
Compare 36 child daycare & preschools in Novato. Average rating: 4.47/5 stars. See top 10 ranked daycares, compare by type, and find the right childcare for your family.
Novato has 36 licensed child daycare & preschools with 102 parent reviews averaging 4.47/5.18 are top-rated with 4.5+ stars — 72% of rated programs, well above average.The highest-rated options cluster around 94945 (avg 5 stars), while 94949 has the largest selection (20 programs).Start with our top-10 ranked list below or filter by philosophy.
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.
1800 Ignacio Blvd, Novato, CA · Child Daycare & Preschools · Capacity: 28 children
Reviews consistently praise Indian Valley College Children's Center for its beautiful, spacious campus setting with pleasant natural surroundings, trails, and access to various facilities. Parents appreciate the quiet, well-maintained location suitable for outdoor activities and events. Some mention COVID-19 restrictions as a limitation.
1473 South Novato Boulevard, Novato, CA · Child Daycare & Preschools · Capacity: 26 children
Novato Parents Nursery School is a cooperative preschool in Novato, California with consistently excellent ratings. Parents praise the play-based, Reggio Emilia-inspired approach, outdoor learning environment, supportive teachers, and strong community aspect where parents work one day per week in the classroom.
1370 South Novato Boulevard, Novato, CA · Child Daycare & Preschools · Capacity: 100 children
Noah's Ark Preschool in Novato receives overwhelmingly positive feedback from parents who praise the caring staff, clean facilities, strong curriculum, and excellent kindergarten preparation. However, one parent reported serious concerns including alleged failure to share student information with a legal guardian, documentation bias, and lack of communication from administration.
1430 Johnson Street, Novato, CA · Child Daycare & Preschools · Capacity: 70 children
The reviews provided are not for daycare services but rather for the YMCA sports and fitness facility. This appears to be a mismatch between the facility type listed (CENTER BASED daycare) and the actual reviews received, which focus on gym amenities, classes, and memberships.
Based on 25 daycares with Google ratings in Novato
Average ratings by facility type in Novato, based on parent reviews
Novato zip codes ranked by average daycare rating
| Zip Code | Daycares | Avg. Rating | Top Rated | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 94945 | 8 | 5 | 5 | |
| 94947 | 15 | 4.69 | 9 | |
| 94949 | 20 | 3.9 | 4 |
Capacity distribution of daycares in Novato (16–197 children)
Small
up to 30 children
17
Medium
31–75 children
18
Large
76–150 children
6
Very Large
150+ children
2
Highest rated daycares in Novato based on parent reviews
1800 Ignacio Blvd, Novato, CA
Reviews consistently praise Indian Valley College Children's Center for its beautiful, spacious campus setting with pleasant natural surroundings, trails, and access to various facilities. Parents appreciate the quiet, well-maintained location suitable for outdoor activities and events. Some mention COVID-19 restrictions as a limitation.
1473 South Novato Boulevard, Novato, CA
Novato Parents Nursery School is a cooperative preschool in Novato, California with consistently excellent ratings. Parents praise the play-based, Reggio Emilia-inspired approach, outdoor learning environment, supportive teachers, and strong community aspect where parents work one day per week in the classroom.
799 Plaza Linda, Novato, CA
Parents highlight the welcoming, family-like atmosphere and attentive staff who genuinely care for children, with one noting a long commute as the only drawback to an otherwise ideal program. Multiple families report that their children thrived socially and academically, forming strong bonds with teachers and peers. While some enrolled temporarily due to location, the quality of care was highly recommended by those who stayed.
495 San Marin Drive, Novato, CA
Parents describe Alpha Kids Academy as a well-run center with attentive and caring staff, noting that children enjoy the variety of activities and community feel. Reviewers highlight the administration's personal engagement with families and the value added by educational extras like music and arts. One parent mentioned they are returning for a younger sibling after a positive experience with an older child at a different facility.
1370 South Novato Boulevard, Novato, CA
Noah's Ark Preschool in Novato receives overwhelmingly positive feedback from parents who praise the caring staff, clean facilities, strong curriculum, and excellent kindergarten preparation. However, one parent reported serious concerns including alleged failure to share student information with a legal guardian, documentation bias, and lack of communication from administration.
45 San Ramon Way, Novato, CA
One parent describes the staff as wonderful and dedicated to providing high-quality care. The single review highlights a positive experience with the team's commitment to children.
There are 36 child daycare & preschools in Novato, California, making up 84% of the 43 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 Novato have an average rating of 4.47 out of 5 across 25 rated facilities, with 72% scoring 4.5 stars or higher. Before or After School Daycare facilities lead with an average of 5 stars. Our analysis covers 102 parent reviews.
When choosing a daycare in Novato, consider visiting facilities in person, checking their licensing status, and asking about staff-to-child ratios, daily routines, and safety policies.
Showing 36 results
One parent describes the staff as wonderful and dedicated to providing high-quality care. The single review highlights a positive experience with the team's commitment to children.
One parent describes a positive experience where children enjoy engaging activities and form strong bonds with both staff and peers. The reviewer highlights that the care providers communicate effectively with families and offer strong support.
One parent highlights that their son enjoys the school and notes visible growth, attributing these positive outcomes to the great teachers. No specific drawbacks or complaints were mentioned in the feedback.
Parents highlight the welcoming, family-like atmosphere and attentive staff who genuinely care for children, with one noting a long commute as the only drawback to an otherwise ideal program. Multiple families report that their children thrived socially and academically, forming strong bonds with teachers and peers. While some enrolled temporarily due to location, the quality of care was highly recommended by those who stayed.
Novato Parents Nursery School is a cooperative preschool in Novato, California with consistently excellent ratings. Parents praise the play-based, Reggio Emilia-inspired approach, outdoor learning environment, supportive teachers, and strong community aspect where parents work one day per week in the classroom.
Parents describe Alpha Kids Academy as a well-run center with attentive and caring staff, noting that children enjoy the variety of activities and community feel. Reviewers highlight the administration's personal engagement with families and the value added by educational extras like music and arts. One parent mentioned they are returning for a younger sibling after a positive experience with an older child at a different facility.
Reviews consistently praise Indian Valley College Children's Center for its beautiful, spacious campus setting with pleasant natural surroundings, trails, and access to various facilities. Parents appreciate the quiet, well-maintained location suitable for outdoor activities and events. Some mention COVID-19 restrictions as a limitation.
Noah's Ark Preschool in Novato receives overwhelmingly positive feedback from parents who praise the caring staff, clean facilities, strong curriculum, and excellent kindergarten preparation. However, one parent reported serious concerns including alleged failure to share student information with a legal guardian, documentation bias, and lack of communication from administration.
The reviews provided are not for daycare services but rather for the YMCA sports and fitness facility. This appears to be a mismatch between the facility type listed (CENTER BASED daycare) and the actual reviews received, which focus on gym amenities, classes, and memberships.
One parent highlights the variety of activities offered and expresses satisfaction with the counselors hired for youth programs. The single review provided is positive, with no complaints noted.
One parent describes the location as welcoming and highlights the administrative staff and teachers as highly capable. However, other residents living nearby report negative experiences, citing safety concerns regarding vehicles parking too close to driveways and allegations that the program encourages bad habits in children.
One parent celebrates a new program, while another criticizes the center's leadership as disorganized and rude, citing filthy classrooms and burnt-out staff who provide basic supervision rather than educational care.
A single five-star review offers a brief congratulatory message, while one critical review describes the facility's leadership as disorganized and rude. The negative feedback asserts that classrooms are filthy and staff are burned out, characterizing the care as glorified babysitting rather than early childhood education.
Note: These reviews are for a YMCA fitness center, not a daycare facility. Reviews praise the facility's cleanliness, amenities (pool, basketball courts, sauna), friendly staff, and affordable sliding-scale membership pricing. However, some members report overcrowding and insufficient weight room equipment.
One parent describes NORTH BAY CHILDREN'S CENTER-TINKER WAY CAMPUS-S/A as the best place they have encountered, highlighting that the staff are very nice and their niece loved the program. The review focuses on positive staff interactions and child enjoyment without noting specific negatives.
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