LJ's Playpen Academy
Daycare center in Wilmington, DE. 2601 Carter Street, Wilmington, DE 19802
About the program
LJ's Playpen Academy is a licensed daycare center in Wilmington, Delaware. It is licensed for 230 children and serves infant, toddler, preschool and school age ages.
It accepts child care subsidy.
Tuition and capacity
Tuition: not listed. LJ's Playpen Academy does not publish a fee schedule. Programs in the area that publish full-time tuition have a median starting price of $590 a month.
Licensing and safety
Open the state record →Most violations are record-keeping, training or maintenance items, and nearly every program has some. Read what each one was and how fast it was fixed. Delaware records each regulation found out of compliance at a review, with the corrective action required and the date it was corrected. The state does not assign a risk level.
Personnel Files (regulation 30U)
Staff #1 needs CPR/First Aid Staff #2 needs orientation, job description, references Staff #4 needs to apply/submit for DEEDS Staff #5 needs specializations on DEEDS certificate
Child Files (regulation 40U)
Child #2 and 8 need blood lead results.
Heating and Cooling (regulation 48U)
Ensure space heaters are not used within the center. Center must maintain a temperature between 68-82 degrees.
Indoor Space (regulation 49U)
PreK ceiling tiles need to be replaced or repaired/painted. Toddler napping equipment (blankets) need to be stored separately.
Outdoor Area (regulation 53U)
Ensure there is 6 inches of rubber mulch under fall zones.
Show all 43 violations on file
Transportation (regulation 67U)
Vehicle needs travel first aid kit and emergency contact information for children.
Feeding of Infants (regulation 72U)
Send a monthly feeding schedule for each infant. All bottles need to be labeled with child's name.
Infant and Toddler Care (regulation 77U)
Styrofoam objects (bowls) and balloons are not permitted for children under 3 years old.
License Renewal (regulation 8U)
Ensure application is turned in 60 days prior.
Ratios, Group Size, and Supervision (regulation 27U)
Ensure infant classroom has it own attendance sheet, there was one infant and one staff present with no record; the toddler room had 4 one-year-olds and one infant present with one staff member- records had three adults signed in.; the 2/3 year old room had 14 children present with 13 children signed in and 5 staff members present with 6 six signed in. One was signed in twice. Send attendance documents for the weeks of 3-24 and 3-31-25 to OCCL.
Personnel Files (regulation 30U)
Submit the following to complete staff files: OCCL H&S training for 4 staff members; orientation, 4 references and a health appraisal for 1 staff member, and service letters for one staff member.
Staff Attendance (regulation 36U)
Ensure all staff sign in and out of each classroom with each arrival and departure. Send attendance documents for the weeks of 3-24 and 3-31-25 to OCCL
Indoor Space (regulation 49U)
Repair replace broken tile in the 2/3 year old classroom and in the hallway next to the ramp to ensure cleanability. Send picture to OCCL.
Staff Qualifications (regulation 24U)
The one's teacher does not have a DEEDS certificate and was alone with 2 children. the two's and three's teachers do not have a DEEDS certificate and had 6 children. Have Staff #1, 2, and 3 apply for their DEEDS certificates and send a picture of application submission to OCCL.
Staffing (regulation 26U)
Ensure there is one staff member trained in day to day operations and send documentation to OCCL.
Ratios, Group Size, and Supervision (regulation 27U)
Ensure proper ratio's and supervision are maintained. The one's teacher does not have a DEEDS certificate and was alone with 2 children. The two's and three's teachers do not have a DEEDS certificate and had 6 children. Have Staff #1, 2, and 3 apply for their DEEDS certificates and send a picture of application submission to OCCL.
General Qualifications (regulation 28U)
Ensure staff are fingerprinted and determined eligible before start of employment. Staff #7 and 8 started employment without being determined eligible by the Criminal History Unit. Review regulation 28 and send a signed acknowledgement of this regulation to OCCL.
Personnel Files (regulation 30U)
Ensure staff files are complete. Staff #2 needs annual review of safe sleep and OCCL's Health and Safety Training. Staff #3 needs a professional development plan, orientation form, and 4 references and a returned service letter or 2 documented attempts at sending the service letter. Staff #4 and 5 need a professional development plan. Staff #6 needs a professional development plan, review of safe sleep, OCCL Health and Safety training, job description, release of employment and service letter or 2 documented attempts. Staff #7 needs an attempted service letter or 2 documented attempts.
Staff Attendance (regulation 36U)
Ensure staff sign in/out is accurately documented in each classroom. Staff do not sign in/out for each classroom as there is only a building attendance sheet. Submit documentation showing staff signing in and out of each classroom to OCCL.
Child Files (regulation 40U)
Ensure child files are complete. Submit date of enrollment/hours and days of attendance for Children #2, 3, 4, 5, and 7. Submit health appraisal for Child #3, along with immunizations and their blood lead screening. Submit blood lead screening for Child #7. Submit infant feeding schedule for Children #2, 4, and 5. Submit developmental plans for Children 1-7.
Children's Attendance (regulation 43U)
Ensure accurate attendance is being maintained. The infant room did not have a sign-in/out sheet. There were 4 children signed in the ones room, but only 2 children were present. One child was removed and not signed out. The two's room had 7 children signed in and 6 children were present. The fours room had 6 children signed in and 5 children present. Send 2 weeks attendance for all classrooms to OCCL.
Hazardous Materials (regulation 45U)
Ensure hazardous materials are stored inaccessible to children. The ones/infant classroom had ant/mice poison traps in the cabinet, which was not locked. There was bug spray in the hallway of the ones classroom. Take a picture of hazards stored and locked away to OCCL.
Heating and Cooling (regulation 48U)
Ensure the heating system is properly installed. The movie room downstairs reads 59 degrees, and the library/fours room reads 62 degrees. Send a picture of thermometer showing appropriate temperature to OCCL. Ensure there are no floor heaters available. There was one floor heater in the fours room. Send a picture of heater removed from the classroom to OCCL.
Indoor Space (regulation 49U)
Replace ceiling tiles and wooden table in the library and send a picture to OCCL. Place lid on trashcan in the library and send to OCCL.
Kitchen and Food Preparation (regulation 50U)
Ensure all open foods are labeled. The mixed fruit in the kitchen was open and not labeled. Send a picture of labeled fruit to OCCL. Ensure food/milk is not expired. The kitchen had a couple of expired cans of fruit and milk. Send picture of food/milk with up to date expirations.
Toilet Facilities (regulation 51U)
Fix faucet in the children's bathroom and send a video of running water to OCCL.
Outdoor Area (regulation 53U)
Ensure there are no hazards outside. Remove all broken equipment on both sides of the playground, fix cracked slide, and remove all standing water. Send a picture of outdoor area to OCCL with corrections.
Equipment (regulation 57U)
Ensure there are science and music materials in the infant and ones room. Send a picture of materials to OCCL.
Diapering and Soiled Clothing (regulation 61U)
Ensure diaper changing mat is not ripped. The mat in the one year old room is ripped. Replace mats and send a picture to OCCL.
Feeding of Infants (regulation 72U)
Ensure all infant bottles are labeled. Ensure all infants have an infant feeding schedule.
Lesson Plans (regulation 74U)
Ensure school-age room has a calendar of activities or a lesson plan. Send a picture of calendar to OCCL.
Infant and Toddler Care (regulation 77U)
Ensure all infants have a daily log documenting sleep checks, feeding, and diapering. Ensure there is adult seating in the infant room.
Ratios, Group Size, and Supervision (regulation 27U)
Ensure staff/child ratios are being maintained. Staff #12 did not have an eligibility letter on file and was alone with children. This was corrected a the visit when Administrator Mathis placed a copy of Staff #12 s ineligibility letter in the file, and LS Hackett reminded Administrator Mathis that Staff #12 cannot be alone with children.
General Qualifications (regulation 28U)
Ensure staff have eligibility determination or a provisional eligibility notification on file. This was corrected at the visit when Staff #12 s ineligibility letter was placed in the file.
Personnel Files (regulation 30U)
Ensure staff files are complete. Staff #3, 9 and 4 need a copy of their fingerprinting receipt in file. Staff #10 need their health and safety training. Staff #11 and 12 need 2 documented attempts at sending service letters. Ensure Staff #1, 5, 7, 8, and 13 are re-fingerprinted as soon as possible. Fingerprnts will expire before license expiration. Send Out-Of-State background check for Staff #6 to CHU.
Parents Right to Know (regulation 38U)
Submit parents right-to-know log. This was corrected at the visit.
Child Files (regulation 40U)
Ensure child files are complete. Children #1,3,4,9, and 11 need developmental plans. Children #4, 9, and 11 need blood lead results. Child #3 needs an infant feeding schedule, Child #11 needs transportation and screen time permissions, Children #5 and 9 need an undated immunization record and health appraisal. Child #11 needs emergency card information, days/hours of attendance, and date of enrollment.
Heating and Cooling (regulation 48U)
Ensure there are no space heaters. One space heater was observed in the infant room. This was corrected at the visit.
Indoor Space (regulation 49U)
Ensure all ceilings are in good repair in the theater, infant, ones', and twos' rooms. This was corrected at the visit. Ensure the kitchen ceiling is repaired.
Sleeping Accommodations and Safe Sleep Environments (regulation 56U)
Ensure all rest equipment is labeled in the infant, ones, twos, and three's room. This was corrected at the visit.
Diapering and Soiled Clothing (regulation 61U)
Ensure all diaper changing mats are non-porous. This was corrected at the visit.
Feeding of Infants (regulation 72U)
Ensure all bottles are labeled. This was corrected at the visit.
Infant and Toddler Care (regulation 77U)
Ensure the walkers in use do not have wheels. This was corrected at the visit.
What parents say
A great daycare that exceeds the expectations in knowledge they also have a great meal plan and snacks too.
Umm Zahra · 5/5 on Google · a month agoWorst daycare EVER Very Unprofressional staff is very RUDE they do not have transportation and wanted my 8yr old twins to catch a bus to them and for staff to walk to bus stop and pick them up they say they go skating every Thursday and request $40 but never take the kids and pocket the money !! Ms Brenda is the most unprofessional of all she doesn’t respond to important texts or calls and involves herself in your…
haniyyah muhammad · 1/5 on Google · 2 years agoThis is the worse daycare I ever seen. do not trust them with your children. after 2 weeks my son had the worse rash. he never had a rash and he is only 4 months. the staff don't follow covid procedures. if you believe in covid dont bring your kids to this daycare. they keep the older kids outside all day and the staff is very unprofessional.
Jennifer Adkins · 1/5 on Google · 6 years agohaniyyah muhammad’s kids still go here and they love it when they’re dad drops them off. I personally have gotten to know the professionals at Lj’s and they do more than their best to complete their mission statement. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions but what’s fact is that every child is put first with the love of god. Anything that’s bad to say about Lj’s is a personal vendetta within their self. Ms…
larry mathis · 5/5 on Google · 2 years agoGetting there
2601 Carter Street, Wilmington, DE 19802
Questions about LJ's Playpen Academy
Is LJ's Playpen Academy licensed?
Yes, with a note. LJ's Playpen Academy holds a Child Care Center licence (state status: enforcement action) from Delaware Department of Education, Office of Child Care Licensing (licence 1528835, 641907), with a licensed capacity of 230 children. The state record was synced in September 2026.
Has LJ's Playpen Academy had any inspection violations?
Delaware records 32 violations for LJ's Playpen Academy in the last three years, across 4 inspections on file. The median daycare center in the area has 7. Each one is listed above with the date it was corrected.
What ages does LJ's Playpen Academy take?
LJ's Playpen Academy is licensed to serve infant, toddler, preschool and school age ages, and is open 6:30 am to 11:30 pm, Mon to Fri.
How much does LJ's Playpen Academy cost?
LJ's Playpen Academy does not publish tuition. Ask for the full fee schedule on a tour, including registration, supply and late pick-up fees. The program accepts child care subsidy.
