Best day care centers
2,314 in the Bay Area
Licensed centers with classrooms, teachers and full-day schedules for infants through school-age kids.
Most in: San Jose San Francisco Fremont Sunnyvale
Learn about day care centers →☀ Updated November 2026 · All 9 counties
Best Daycares in the Bay Area
Compare 5,656 top-rated day care centers, preschools, family day care homes and child care agencies in 118 Bay Area cities, ranked by 40,089 real parent reviews. Check hours and perks, then book a tour.
Popular: San Francisco San Jose Fremont Oakland Sunnyvale San Mateo
- 5,656daycares & preschools
- 118Bay Area cities
- 9counties
- 40,089parent reviews
- 4.8★avg. rating
Top-rated daycares in the Bay Area
The 12 highest-rated Bay Area daycares and preschools right now, each with 20 or more parent reviews (no more than two per city). Tap one to see hours, perks and how to book a tour.
#1Art & Soul School of Creative & Performing ARTS★★★★★ 5.0 (461)Preschool · Santa Rosa
#2Primrose School of Livermore★★★★★ 5.0 (96)Preschool · Livermore
#3Little Learners Academy★★★★★ 5.0 (96)Preschool · Fremont · Northgate
#4Tutu School Alameda★★★★★ 5.0 (82)Preschool · Alameda
#5Butterflies Academy★★★★★ 5.0 (80)Preschool · Saratoga · Golden Triangle
#6Aasaan Day Care and Learning Center★★★★★ 5.0 (80)Day care center · Fremont · Sundale
#8Genius Kids Dougherty Dublin - Preschool Full-time & Afterschool K-5/ Summer Camp/ Winter Camp★★★★★ 5.0 (70)Day care center · Dublin
#9Tutu School Willow Glen★★★★★ 5.0 (69)Preschool · San Jose · Willow Glen
#10Tutu School Pleasanton★★★★★ 5.0 (62)Preschool · Pleasanton
#12Genius Kids Preschool and Day Care Center San Ramon★★★★★ 5.0 (61)Day care center · San RamonHow we rank: Google ratings weighted by number of reviews, so a single 5-star review can't beat hundreds of happy families. More in the FAQ.
Best daycares in the Bay Area by type of care
We only list the four Google categories that make up daycare in the Bay Area. No dog daycares or adult day programs. Compare all four types of care →
Best preschools
2,040 in the Bay Area
Play-based, Montessori, bilingual and play-to-learn programs that get 2 to 5 year olds ready for kindergarten.
Most in: San Francisco San Jose Oakland Fremont
Learn about preschools →Best family day care homes
663 in the Bay Area
Small, cozy care run out of a provider's own home, often with mixed ages and flexible hours.
Most in: San Francisco San Jose Sunnyvale Fremont
Learn about family day care homes →Best child care agencies
639 in the Bay Area
Organizations that run several programs, match families with providers or help with child care subsidies.
Most in: San Francisco San Jose Oakland Palo Alto
Learn about child care agencies →- 1,272open by 7 AM
- 373open till 6:30 PM+
- 285offer weekend care
- 445take tour bookings online
- 4,285wheelchair accessible
- 760women & minority-owned
Most popular Bay Area cities for daycare
The cities with the most daycares, preschools and family child care homes, with their average parent rating.
Find the best daycare in your Bay Area county
Pick a county, then a city. Every city page has a map, filters for early drop-off, weekend care and more, plus the families' favorites. See every county's top-rated daycares →
San Francisco County
Cable cars, foggy mornings and tiny explorers
777 places in 1 city
Santa Clara County
Silicon Valley's orchard-grown little learners
1,379 places in 17 cities
Alameda County
East Bay care from Berkeley to Livermore
1,261 places in 17 cities
San Mateo County
Peninsula care from the bay to the beach
600 places in 19 cities
Contra Costa County
Mount Diablo country and sunny suburbs
819 places in 27 cities
Marin County
Redwoods, trails and outdoor-loving kids
266 places in 13 cities
Sonoma County
Up, up and away in the North Bay
255 places in 14 cities
Solano County
Sweet spots from Vallejo to Vacaville
242 places in 7 cities
Napa County
Wine-country towns with small-town care
57 places in 3 cities
How to choose the best daycare in the Bay Area
Eight things to check on every tour. Want the full list of questions to ask? Open the printable tour checklist →
- 1
Check the license
Look up the provider on California's Community Care Licensing site for inspection reports and capacity.
- 2
Count the grown-ups
Ask about the adult-to-child ratio for your child's age group and how they cover staff breaks.
- 3
Peek at a normal day
A good program can walk you through naps, meals, outdoor play and quiet time.
- 4
Ask about health & safety
Learn the illness policy, how they handle allergies and who is trained in pediatric CPR.
- 5
Watch the kids
Happy, busy, engaged children are the best review a daycare can get.
- 6
Talk money early
Tuition, deposits, late-pickup fees, holiday closures and whether subsidies are accepted.
- 7
Ask how they keep in touch
Daily reports, photos, an app or a quick chat at pickup? Pick what fits your family.
- 8
Trust your gut
If you can picture your child running in happy at drop-off, you've probably found it.
Best daycares in the Bay Area: common questions
What are the best daycares in the Bay Area?
Based on Google ratings weighted by review count (20+ reviews each), the top-rated Bay Area daycares right now are Art & Soul School of Creative & Performing ARTS in Santa Rosa (5.0★, 461 reviews); Primrose School of Livermore in Livermore (5.0★, 96 reviews); Little Learners Academy in Fremont (5.0★, 96 reviews); Tutu School Alameda in Alameda (5.0★, 82 reviews); Butterflies Academy in Saratoga (5.0★, 80 reviews). Every city page also lists its own top three parent favorites.
How many daycares are in the Bay Area?
We list 5,656 child care providers across 118 Bay Area cities and all nine counties: 2,314 day care centers, 2,040 preschools, 663 family day care homes and 639 child care agencies. Santa Clara County has the most (1,379), followed by Alameda (1,261) and Contra Costa (819).
Which Bay Area city has the most daycares?
San Francisco has the most with 777 listings, followed by San Jose (623), Fremont (248) and Oakland (236).
What time do Bay Area daycares open and close?
Most Bay Area daycares open around 8 AM and close around 5:30 PM on weekdays. 1,272 open by 7 AM and 373 stay open until 6:30 PM or later. Use the filters on any city page to find early drop-off or late pickup.
Are there daycares open on weekends or 24 hours in the Bay Area?
Yes. 285 Bay Area providers list Saturday or Sunday hours and 71 list 24-hour care, most of them family day care homes. Turn on the Weekend care or Open 24 hours filter on a city page to see them.
How do you rank the best daycares?
We start from each provider's public Google rating and number of reviews, then pull ratings with only a few reviews toward the regional average so a single 5-star review can't outrank a place with hundreds of happy families. Temporarily closed providers are left out of the rankings.
How do I check a daycare's license in California?
Search the provider on the California Department of Social Services Community Care Licensing facility search. It shows license status, capacity and inspection and complaint reports for every licensed center and family child care home.