
Daycare centers in Chico, CA
38 licensed programs · 27 with Google ratings
A daycare center is a licensed facility that cares for children in age-grouped classrooms, usually from six weeks old until kindergarten, for a full working day. Centers are inspected by the state, must meet staff-to-child ratios for every age group and carry a licensed capacity.


Little Pines Preschool

Chico Child Development Center (115 Oak Street)
Acorns to Oaks Preschool and Daycare (460 W. East Ave #210)
King's Christian School

Kinder Kids Preschool

Smart Start Preschool

Castles Preschool
Mi Escuelita Maya
E Center (2603 Mariposa Ave)
Laura's Daycare Center (475 E 5th Avenue)

Creative Minds Early Learning Center
Kreative Beginnings Children’s Center
Noah's Ark Childcare Center

Creative Scholars Academy - Infant Care and Preschool center

Parkview Early Learning Center
Associated Students Child Development Lab (California State University)
Little University of Chico Preschool
E Center (2205 Elm Street)

Parkside Preschool & Daycare

KidsPark - Chico

Little Sprouts Preschool
Lauras Preschool

Enchanted Play Infant & Preschool Center
Childcare in Chico: what to know
How many licensed child care programs are in Chico?
Chico has 59 licensed programs on the California register: 38 daycare centers, 0 licensed preschools, 20 home daycares and 1 before and after school program.
Who licenses child care in California?
California Department of Social Services, Community Care Licensing Division licenses and inspects child care centers, preschools and home daycares in California. Every profile links to the state record. Licence data on this page was synced in September 2026.
How common are inspection violations at Chico daycares?
Violations are common and most are paperwork or maintenance items. Across 67 daycare centers in the Chico area, the median center has 1 citations on the state file, and 23 centers have none. 19 have at least one rated Type A by the state. California cites a Type A violation for an immediate risk to the health or safety of children, and a Type B violation for a record-keeping or maintenance item. The state file gives counts, dates and regulation numbers, not the inspector's notes.
Why do home daycares show only a ZIP code?
A licensed home daycare is a private residence, and California withholds the address from its public register. The listing shows the licence, capacity and ZIP code. The provider gives the address to families directly.
When should I join a daycare waitlist in Chico?
Infant rooms fill first because the state allows the fewest babies per teacher. Ask each program how long its infant and toddler waitlists run and whether a deposit holds a place. Home daycares often have shorter waits than centers.
Help paying for care
Most states run a child care subsidy for working families under an income limit, funded by the federal Child Care and Development Fund.
Show programs that accept subsidy →Source: Child Care Centers and Family Child Care Homes data downloads, CCLD Transparency site. Last synced September 2026. Ratings and review counts are from Google.