While filming the moment Marvin knocks over crates of snacks and topples over the gate of the new day-care centre, Steve Zahn fractured his wrist. As a result, his final scenes were cut because he required a plaster cast.
When Phil Ryerson glides into view with his guitar, it’s an homage to Tom Cruise's famed underwear slide in Risky Business (1983). The staircase behind him sits in the same position as in that film. The only difference is that Phil is fully dressed and enters from the right rather than the left.
Ben Hinton remarks to Eddie Murphy's character, 'I can see your eye twitching!' In Shrek (2001), Murphy's character Donkey says, 'Look at my eye twitching!'
John Goodman was under consideration for the part of Phil.
Two distinct excerpts from The Three Stooges shorts were screened: Becca watched Punch Drunks (1934), while Crispin watched Pardon My Scotch (1935).
Becca, the little girl who phones the woman in Hong Kong after Charlie has the children run a play in American football, was a nod to the man in the Verizon mobile-phone advert: "Can you hear me now?"
Eddie Murphy and Steve Zahn featured in the film Dr. Dolittle 2 (2001); Murphy took the title role while Zahn provided the voice of Archie the bear. Both films were directed by Steve Carr.
A recurring gag references Star Trek. Eddie Murphy was considered for a part in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986), but he never became part of the Trek universe.
Max Burkholder and Jimmy Bennett, who portrayed Max and The Flash/Tony, both lent their voices to Roo in Disney's Winnie the Pooh series. Bennett voiced Roo in Winnie the Pooh: Springtime with Roo (2004) and Pooh's Heffalump Halloween Movie (2005), while Burkholder provided the voice of Roo in My Friends Tigger & Pooh (2007).
Eddie Murphy appears as a character named Charlie. He also had a brother called Charlie Murphy. The filmmakers maintain that this was purely coincidental.
Cheap Trick actually perform during the charity fair sequence.
Charlie is behind the wheel of a 2000-model Mercedes‑Benz CLK (A208).
On its cinematic release, the film was preceded by an animated short from Sony Pictures Imageworks Early Bloomer (2003). That short was included on the film's DVD release.
The people carrier turned out to be a 2001 Chevrolet Venture.
Steve Zahn and Rachel Harris later went on to co‑star in the film Diary of a Wimpy Kid.
The car belonging to Bruce's wife is a 2000 Mercedes‑Benz S‑Class (W220).
Ben owns SpongeBob SquarePants (1999) slippers. As noted in the 'Meet the Kids' featurette on the DVD, Khamani Griffin is a fan of the series.
Lacey Chabert turned 20 whilst Daddy Day Care was being filmed.
Both Eddie Murphy and Kevin Nealon featured in the cast of the television programme Saturday Night Live. Murphy's tenure lasted from 1980–1984, whilst Nealon's ran from 1986–1995.
Dan Kubitz is seen driving a 1988 Ford Festiva.
Eddie Murphy reportedly declined the part of Dr Buddy Rydell in Anger Management (2003) in favour of appearing in Daddy Day Care (2003). The role was ultimately taken by Jack Nicholson. Both films were distributed by Columbia Pictures.
While Daddy Day Care was being filmed, Lacey Chabert was promoting The Wild Thornberrys Movie. Notably, that film premiered a month after production on Daddy Day Care had concluded.
Kevin Nealon and Lacey Chabert later reunited to appear together in an episode of the series Glenn Martin, DDS.
During the festival, a member of the crowd is spotted wearing a Cleveland Browns shirt linked to Tim Couch.
