TOP 5 DAYCARE CENTERS IN THE USA
TOP 5 DAYCARE CENTERS IN THE USA
When reviewing each childcare center, you’ll want to think not just about the facilities and the curriculum, but also the opening times, the staff turnover, and, of course, the dreaded fees!
Whatever your situation, searching for the best daycare or preschool is not something that you’ll want to put off, as waitlists can often be years long, with no guarantee that a space will become available when you need it.
KidsPark – Best for Flexible Childcare
KidsPark is something of a hybrid between a daycare and a play center, offering a fun space for children aged 2 to 12 to play.
As no advance bookings are needed, many parents used KidsPark as a backup option in addition to a regular preschool or daycare.
Where you can find them:
KidsPark’s 20 centers are located across the United States. You’ll find them in Arizona, California, Florida, Kansas, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, and Washington.
Main pros/benefits:
KidsPark offers a perfect solution for parents who work unusual or irregular hours.
Most centers are open late into the evening and also at weekends, providing a handy daycare option for the times when other childcare centers are closed.
You don’t need to book a place in advance at KidsPark. Once your child is registered, you can just turn up as and when you like and leave your child for as little as an hour, or all day if needed.
Cost estimate summary:
The fees at KidsPark are between $8.50 and $12 per hour, depending on the center.
The daily rate for 8 to 11 hours varies between $51 to $84. You’ll often get a 50% discount for siblings.
The Learning Experience – Known for Its Fun Characters
At The Learning Experience, children from 6 weeks old to Kindergarten age enjoy learning by exploring and doing.
Following a carefully crafted curriculum, children learn a whole host of skills above and beyond those that you might expect from a preschool.
Where you can find them:
You’ll find The Learning Experience centers in cities right across the United States.
There are 300 centers in existence, with plans underway to build up to 100 more each year.
Main pros/benefits:
The Learning Experience offers a full curriculum with children taking lessons in sign language, Spanish, Chinese, soccer, manners, and philanthropy.
The preschool uses a cast of over 90 characters to facilitate learning, with animals like Bubbles the Elephant and Phoebe the Llama encouraging kids to learn in a fun and interactive way.
Cost estimate summary:
The Learning Experience doesn’t publish its fees online, but you can expect to pay upwards of $1,000 per month for a full-time preschool place.
Lightbridge Academy – Known for Caring Staff
The Lightbridge Academy philosophy is that “Just as every point on a circle is equidistant from its center, each person whose life is touched by Lightbridge Academy is equally important.
This focus on relationships between children, parents, staff members, and center owners means that each child is nurtured with love and care in a ‘home-away-from-home’ environment.
Where you can find them:
Lightbridge Academy has around 100 centers located across New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Virginia.
New centers are also set to open in Florida and Maryland.
Main pros/benefits:
At Lightbridge Academy, each child will form a special bond with their caregivers.
The staff turnover rate is low, and parents feel that the teachers look after the children as if they are their own family members.
The curriculum is also highly praised at Ligtbridge, with children learning Spanish, American Sign Language, yoga, and mindfulness as well as the standard topics like reading, writing, and math.
Cost estimate summary:
The fees at Lightbridge Academy are in the region of $1,200 to $1,500 per month for a full-time place. Back-up care is also available for around $100 per day.
Children’s Lighthouse – Known for Its Structured Curriculum
Children’s Lighthouse Early Learning School offers an age-specific curriculum for children aged from six weeks to 12 years of age.
As well as learning topics like literacy, science, and math, there’s a strong focus on building strength of character and developing peer-to-peer relationships.
Where you can find them:
There are over 40 Children’s Lighthouse centers in the United States. There are located in Alabama, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Kansas, North Carolina, and Texas.
Main pros/benefits:
The curriculum at Children’s Lighthouse is carefully planned. It’s similar to the Montessori method, but instead of giving kids the choice of regulating their own learning, every hour of the day is carefully structured and regimented.
Despite the set routine, kids are given the freedom to play outside every day that the weather allows.
Most centers have incredible outdoor spaces with splash pads in the summer.
Cost estimate summary:
Children’s Lighthouse doesn’t publish its fees and we weren’t able to find these online.
To get a quote you’ll need to arrange a tour. Don’t forget to ask about the registration fee and the annual curriculum fees, as these are to be paid on top of the weekly tuition fee.
Discovery Point – Known for Its Focus on Literacy
The curriculum at Discovery Point is based around research that suggests that the single greatest factor in a child’s life success is the time spent hearing books read aloud.
At Discovery Point, whether kids are learning about math, science, or music, they’re encouraged to use books to facilitate their learning.
Where you can find them:
You’ll find Discovery Point centers in the Southeast of the United States with 50 centers located across Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee.
There are large clusters in the Atlanta and Tampa areas.
Main pros/benefits:
The curriculum at Discovery Point has attracted a lot of praise from parents who feel that the level of structure hits the sweet spot between a rigid schedule and allowing kids to do whatever they please.
The teachers are described as being very loving and caring to the children, while the owners and managers are usually on-site and available to chat.
Cost estimate summary:
A full-time place at Discovery Point costs between $215 and $260 per week, depending on the age of the child.
For school-age kids, before-school care costs $50 per week and the after-school club is $90 per week.
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