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Daycare centers in Lake Forest, CA

18 licensed programs · median published tuition $1,100 a month · 12 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.

Showing 1 to 18 of 18 · parent reviewsTick "Compare" on up to 3 programs
Heritage Hill KinderCare, Lake Forest
Daycare center

Heritage Hill KinderCare

Lake Forest · 92630 · 5.0 (7 on Google)
AgesInfant to preschool
HoursNot listed
Tuition fromNot listed
Citations on file7 (3 Type A)
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New Thought Montessori, Lake Forest
Montessori

New Thought Montessori

Lake Forest · 92630 · 5.0 (7 on Google)
AgesPreschool
HoursNot listed
Tuition fromNot listed
Citations on file8 (1 Type A)
  • Faith-based
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Bella Montessori School, Lake Forest
Montessori

Bella Montessori School

Lake Forest · 92630 · 4.5 (8 on Google)
AgesInfant to preschool
HoursNot listed
Tuition fromNot listed
Citations on file2 (1 Type A)
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Daycare center

Children's Courtyard, the

Lake Forest · 90630 · No Google rating
AgesInfant to toddler
HoursNot listed
Tuition fromNot listed
Citations on file5 (2 Type A)
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Montessori

Fulbright Montessori Academy

Lake Forest · 92630 · No Google rating
AgesInfant to preschool
HoursNot listed
Tuition fromNot listed
Citations on fileNone on record
  • Language immersion
  • Mandarin spoken
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Montessori

Scholarshine Montessori

Lake Forest · 92630 · No Google rating
AgesInfant to preschool
HoursNot listed
Tuition fromNot listed
Citations on fileNone on record
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Childcare in Lake Forest: what to know

How many licensed child care programs are in Lake Forest?

Lake Forest has 46 licensed programs on the California register: 18 daycare centers, 0 licensed preschools, 27 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 Lake Forest daycares?

Violations are common and most are paperwork or maintenance items. Across 753 daycare centers in the metro area, the median center has 1 citations on the state file, and 287 centers have none. 176 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.

What does daycare cost in Lake Forest?

23 programs in the metro area publish full-time tuition on their website. The median starting price is $1,100 a month, and $1,850 a month for infants. Most programs share tuition only on a tour, so ask for the full fee schedule including registration and supply fees.

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 Lake Forest?

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 →

Nearby cities

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.