Daycares in Arcata, California

22 facilitiesAvg score: 96.6

Data Freshness & Provenance

Inspection coverage

14 of 22 tracked providers have inspection history

Active providers

14 providers appear active in this market

Last refreshed

April 3, 2026

Latest inspection

November 4, 2025

Provenance

California licensing records, inspections, and DaycareCheck scoring

City Snapshot

Arcata currently has 22 tracked providers. 14 have inspection history, 14 appear active, and 59% of the market holds an A or B grade. The latest inspection in the dataset is November 4, 2025.

Updated April 3, 2026 from California licensing records, inspections, and DaycareCheck scoring.

A

HURD, KAYCE FAMILY CHILD CARE HOME

ARCATA, CA 95521

No violationsCapacity: 14FAMILY DAY CARE HOME
A

CHILD DEVELOPMENT LABORATORY

1350 C STREET

No violationsCapacity: 26DAY CARE CENTER
A

HEAD START - CHILDREN OF THE REDWOODS

75 FRANK MARTIN COURT

No violationsCapacity: 24DAY CARE CENTER
A

LITTLE LEARNERS ARCATA

1695 10TH ST.

No violationsCapacity: 41DAY CARE CENTER
A

CAL POLY HUMBOLDT CHILDREN'S CENTER RM# 129,126

1350 C STREET

No violationsCapacity: 27INFANT CENTER
A

CHILD DEVELOPMENT LABORATORY

1 HARPST STREET

CLOSED
No violationsCapacity: 26DAY CARE CENTER
A

LITTLE LEARNERS CENTER

5050 VALLEY EAST BLVD.

No violationsCapacity: 30INFANT CENTER
A

PEREZ-QUINTAS, AIDA FAMILY CHILD CARE HOME

ARCATA, CA 95521

No violationsCapacity: 14FAMILY DAY CARE HOME
A

CALDWELL, JENNIFER FAMILY CHILD CARE HOME

ARCATA, CA 95521

No violationsCapacity: 14FAMILY DAY CARE HOME
A

WINGE, NORA FAMILY CHILD CARE HOME

ARCATA, CA 95521

1 violationCapacity: 14FAMILY DAY CARE HOME
A

CHILDREN OF THE REDWOODS INFANT TODDLER CENTER

3609 SPEAR AVENUE

3 violationsCapacity: 20INFANT CENTER
A

STEPPING STONES CHILDREN'S GARDEN

1920 ZEHNDNER AVE.

4 violationsCapacity: 30DAY CARE CENTER
B

STEPPING STONES EXTENDED DAY CARE PROGRAM

1897 S STREET

7 violationsCapacity: 30SCHOOL AGE DAY CARE CENTER
C

CAL POLY HUMBOLDT CHILDREN'S CENTER RM#104,108,125

1350 C STREET

6 violationsCapacity: 58DAY CARE CENTER
--

HSU CHILDREN'S CENTER - INFANT/TODDLER

HSU-BAIOCCHI HOUSE 37

CLOSED
No violationsCapacity: 27INFANT CENTER
--

HSU CHILDREN'S CENTER - PRESCHOOL

HSU-MARY WARREN HOUSE 36

CLOSED
No violationsCapacity: 58DAY CARE CENTER
--

MAD RIVER MONTESSORI SCHOOL/ VALLEY EAST BLVD.

4700 VALLEY EAST BLVD

CLOSED
No violationsCapacity: 30DAY CARE CENTER
--

MAD RIVER MONTESSORI PRESCHOOL

1710 JANES ROAD

CLOSED
No violationsCapacity: 30DAY CARE CENTER
--

STRONGBRIDGE MONTESSORI SCHOOL

4700 VALLEY EAST BLVD.

CLOSED
No violationsCapacity: 30DAY CARE CENTER
--

LITTLE LEARNERS CENTER

1111 M STREET

No violationsCapacity: 55DAY CARE CENTER

What the daycare market looks like in Arcata

Arcata currently has 22 daycares in our directory. 59% 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.

59%

A or B safety grades

18

Center-based providers

0

Accredited or Head Start providers

$4/mo

Infant center cost in HUMBOLDT

Market Notes

The current top-scoring provider in this city is HURD, KAYCE FAMILY CHILD CARE HOME with a A grade and a 100.0 score.

Common provider types in Arcata include DAY CARE CENTER, FAMILY DAY CARE HOME, INFANT CENTER.

The average provider in this market has 1.0 recorded violations, while 17 providers currently show none in the data we track.

Local cost and care context

HUMBOLDT accounts for the largest share of providers we track in Arcata, 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.

Read the full scoring methodology

Frequently asked questions about daycare in Arcata

How does DaycareCheck rank daycares in Arcata?

We rank providers in Arcata 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 Arcata?

13 of the 22 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 Arcata?

Arcata currently shows 4 home-based providers 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.