How do I choose the right daycare in East Lansing?

When choosing a daycare in East Lansing, consider visiting facilities in person and checking: Licensing status with Michigan's regulatory agency Staff-to-child ratios (requirements vary by age group in Michigan) Safety measures and cleanliness Daily routines and educational curriculum Parent reviews and ratings Location and hours that fit your schedule

What types of daycare are available in East Lansing?

East Lansing offers several types of childcare facilities: Child Daycare & Preschools — 11 facilities Headstart Programs — 1 facilities Church Daycare — 2 facilities Before or After School Daycare — 7 facilities Each type serves different needs — center-based facilities typically offer structured programs, while head start programs are federally funded for low-income families.

Child Daycare & Preschools in East Lansing, Michigan (11 Results)

Q: What is the average cost of daycare in Michigan?

Daycare costs in Michigan typically range from $200 to $400 per week for full-time care, depending on the child's age, facility type, and location within the state. Infant care tends to be more expensive due to lower staff-to-child ratio requirements. Contact individual facilities in East Lansing for current pricing.

Top 10 Best Rated Daycares in East Lansing

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.

St. Thomas Aquinas School

4.64 score

4.8(20)

955 Alton Road, East Lansing, MI · Church Daycare · Capacity: 84 children

Note: The reviews provided are for St. Thomas Aquinas Parish Church, not a daycare facility. Reviews consistently praise the parish as a welcoming Catholic community with knowledgeable and caring priests, beautiful facilities, and engaging liturgy that attracts high attendance.

Welcoming communityknowledgeable and compassionate priestsbeautiful church buildingthought-provoking homilies

Ymca Parkwood Kids Time Preschool

4.24 score

4.3(20)

2306 Haslett Road, East Lansing, MI · Child Daycare & Preschools · Capacity: 54 children

Parents praise the preschool program for its school-like structure, caring teachers, outdoor activities, and affordable pricing. The facility offers quality swimming lessons with excellent instructors and engaging summer camps. However, some concerns include facility maintenance issues and membership costs.

Caring and knowledgeable staffstructured preschool programfrequent field tripsquality swimming instruction

Bailey Preschool & Childcare Center

4.15 score

4.2(16)

300 Bailey Street, Suite 100, East Lansing, MI · Child Daycare & Preschools · Capacity: 119 children

Bailey Preschool & Childcare Center receives overwhelmingly positive feedback from parents, with all reviews rating 5/5 stars. Parents consistently praise the caring and professional staff, hands-on educational activities, safety measures, and the accessible leadership of owner Ms. Sheri. The center is noted for accommodating special needs including food allergies, language barriers, and diverse learning opportunities.

Caring and attentive stafftransparent communic

Spartan Child Development Center

4.06 score

4.1(8)

33 Crescent Road, East Lansing, MI · Child Daycare & Preschools · Capacity: 140 children

Spartan Child Development Center receives highly polarized reviews. Satisfied parents praise excellent communication, quality care, strong curriculum, and teacher dedication. Dissatisfied parents cite concerns about RIE practices, staffing shortages, potty training policies, lack of diversity/multilingual support, and leadership issues.

Excellent communicationattentive care with incident updatesstellar curriculumwell-organized

Appletree Early Care & Preschool

3.92 score

3.9(20)

3341 Coleman Road, East Lansing, MI · Child Daycare & Preschools · Capacity: 169 children

Appletree Early Care & Preschool in East Lansing receives consistently high praise from parents, with all reviews rating it 5/5 stars. Parents highlight the caring and experienced staff, safe and clean environment, strong communication, and developmental support as key strengths. Many families have enrolled multiple children and report long-term satisfaction with the center.

Caring and nurturing staffSafe and clean environmentExcellent communication with parentsStrong curriculum and learning activities

City Of East Lansing-Glencarin

3.62 score

3.5(16)

939 Harrison Road, East Lansing, MI · Before or After School Daycare · Capacity: 51 children

The reviews provided do not appear to be related to the daycare center itself. Instead, they contain reviews about various City of East Lansing municipal services including public art projects, city clerk services, and voter registration. No actual daycare parent reviews are present in this data.

None relevant to daycare services

Child Daycare & Preschools in East Lansing, Michigan

There are 11 child daycare & preschools in East Lansing, Michigan, making up 52% of the 21 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.

When choosing a daycare in East Lansing, consider visiting facilities in person, checking their licensing status, and asking about staff-to-child ratios, daily routines, and safety policies.

Frequently asked questions

There are 11 child daycare & preschools daycares in East Lansing, Michigan, out of 21 total childcare facilities in the city. Browse our directory to compare options and find the right fit for your child.

When choosing a daycare in East Lansing, consider visiting facilities in person and checking:

Licensing status with Michigan's regulatory agency
Staff-to-child ratios (requirements vary by age group in Michigan)
Safety measures and cleanliness
Daily routines and educational curriculum
Parent reviews and ratings
Location and hours that fit your schedule

East Lansing offers several types of childcare facilities:

Child Daycare & Preschools — 11 facilities
Headstart Programs — 1 facilities
Church Daycare — 2 facilities
Before or After School Daycare — 7 facilities

Each type serves different needs — center-based facilities typically offer structured programs, while head start programs are federally funded for low-income families.

Daycare costs in Michigan typically range from $200 to $400 per week for full-time care, depending on the child's age, facility type, and location within the state. Infant care tends to be more expensive due to lower staff-to-child ratio requirements. Contact individual facilities in East Lansing for current pricing.

Yes, daycare centers in East Lansing must be licensed by Michigan's childcare licensing agency. Licensed facilities are required to meet standards for safety, health, staff qualifications, and staff-to-child ratios. You can verify a facility's license status through your state's licensing database.

11 Child Daycare & Preschools in East Lansing, Michigan

Top 10 Best Rated Daycares in East Lansing

Top Rated

Ymca Parkwood Kids Time Preschool

Abbott Nursery School INC.

Bailey Preschool & Childcare Center

Spartan Child Development Center

Eastminster Child Development Center

Child Development Laboratories At Old Central Sc

Map

Daycare types in East Lansing

Browse by type in East Lansing