Daycares in Santa Monica, California
Data Freshness & Provenance
Inspection coverage
79 of 96 tracked providers have inspection history
Active providers
79 providers appear active in this market
Last refreshed
May 18, 2026
Latest inspection
February 19, 2026
Provenance
California licensing records, inspections, and DaycareCheck scoring
City Snapshot
Santa Monica currently has 96 tracked providers. 79 have inspection history, 79 appear active, and 78% of the market holds an A or B grade. The latest inspection in the dataset is February 19, 2026.
Updated May 18, 2026 from California licensing records, inspections, and DaycareCheck scoring.
EVERGREEN COMMUNITY SCHOOL
2800 COLORADO
BELL FAMILY CHILD CARE
SANTA MONICA, CA 90404
EARLY YEARS SCHOOL, THE
302 MONTANA AVENUE
FURIE FAMILY CHILD CARE
SANTA MONICA, CA 90403
EDISON LANGUAGE ACADEMY PRESCHOOL
2402 VIRGINIA AVENUE
WALDORF EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER
1439-1441 15TH STREET
BRIGHT HORIZONS AT THE WATER GARDEN-PRESCHOOL
1620 26TH STREET #1020
COLLIER FAMILY CHILD CARE
SANTA MONICA, CA 90405
GROWING PLACE, OCEAN PARK, THE
401 ASHLAND B
LIGHTHOUSE CENTER FOR INFANTS
1424 YALE STREET
HILL AN' DALE - OLD FIREHOUSE (INFANT CARE)
2801 25TH STREET
SANTA MONICA-MALIBU USD/LINCOLN CHILD DEV/H.S./S.P
1532 CALIFORNIA AVENUE
LITTLE DOLPHINS BY THE SEA DBA SEVEN ARROWS, INC.
1812 STANFORD STREET
COUCHOIS FAMILY CHILD CARE
SANTA MONICA, CA 90404
CATHOLIC CHARITIES L.A.INC.S.M.ADESTE PROG.
1039 7TH STREET
FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH PRESCHOOL
1008 11TH STREET
HILL AN DALE FAMILY LEARNING CENTER COLORADO PLAC
1540 26TH STREET
GRAVES FAMILY CHILD CARE
SANTA MONICA, CA 90405
HILL AN' DALE FAMILY LEARNING CTR. - OLD FIREHOUS
2801 25TH ST.
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHC OF SANTA MONICA NURSERY SC
1248 SECOND ST
Home Daycares in Santa Monica
Browse 18 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 Santa Monica
Santa Monica currently has 96 daycares in our directory. 78% 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.
78%
A or B safety grades
78
Center-based providers
1
Accredited or Head Start providers
$1,447/mo
Infant center cost in LOS ANGELES
Market Notes
The current top-scoring provider in this city is HILL AN' DALE FAMILY LEARNING CTR. - OLD FIREHOUS with a A grade and a 100.0 score.
Common provider types in Santa Monica include DAY CARE CENTER, FAMILY DAY CARE HOME, INFANT CENTER.
The average provider in this market has 1.7 recorded violations, while 68 providers currently show none in the data we track.
Local cost and care context
LOS ANGELES accounts for the largest share of providers we track in Santa Monica, so its pricing is the best local benchmark on this page.
Infant Center
$1,447/mo
Preschool Center
$1,045/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 Santa Monica
How does DaycareCheck rank daycares in Santa Monica?
We rank providers in Santa Monica 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 Santa Monica?
75 of the 96 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 Santa Monica?
Santa Monica currently shows 18 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.