Daycares in Aptos, California
Data Freshness & Provenance
Inspection coverage
10 of 15 tracked providers have inspection history
Active providers
11 providers appear active in this market
Last refreshed
April 3, 2026
Latest inspection
July 11, 2025
Provenance
California licensing records, inspections, and DaycareCheck scoring
City Snapshot
Aptos currently has 15 tracked providers. 10 have inspection history, 11 appear active, and 67% of the market holds an A or B grade. The latest inspection in the dataset is July 11, 2025.
Updated April 3, 2026 from California licensing records, inspections, and DaycareCheck scoring.
SANTA CRUZ MONTESSORI SCHOOL
6230 SOQUEL DRIVE
WARREN, AMY
APTOS, CA 95003
SECRET GARDEN PRESCHOOL - RIO DEL MAR, THE
221 THUNDERBIRD DRIVE
CAMPUS KIDS CONNECTION, VALENCIA
250 APTOS SCHOOL ROAD
ROSE BLOSSOM NURSERY SCHOOL
6401 FREEDOM BOULEVARD
CABRILLO COLLEGE CHILDREN'S CENTER
6500 SOQUEL DRIVE
CHILDREN'S ENRICHMENT CENTER
2701 CABRILLO COLLEGE DRIVE
SIMCHA PRESCHOOL
3055 PORTER GULCH RD
CABRILLO COLLEGE CHILDRENS/INFANT CENTER
6500 SOQUEL DRIVE
LITTLE LEARNERS OF APTOS, LLC
9850 MONROE AVENUE
APPLE AFTERSCHOOL
221 THUNDERBIRD DRIVE #100
SECRET GARDEN PRESCHOOL - APTOS, THE
10707 SOQUEL DRIVE
SIMCHA PRESCHOOL
3055 PORTER GULCH ROAD
PICO PRESCHOOL
10707 SOQUEL DRIVE
ENCOMPASS HEAD START
6500 SOQUEL DRIVE, BLDG. 1700
Home Daycares in Aptos
Browse 1 home-based providers.
Childcare Cost Calculator
Compare costs in your area by age group and care type.
How to Choose a Safe Daycare
A parent's guide to evaluating childcare.
What the daycare market looks like in Aptos
Aptos currently has 15 daycares in our directory. 67% of the market earns an A or B safety grade. Use this page to compare inspection history, provider mix, and local cost context before you start touring.
67%
A or B safety grades
14
Center-based providers
0
Accredited or Head Start providers
$4/mo
Infant center cost in SANTA CRUZ
Market Notes
The current top-scoring provider in this city is CAMPUS KIDS CONNECTION, VALENCIA with a A grade and a 100.0 score.
Common provider types in Aptos include DAY CARE CENTER, SINGLE LICENSED CHILD CARE CENTER, SCHOOL AGE DAY CARE CENTER.
The average provider in this market has 1.6 recorded violations, while 10 providers currently show none in the data we track.
Local cost and care context
SANTA CRUZ accounts for the largest share of providers we track in Aptos, so its pricing is the best local benchmark on this page.
Infant Center
$4/mo
Preschool Center
$4/mo
Toddler Home Daycare
$4/mo
California regulation snapshot
Inspection frequency
At least once every five years for centers with a clean compliance record. Random and unannounced visits occur throughout the licensing period. Complaint-driven inspections happen at any time.
Background checks
All staff, volunteers, and household members age 18 and older must clear a criminal background check through the California Department of Justice and the FBI. This includes fingerprint-based Live Scan checks. Subsequent arrest notifications are monitored continuously.
Parent rights
Parents have the right to visit their child's facility unannounced during operating hours. Licensing inspection reports and substantiated complaint records are public and available through the CCLD website.
How to use this page
Safety grades are derived from official state inspection records, not reviews or sponsored placement.
Repeated and severe violations weigh more heavily than isolated paperwork issues.
Filters are best used after you understand the full city baseline on the default ranking view.
Frequently asked questions about daycare in Aptos
How does DaycareCheck rank daycares in Aptos?
We rank providers in Aptos using official state inspection records. Health, safety, staffing, and compliance findings are converted into a composite score, and severe or repeated violations hurt more than isolated minor issues.
What should parents compare first when choosing daycare in Aptos?
10 of the 15 providers in this market currently hold an A or B safety grade, but grade alone is not enough. Start with higher-scoring providers, then compare the full inspection timeline, repeated violations, staffing patterns, and whether the program type actually fits your child and schedule.
Are there home daycare or Head Start options in Aptos?
Aptos currently shows 1 home-based provider and 0 Head Start sites in the directory. California rules still apply: At least once every five years for centers with a clean compliance record. Random and unannounced visits occur throughout the licensing period. Complaint-driven inspections happen at any time.