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Best Daycares in Palo Alto

Top 20 licensed childcare facilities ranked by compliance record, parent reviews, and capacity.

87 licensed facilities
0 top rated
100% clean record

Typical tuition

Average monthly cost in Santa Clara County

2022 median
$2,283
/ month
infant
$1,614
/ month
toddler
$1,776
/ month
preschool

Median cost at licensed child care centers. Licensed family child care homes typically cost 20-30% less (infant care around $912/month).

Palo Alto offers a solid selection of licensed providers with 87 licensed facilities, including 10 Child Care Centers and 3 School Age Child Care Centers. We ranked the top 20 based on their official compliance record and parent reviews to help you find the best fit for your family.

The daycare landscape in Palo Alto, Santa Clara County is strong — 100% of the top-ranked facilities have a clean inspection record with no citations. Our top pick, Amigos De Palo Alto, holds an Excellent facility score.

When it comes to cost, licensed child care centers in Palo Alto, Santa Clara County charge a median of $2,044 per month for infant care and $1,581 for preschool. These are county-level estimates — individual facilities may vary. Family child care homes are typically more affordable, with infant care averaging around $1,491 per month.

Each facility listed below links to a detailed profile page where you can review inspection history, complaint records, capacity, and contact information. We update our rankings regularly as new licensing data becomes available.

Top 20 Daycares in Palo Alto

1

Amigos De Palo Alto

Excellent

Child Care Center · Palo Alto

Capacity: 30
2

Barron Park Childrens Center

Excellent

Child Care Center · Palo Alto

Capacity: 24
3

Barron Park Kids' Club

Excellent

School Age Child Care Center · Palo Alto

Capacity: 80
4

Barron Park Playschool

Excellent

Child Care Center · Palo Alto

Capacity: 30
5

Bowman School

Excellent

Single Licensed Child Care Center · Palo Alto

Capacity: 120
6

Bowman School Children's House

Excellent

Child Care Center · Palo Alto

Capacity: 60
7

Bright Horizons Palo Alto Square

Excellent

Child Care Center · Palo Alto

Capacity: 15
8

Bright Horizons Palo Alto Square

Excellent

School Age Child Care Center · Palo Alto

Capacity: 27
9

Bright Horizons Palo Alto Square

Excellent

Child Care - Infant Center · Palo Alto

Capacity: 16
10

Building Kidz of Palo Alto

Excellent

Single Licensed Child Care Center · Palo Alto

Capacity: 107
11

Challenger School-middlefield

Excellent

Child Care Center · Palo Alto

Capacity: 198
12

Chrystie Tzugaris & Shawn Felsch

Excellent

Family Child Care Home · Palo Alto

Capacity: 14
13

College Terrace Children's Center

Excellent

Child Care Center · Palo Alto

Capacity: 35
14

Cornerstone Mandarin Chinese Immersion School

Excellent

Child Care Center · Palo Alto

Capacity: 30
15

Covenant Children's Center

Excellent

Child Care Center · Palo Alto

Capacity: 75
16

Covenant Children's Center

Excellent

Child Care - Infant Center · Palo Alto

Capacity: 19
17

Devorah Levin

Excellent

Family Child Care Home · Palo Alto

Capacity: 14
18

Discovery Children's Garden

Excellent

Child Care Center · Palo Alto

Capacity: 68
19

Downtown Children's Ctr

Excellent

Single Licensed Child Care Center · Palo Alto

Capacity: 32
20

Duveneck Kids' Club

Excellent

School Age Child Care Center · Palo Alto

Capacity: 70
View all 87 facilities in Palo Alto

Frequently Asked Questions

How many licensed daycares are in Palo Alto?
There are 87 licensed daycare facilities in Palo Alto, California, including family child care homes and child care centers.
What types of daycare are available in Palo Alto?
Palo Alto has 10 Child Care Center, 3 School Age Child Care Center, 3 Single Licensed Child Care Center, 2 Child Care - Infant Center, 2 Family Child Care Home. Use the search filters to narrow by type.
How are daycares in Palo Alto rated?
Each facility is rated based on state inspection data, including Type A and Type B citations. 100% of facilities in Palo Alto have no citations on record.
How much does daycare cost in Palo Alto?
Based on typical county pricing data, licensed child care centers in Palo Alto charge approximately $2,044/month for infants, $1,500/month for toddlers, and $1,581/month for preschool-age children. Licensed family child care homes are typically 20–30% less, with infant care around $1,491/month. Exact pricing varies by facility.

Nearby Cities

East Palo Alto
24 facilities
Menlo Park
50 facilities
Atherton
15 facilities
Los Altos
29 facilities
Los Altos Hills
3 facilities
Redwood City
110 facilities
Portola Valley
5 facilities

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