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What Kind of Child Care
Finding Support:
What Kind of Child Care is Right for Me and My Child? In Colorado you have many options for finding a child care program that fits the needs of your family and your child. Deciding the best option will depend on many factors like location, price, and the quality of the program. Colorado has resources to help you make the best informed choice.
What types of programs are available?
When it comes to choosing a child care program, you have options. There are so many choices that it can be intimidating to try and find the right program for your child. The good news is that Colorado has resources to help you make this important decision. The state of Colorado licenses child care programs to make sure they meet health and safety requirements. Licensed child care programs are monitored every year. This section has information on the different kinds of licensed child care programs. It also has information about programs that don’t have to get a child care license. These programs are called “license-exempt."
Child Care Centers and Preschools
Family Child Care Homes
School-Age Care Programs
Head Start and Early Head Start
Children’s Overnight Camps
Programs Exempt from Licensure
Child Care Operating Illegally
How do I decide which program is right for my child?
  • Colorado Shines provides parents research and helps parents find licensed, quality child care and preschool programs. Colorado Shines has each program’s location, hours, licensing status, and, most importantly, the Colorado Shines rating. To find quality programs near you, follow this step-by-step guide:
    • Decide what kind of care you need. The choices include preschool, family child care home, or Head Start.
    • Search for a quality child care program online or call the Colorado Shines Child Care Referral Line at Mile High United Way at 1.877.338.2273 for help finding a program.
    • Find out if you qualify for financial assistance.
    • Visit your top programs in person. Look at the environment. Watch the interactions between the professionals and the children. Ask lots of questions! Tip: Use this checklist when you visit programs. It includes a list of things to look for and the most important questions to ask. Make sure that:
      • Current license is posted and visible
      • Equipment is clean and in good repair
      • Electrical outlets are covered
      • Emergency route and emergency numbers are posted
      • The doors are locked and visitors are required to sign in
      • All toys are clean and in good condition
      • Playground has safe surfaces, is fenced, and has areas of sun and shade
    • Check references and records for your top programs. Ask for references from families who are currently using the program and families who have used the program in the past. Ask for contact information for families who have used the program in the past. Review the programs’ licensing records and Colorado Shines quality rating using the Colorado Shines search tool. Tip: Each program’s quality rating, licensing history, and monitoring reports are included in the program’s search results in the Colorado Shines search tool.
    • Choose a program. Confirm your child’s start date. If there is a waitlist, make sure to contact other programs you like to check availability. If necessary, add your child’s name to more than one program waitlist. This will help ensure a spot becomes open sooner. Many programs that care for infants and toddlers fill up quickly. Make sure you start your child care search early!
    • Stay involved. You are your child’s most important teacher! Staying involved both in your child’s program and at home will help your child thrive!

 

Preschool Age Requirements
Moving From One School District to Another School District
Preschool Special Education and Child Find
Contact A Child Care Resource & Referral Agency
Child Care Resource and Referral agencies work to connect you with quality early learning programs, like child care and preschool, valuable local resources, and tips for choosing a child care facility.

For assistance in finding quality child care, call the Colorado Shines Child Care Referral Line at Mile High United Way at 1-877-338-2273 (CARE). A trained referral specialist will help you locate programs specific to your needs.

What would you like to learn about child care?

Universal Preschool (UPK) Colorado
Universal Preschool (UPK) Colorado allows families to choose the right setting for their child, whether it is in a licensed community-based, school-based or home-based preschool setting. Families of children in the year before they are eligible for kindergarten, and qualifying 3-year-olds, are able to apply for UPK Colorado.
From our friends at Colorado Shines:
Child Care Programs Near You:
Colorado Shines
Tina Dang
LOCATION:8105 Engleton Court, Colorado Springs, CO
Happy Smiles Child Care
LOCATION:15121 E SECURITY WAY, AURORA, CO
KCE Champions LLC @ Ave Maria PRS
LOCATION:9056 E Parker Rd, Parker, CO
Austen Dean
LOCATION:3829 Deer Valley Dr, Castle Rock, CO
Blue Skies Exploration Academy
LOCATION:1960 Dominion Way, Colorado Springs, CO
The Learning Experience
LOCATION:6500 S Peoria Street, Centennial, CO
Tseganesh Tesega
LOCATION:2632 S Halifax Ct, Aurora, CO
Ashley Andurlakis
LOCATION:16229 E 99th Way, Commerce City, CO
YMCA of Pikes Peak Region Valley
 Not currently rated
LOCATION:1160 Keith Drive, Colorado Springs, CO
YMCA of the Pikes Peak Region
 Not currently rated
LOCATION:2311 Monterey Rd, Colorado Springs, CO
Anne Odegard
LOCATION:13501 W 65th Ave, Arvada, CO
Sip & Giggles, LLC
LOCATION:104 CORONA AVENUE, WIGGINS, CO
Meredith Widmark
LOCATION:742 S Carriage DR, Milliken, CO
THE GODDARD SCHOOL
LOCATION:12700 Lynnfield DR, Englewood, CO
Childrens Lighthouse Parker
LOCATION:11775 Tara Lane, Parker, CO
Peter Pan Y Sus Amigos Preschool
LOCATION:100 W 16th Street, Rifle, CO
Stars Kid Care @ Crown Pointe Academy
 Not currently rated
LOCATION:2900 W 86th Ave, Westminster, CO
Stephanie Brown
LOCATION:4306 N. Weber St, Colorado Springs, CO
Colorado Military Academy
LOCATION:360 Command View, Colorado Springs, CO
The Learning Nest
LOCATION:4433 W 29th Ave #205, Denver, CO
CSCC Meadows Park Before & After School
 Not currently rated
LOCATION:1943 S El Paso Ave, Colorado Springs, CO
AlphaBEST @ Dunn Elementary
 Not currently rated
LOCATION:501 S Washington Ave, Fort Collins, CO
Eagle Lake Camps - Day Camp @ Flying Horse
 Not currently rated
LOCATION:1880 Weiskopf Point, Colorado Springs, CO
KCE Champions LLC @ Ave Marie
 Not currently rated
LOCATION:9056 E Parker Rd, Parker, CO
Linden Early Learning Center
LOCATION:4770 Eliot Street, Denver, CO
Inspire PRS @ Johnson Community YMCA
LOCATION:165 Settler Way, Johnstown, CO
Ute Meadows Preschool
LOCATION:110505 W Meadows Dr, Littleton, CO
Dalal Al Dalawi
LOCATION:13340 W 8th Ave, Golden, CO
Kullerstrand Preschool
LOCATION:12225 W 38th Ave, Wheat Ridge, CO
Honey Tree
LOCATION:64 Favre Lane, Carbondale, CO
Eiber Preschool
LOCATION:1385 Independence St, Lakewood, CO
Dev Adhikari
LOCATION:5876 S Nepal Way, Centennial, CO
Courtney Liu
LOCATION:28670 State Highway 72, Golden, CO
Nandini Sriram
LOCATION:9624 E Lake Cir, Greenwood Village, CO
Arapahoe Y Prs Summer Camp
LOCATION:2800 Dagny Way, Lafayette, CO
The Wheelhouse Collaborative
 Not currently rated
LOCATION:9645 W 22nd Pl, Lakewood, CO
Normandy Preschool
LOCATION:6750 S Kendall Street, Littleton, CO
A New Generation III
LOCATION:525 Russell Blvd, Thornton, CO
Shapes of Tomorrow Montessori Preschool
LOCATION:5240 W 78th Place, Westminster, CO
Thorne Nature at Lafayette Nature Center
 Not currently rated
LOCATION:300 Old Laramie Trail, Lafayette, CO
Smart Learning Academy
LOCATION:946 N Havana St, Aurora, CO
Ryan Preschool
LOCATION:5851 W 115th Avenue, Westminster, CO
YMCA of NoCo @ High Plains School
 Not currently rated
LOCATION:4255 Buffalo Mountain Dr, Loveland, CO
Jessica Dismang
LOCATION:2049 Estes Ln #9, Longmont, CO
Debra Locke
LOCATION:18955 Robins Dr, Denver, CO
YMCA of NoCo @ Centennial Elem.
 Not currently rated
LOCATION:1555 W 37th Street, Loveland, CO
Boys & Girls Club of Fremont County
 Not currently rated
LOCATION:2855 N 9th St, Canon City, CO
City of Grand Junction Little Sunshine 3
 Not currently rated
LOCATION:588 25 1/2 Rd, Grand Junction, CO
DPS Discovery Link @ Stedman
 Not currently rated
LOCATION:2940 Dexter Street, Denver, CO
Kid City USA- Cordera
LOCATION:10085 Pearl Pass View, Colorado Springs, CO
Colorado Kids
LOCATION:546 Hyland Park Dr, Glenwood Springs, CO
Custer County School District
LOCATION:818 Ohio St, Silver Cliff, CO
Cordera Kindercare Learning Center
LOCATION:9410 Grand Cordera Pkwy, Colorado Springs, CO
Rocky Mountain Prep - Ruby Hill
 Not currently rated
LOCATION:2626 West Evans Ave, Denver, CO
Sleeping Giant Preschool
LOCATION:40250 Giant View Dr, Steamboat Springs, CO
YMCA of the Pikes Peak
 Not currently rated
LOCATION:900 E Buena Ventura St, Colorado Springs, CO
Lisa Beller
LOCATION:6865 Covenant Ct, Timnath, CO
City of Aspen Kids First
LOCATION:215 N Garmisch St Ste 1, Aspen, CO
Nifty Summer Camp
 Not currently rated
LOCATION:301 E 12th Street, Durango, CO
Nest Preschool
LOCATION:420 Courtney Way, LAFAYETTE, CO
Bluebird School LLC
LOCATION:1832 Silvergate Rd, Fort Collins, CO
Everbrook Academy
LOCATION:25850 E Arapahoe Rd, Aurora, CO
DPS ECE PALMER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
LOCATION:995 Grape St, Denver, CO
MARTHA ROBERTSON
LOCATION:21300 E 61st Ave, Aurora, CO
DPS ECE EAGLETON SCHOOL
LOCATION:880 Hooker ST, Denver, CO
DPS ECE HALLETT FUNDAMENTAL ACADEMY
LOCATION:2950 Jasmine, Denver, CO
Tozer Bright School -Age Center
 Not currently rated
LOCATION:501 Oak St, Windsor, CO
Milestones Early Learning & Preschool
LOCATION:1650 W 121st Ave, Westminster, CO
Silly Smiles Child Care, LLC
LOCATION:1402 S Kittredge St, Aurora, CO
Everbrook Academy
LOCATION:5668 N Beeler St, Denver, CO
Heidi Suyeishi
LOCATION:8770 Wildrye Cir, Parker, CO
Bea Underwood Preschool
LOCATION:741 Tamarisk Trail, Parachute, CO
VAN ARSDALE PRESCHOOL
LOCATION:7535 Alkire ST, Arvada, CO
Sunshine Childcare Center at NE
LOCATION:1026 Sidney Avenue, Sterling, CO
Everbrook Academy
LOCATION:15000 E 104th Ave, Commerce City, CO
Katie's Daycare
LOCATION:205 Audrey DR, Loveland, CO
LAURA BLOYD
LOCATION:6136 Ammons ST, Arvada, CO
JENNIFER MILLER
LOCATION:5350 Yulle RD, Strasburg, CO
LAURA JOHNSTON
LOCATION:10741 Claire LN, Northglenn, CO
STACY LEROUX
LOCATION:13002 Steele CT, Thornton, CO
BROOKE SANCHEZ
LOCATION:13147 Devils Thumb PL, Peyton, CO
Autumn For All Seasons Child Care
LOCATION:16902 E Havard Ave, Aurora, CO
Nashmia Ejaz
LOCATION:2973 E 133rd Ln, Thornton, CO
ROCKY MOUNTAIN DEAF SCHOOL
LOCATION:10300 W Nassau ST, Denver, CO
PSD Early Childhood @ Kruse
LOCATION:4400 McMurry AVE, Fort Collins, CO
MARGARET REMBAO
LOCATION:2483 Mary Beth CT, Loveland, CO
NANCY BURGARDT
LOCATION:7990 W Hoover PL, Littleton, CO
Jeanette Thomas Daycare
LOCATION:1813 Rutledge CT, Fort Collins, CO
Angela Billington
LOCATION:6513 Globeflower Street, Wellington, CO
Leaps 'n' Bounds Child Care
LOCATION:16996 Park Trail DR, Monument, CO
VILMA ANDERSEN
LOCATION:1403 E 130th DR, Thornton, CO
KINDERCARE LEARNING CENTERS LLC
LOCATION:7395 Church Ranch Blvd, Westminster, CO
Cadence Academy / GATEWAY ACADEMY KEN CARYL
LOCATION:12633 W Indore PL, Littleton, CO
McGregor's Garden Preschool - Barbara McGregor
LOCATION:3535 Eastman AVE, Boulder, CO
POSITIVE ALTERNATIVE PRESCHOOL & CHILDCARE
LOCATION:8085 E Hampden AVE, Denver, CO
MARTHA LEWIS
LOCATION:18941 E Low DR, Aurora, CO
TAMARA REEL
LOCATION:2340 Alpine Dr, Erie, CO
SHEPHERD OF THE VALLEY LUTHERAN SCHOOL
LOCATION:8820 Field ST, Westminster, CO
City of Westminster Preschool - The MAC
LOCATION:3295 W. 72nd AVE., Westminster, CO
CEEN- LASALLE
LOCATION:231 S 6th Street, Lasalle, CO
Colorado Shines is a quality rating and improvement system that monitors and supports early learning programs. Its primary functions are to help participating programs and professionals improve their quality through assessment, training and tools, and to connect Colorado families with quality child care.
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Raising Colorado Kids Guide is brought to you by the Colorado Office of Early Childhood.

For general help, call 1-800-799-5876 or email  cdhs_oec_communications@state.co.us

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Raising Colorado Kids is brought to you by the Colorado Department of Early Childhood.

For general help, call 1-800-799-5876 or email  cdec_communications@state.co.us

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