Best Child Daycare & Preschools in Goleta, CA
Compare 12 child daycare & preschools in Goleta. Average rating: 4.75/5 stars. See top 10 ranked daycares, compare by type, and find the right childcare for your family.
Goleta, California at a glance
- Programs
- 12
- Avg rating
- 4.75/5
- Parent reviews
- 30
- Top rated (4.5+)
- 7
Goleta has 12 licensed child daycare & preschools with 30 parent reviews averaging 4.75/5.7 are top-rated with 4.5+ stars — 88% of rated programs, well above average.The highest-rated options cluster around the 93117 zip code, averaging 4.75 stars across 15 programs.Start with our top-10 ranked list below or filter by philosophy.
Top 10 Best Rated Daycares in Goleta
Ranked using a weighted score that combines Google rating with the number of parent reviews — daycares with more reviews rank higher than those with a high rating but few reviews. Last updated: March 2026.
- 1Good Shepherd Pre-School4.55 score5(6)
380 North Fairview Avenue, Goleta, CA · Child Daycare & Preschools · Capacity: 50 children
Good Shepherd Preschool in Goleta receives perfect 5/5 ratings from parents who praise the caring staff, spacious outdoor facilities, and enriching activities. Parents report their children are happy, well-prepared for kindergarten, and form strong friendships while enjoying diverse programming including music, dance, and science.
Caring and attentive teachersspacious outdoor play areassandbox and truckslarge play structures - 2Steps To Learning Preschool4.5 score5(5)
6901 Phelps Rd., Goleta, CA · Child Daycare & Preschools · Capacity: 15 children
Steps to Learning Preschool in Goleta receives consistently high praise from parents for providing excellent care, structured learning, and developmental support across infant, toddler, and preschool age groups. Parents highlight the nurturing atmosphere, knowledgeable staff, and engaged management under owner Ruwini Goonewardina. Children reportedly thrive academically and socially while enjoying field trips, activities, and a flexible schedule.
Exceptional and well-trained staffCPR certifiedstrong developmental outcomes across cognitive/social/emotional/physical domainsindividualized attention to child needs - 3Steps To Learning Preschool4.5 score5(5)
6901 Phelps Road, Goleta, CA · Child Daycare & Preschools · Capacity: 60 children
Parents consistently praise Steps to Learning Preschool for its nurturing environment, experienced staff, and comprehensive developmental programs. Children show measurable growth in academics, social skills, and language development. The owner Ruwini is noted as hands-on and responsive to family needs.
Experienced and knowledgeable staffCPR certifiedflexible schedulingdiverse learning activities (academics - 4Cac - Goleta I Center4.31 score4.5(8)
5681 Hollister Avenue, Goleta, CA · Child Daycare & Preschools · Capacity: 45 children
CAC - Goleta I Center receives overwhelmingly positive feedback from parents, with most praising the caring teachers, child happiness, and helpful staff. One unrelated review about a senior lunch program at a different Davis Center location criticized staff organization and professionalism. Overall, parents feel comfortable and satisfied with the daycare services.
Kind and caring teachershelpful staffchildren happy and eager to attendcommunity resources provided
Rating Distribution
Based on 8 daycares with Google ratings in Goleta
Daycare Types Compared
Average ratings by facility type in Goleta, based on parent reviews
Best Rated Neighborhoods
Goleta zip codes ranked by average daycare rating
| Zip Code | Daycares | Avg. Rating | Top Rated | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 93117 | 15 | 4.75 | 7 |
Facility Sizes
Capacity distribution of daycares in Goleta (12–72 children)
Small
up to 30 children
6
Medium
31–75 children
9
Large
76–150 children
0
Very Large
150+ children
0
Top Rated
Highest rated daycares in Goleta based on parent reviews
Good Shepherd Pre-School
380 North Fairview Avenue, Goleta, CA
Good Shepherd Preschool in Goleta receives perfect 5/5 ratings from parents who praise the caring staff, spacious outdoor facilities, and enriching activities. Parents report their children are happy, well-prepared for kindergarten, and form strong friendships while enjoying diverse programming including music, dance, and science.
Steps To Learning Preschool
6901 Phelps Rd., Goleta, CA
Steps to Learning Preschool in Goleta receives consistently high praise from parents for providing excellent care, structured learning, and developmental support across infant, toddler, and preschool age groups. Parents highlight the nurturing atmosphere, knowledgeable staff, and engaged management under owner Ruwini Goonewardina. Children reportedly thrive academically and socially while enjoying field trips, activities, and a flexible schedule.
Steps To Learning Preschool
6901 Phelps Road, Goleta, CA
Parents consistently praise Steps to Learning Preschool for its nurturing environment, experienced staff, and comprehensive developmental programs. Children show measurable growth in academics, social skills, and language development. The owner Ruwini is noted as hands-on and responsive to family needs.
Cac - Goleta I Center
5681 Hollister Avenue, Goleta, CA
CAC - Goleta I Center receives overwhelmingly positive feedback from parents, with most praising the caring teachers, child happiness, and helpful staff. One unrelated review about a senior lunch program at a different Davis Center location criticized staff organization and professionalism. Overall, parents feel comfortable and satisfied with the daycare services.
Evergreen Learning Center LLC
7631 Evergreen Dr., Goleta, CA
One parent highlights Loretta and the staff as exceptional, describing them as the best available anywhere. This single five-star review reflects a highly positive experience with the center's personnel.
Isla Vista Children'S Center
6842 Phelps Rd., Goleta, CA
One parent describes ISLA VISTA CHILDREN'S CENTER as the best daycare in the Goleta and Santa Barbara area, highlighting the well-trained and friendly staff. The reviewer notes that their children loved attending this center.
Map
Daycare types in Goleta
Browse by type in Goleta
Child Daycare & Preschools in Goleta, California
There are 12 child daycare & preschools in Goleta, California, making up 80% of the 15 total childcare facilities in the city. Below you'll find a complete directory to help you compare and choose the right daycare for your child.
Based on Google reviews, daycares in Goleta have an average rating of 4.75 out of 5 across 8 rated facilities, with 88% scoring 4.5 stars or higher. Before or After School Daycare facilities lead with an average of 5 stars. Our analysis covers 30 parent reviews.
When choosing a daycare in Goleta, consider visiting facilities in person, checking their licensing status, and asking about staff-to-child ratios, daily routines, and safety policies.
All Child Daycare & Preschools in Goleta
Showing 12 results
Good Shepherd Preschool in Goleta receives perfect 5/5 ratings from parents who praise the caring staff, spacious outdoor facilities, and enriching activities. Parents report their children are happy, well-prepared for kindergarten, and form strong friendships while enjoying diverse programming including music, dance, and science.
- Address
- 380 North Fairview Avenue, Goleta, CA
- Phone
- (805) 967-6101
Steps to Learning Preschool in Goleta receives consistently high praise from parents for providing excellent care, structured learning, and developmental support across infant, toddler, and preschool age groups. Parents highlight the nurturing atmosphere, knowledgeable staff, and engaged management under owner Ruwini Goonewardina. Children reportedly thrive academically and socially while enjoying field trips, activities, and a flexible schedule.
- Address
- 6901 Phelps Rd., Goleta, CA
- Phone
- (805) 968-4888
One parent highlights Loretta and the staff as exceptional, describing them as the best available anywhere. This single five-star review reflects a highly positive experience with the center's personnel.
- Address
- 7631 Evergreen Dr., Goleta, CA
- Phone
- (805) 685-7725
Parents consistently praise Steps to Learning Preschool for its nurturing environment, experienced staff, and comprehensive developmental programs. Children show measurable growth in academics, social skills, and language development. The owner Ruwini is noted as hands-on and responsive to family needs.
- Address
- 6901 Phelps Road, Goleta, CA
- Phone
- (805) 968-4888
One parent describes ISLA VISTA CHILDREN'S CENTER as the best daycare in the Goleta and Santa Barbara area, highlighting the well-trained and friendly staff. The reviewer notes that their children loved attending this center.
- Address
- 6842 Phelps Rd., Goleta, CA
- Phone
- (805) 968-0488
CAC - Goleta I Center receives overwhelmingly positive feedback from parents, with most praising the caring teachers, child happiness, and helpful staff. One unrelated review about a senior lunch program at a different Davis Center location criticized staff organization and professionalism. Overall, parents feel comfortable and satisfied with the daycare services.
- Address
- 5681 Hollister Avenue, Goleta, CA
- Phone
- (805) 967-7684
One parent recalls a positive experience with a specific teacher, while another found initial administrative staff to be helpful and professional. However, other reviewers report significant issues with the school district's communication, describing staff as unprofessional, unhelpful, and difficult to reach regarding urgent matters.
- Address
- 401 N. Fairview Ave., Room 16, Goleta, CA
- Phone
- (805) 681-1200
- Address
- 701 H West Campus Pointe Ln., Goleta, CA
- Phone
- (805) 685-6900
- Address
- 401 N. Fairview Ave., Goleta, CA
- Phone
- (805) 681-1200
- Address
- 5681 Hollister Avenue, Goleta, CA
- Phone
- (805) 964-8857
- Address
- 7421 Mirano Drive, Goleta, CA
- Phone
- (805) 451-6713
- Address
- 7421 Mirano Drive, Goleta, CA
- Phone
- (805) 967-6656
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Frequently asked questions
- Licensing status with California's regulatory agency
- Staff-to-child ratios (requirements vary by age group in California)
- Safety measures and cleanliness
- Daily routines and educational curriculum
- Parent reviews and ratings
- Location and hours that fit your schedule
- Child Daycare & Preschools — 12 facilities
- Before or After School Daycare — 3 facilities