Maryland EXCELS 4
Daycare center
The Journey School
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State quality ratingMaryland EXCELS 4
Daycare centers in Columbia, MD
78 licensed programs · 130 accept subsidy · 41 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.
Maryland EXCELS 2
Daycare center
Thunder Hill Elementary SAS
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State quality ratingMaryland EXCELS 2
Maryland EXCELS 4
Daycare center
Waterloo Elementary
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State quality ratingMaryland EXCELS 4
Maryland EXCELS 1
Daycare center
Columbia Gateway KinderCare
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State quality ratingMaryland EXCELS 1
Maryland EXCELS 5
Daycare center
Cradlerock Children's Center (6700 Cradlerock Way)
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State quality ratingMaryland EXCELS 5
Daycare center
KidzPlayNLearn (5267 Eliots Oak Road)
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State quality ratingNot rated
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Childcare in Columbia: what to know
How many licensed child care programs are in Columbia?
Columbia has 171 licensed programs on the Maryland register: 78 daycare centers, 0 licensed preschools, 93 home daycares and 0 before and after school programs. 130 accept child care subsidy.
Who licenses child care in Maryland?
Maryland State Department of Education, Office of Child Care licenses and inspects child care centers, preschools and home daycares in Maryland. Every profile links to the state record. Licence data on this page was synced in September 2026.
What is Maryland EXCELS?
Maryland EXCELS rates participating programs from Level 1 to Level 5 on licensing compliance, staff qualifications, learning environment and administration. 121 of 171 programs in Columbia hold a rating.
Why do home daycares show only a ZIP code?
A licensed home daycare is a private residence. 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 Columbia?
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. 130 of 171 programs in Columbia (76%) accept it.
Show programs that accept subsidy →Nearby cities
Source: Find a Program, Maryland EXCELS. Last synced September 2026. Ratings and review counts are from Google.