for the big kid and some sort of daycare for the little one. The amount of information available all seems quite overwhelming. There are all sorts of types of daycare? Some primary schools don't seem to be open on a Wednesday? What about the school holidays if I need to work? Is there a 'how to put your kids in school for dummies' guide anywhere?!! I have 20,000 questions

I am going to assume you are heading into the French state system and not going to private schools.

A reasonable starting point is monenfant.fr.

For schooling, talk to your local maire and they will assign your children to a local maternelle or into elementary school – which depends on the year they were born. Maternelle is obligatory from three years old, or from the academic year they turn three.

If your youngest is not of maternelle age, search for relais assistantes maternelles and les relais petite enfance. These are the groups that range from full time nursery to get togethers every week with other carers.

Yes, on Wednesdays many (most?) schools are closed. Many out of school activities are scheduled on Wednesdays. Ask the maire for a list of groups. Many activities are limited to 6 years and older.

Search for les accueils de loisirs for out-of-school services. These organisations provide holiday schools and Wednesday activities for children whose parents are working – and those that need a break.

If you do not speak French well, do not worry. The joy of this stage is that many of these people are great with little ones who also do not speak French well!

Hi,
Normally, your child will be allocated to the local school by the Mairie of the commune.
Children are normally 6 yo when they start school in France.
There are often childcare facilities for pre-school children
On a slightly different subject, do you need a visa to move to France and does that visa allow you to work?
Schoolchildren in France need to produce a vaccination record to the school and you need to obtain school insurance for the child.
HTH

Hi, as mentioned in your other post, your elder child will do last year Maternelle (Grande Section) before going up to Primaire at 6. Your local Mairie will be the first port of call, to enrol her. As Cyrian says, you need to produce a vaccination record. School insurance is easy enough, MAE is specialized in school insurance, although I suppose that you can ask it to be included in your general House and Civil Liability Insurance. We took out school and out-of-school insurance (all year) for ours' (between 13€ and 39€ p.a. nowadays, depending on what cover you want).
As for day-care, crêches (up to 3 years) are for all-day and every-day care, week-time. If there's no place available in your local one, there'll be "assistantes maternelles" who care for a few children in their own homes, or come to yours. There again, the Mairie is your first port of call....
School is compulsory from 3 years, so your younger would soon enter Maternelle (Petite Section) which is at set hours every weekday except Wednesdays, not at the parents' whim.
No school on Wednesdays (except in Lycées) and, as said, activities are organized by the Mairie for parents who work ("Centres Aérés"). Be warned that those parents who are available on Wednesdays find themselves spending the afternoons taxiing their children to activities, birthday parties, etc.... (been there, done that).
As you are asking about child-care, you must be intending to work. Whatever, you still need a Visa, but maybe you have an EU Passport?
HTH