Best Child Daycare & Preschools in Lakewood, NJ
Compare 20 child daycare & preschools in Lakewood. Average rating: 4.58/5 stars. See top 10 ranked daycares, compare by type, and find the right childcare for your family.
Lakewood, New Jersey at a glance
- Programs
- 20
- Avg rating
- 4.58/5
- Parent reviews
- 113
- Top rated (4.5+)
- 10
Lakewood has 20 licensed child daycare & preschools with 113 parent reviews averaging 4.58/5.10 are top-rated with 4.5+ stars — 83% of rated programs, well above average.The highest-rated options cluster around the 08701 zip code, averaging 4.58 stars across 22 programs.Start with our top-10 ranked list below or filter by philosophy.
Top 10 Best Rated Daycares in Lakewood
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.
- 1Twinkle Twinkle Little Stars Child Care Center4.8 score5(20)
313 Third Street, Lakewood, NJ · Child Daycare & Preschools · Capacity: 36 children
Twinkle Twinkle Little Stars Child Care Center, run by Ms. Amy, receives perfect 5/5 ratings from all parents. Parents consistently praise the personalized, loving care provided, describing Ms. Amy as treating children like her own and creating a safe, clean, nurturing environment where children thrive emotionally and socially.
Personalized attentionwarm and caring providersafe and clean facilitystrong emotional support for children with separation anxiety - 2Kids World 24.72 score5(13)
612 Madison Avenue, Lakewood, NJ · Child Daycare & Preschools · Capacity: 78 children
Kids World 2 is a highly-regarded family-run daycare in Lakewood, NJ with a 5/5 rating across all reviews. Parents consistently praise the nurturing environment, attentive staff led by director Miss Stephanie, and educational programs focused on music and STEM. Children show strong development and genuine happiness attending the center.
Warm and nurturing environmentattentive staff who treat children like their ownstrong director leadershipage-mixed interactions - 3Oorah INC.4.66 score4.9(14)
1785 Swarthmore Avenue, Lakewood, NJ · Child Daycare & Preschools · Capacity: 78 children
OORAH INC. receives consistently high praise as a well-organized, mission-driven organization with genuine care for families and community. Parents highlight the warm, welcoming atmosphere, respectful staff, and meaningful programming. Reviews reflect positive experiences across various programs and activities.
Caring and respectful staffwarm and welcoming atmospherewell-organized and professionally runquality programming - 4The Learning Ladder Academy4.46 score4.6(17)
60 Chambers Bridge Road, Lakewood, NJ · Child Daycare & Preschools · Capacity: 96 children
The Learning Ladder Academy receives consistently high praise from parents, with all reviews rating it 5/5 stars. Parents highlight the caring, professional staff, owner Heather's involvement, and the developmental progress their children make. Families report feeling safe and valued, with many returning for multiple children or traveling from a distance to continue enrollment.
Caring and attentive staffOwner Heather's involvement and professionalismChild development and learning outcomesClean and welcoming environment - 5The Special Children'S Center INC4.46 score4.6(17)
1400 Prospect Street, Lakewood, NJ · Child Daycare & Preschools · Capacity: 90 children
Parents consistently praise The Special Children's Center Inc for its exceptional care and support of children with special needs. The facility is noted for its warm, loving atmosphere, dedicated staff, and extensive programming including educational trips and community events. Families highlight how the center goes above and beyond to make each child feel safe, happy, and valued.
Caring and dedicated staffwarm and welcoming atmospherespecialized services for special needs childrenextensive programming and events including international trips and Disney World visits - 6Lakewood Head Start4.43 score4.7(8)
30 E 8th Street, Lakewood, NJ · Headstart Programs · Capacity: 132 children
Lakewood Head Start receives predominantly positive feedback, with parents praising the learning environment, welcoming atmosphere, and friendly staff. One parent expressed frustration with enrollment availability and difficulty reaching the center.
Quality education and learning environmentfriendly and welcoming staffpleasant atmosphereaccepts donations
Rating Distribution
Based on 12 daycares with Google ratings in Lakewood
Daycare Types Compared
Average ratings by facility type in Lakewood, based on parent reviews
Best Rated Neighborhoods
Lakewood zip codes ranked by average daycare rating
| Zip Code | Daycares | Avg. Rating | Top Rated | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 08701 | 22 | 4.58 | 10 |
Facility Sizes
Capacity distribution of daycares in Lakewood (36–367 children)
Small
up to 30 children
0
Medium
31–75 children
3
Large
76–150 children
12
Very Large
150+ children
7
Top Rated
Highest rated daycares in Lakewood based on parent reviews
Twinkle Twinkle Little Stars Child Care Center
313 Third Street, Lakewood, NJ
Twinkle Twinkle Little Stars Child Care Center, run by Ms. Amy, receives perfect 5/5 ratings from all parents. Parents consistently praise the personalized, loving care provided, describing Ms. Amy as treating children like her own and creating a safe, clean, nurturing environment where children thrive emotionally and socially.
Kids World 2
612 Madison Avenue, Lakewood, NJ
Kids World 2 is a highly-regarded family-run daycare in Lakewood, NJ with a 5/5 rating across all reviews. Parents consistently praise the nurturing environment, attentive staff led by director Miss Stephanie, and educational programs focused on music and STEM. Children show strong development and genuine happiness attending the center.
Oorah INC.
1785 Swarthmore Avenue, Lakewood, NJ
OORAH INC. receives consistently high praise as a well-organized, mission-driven organization with genuine care for families and community. Parents highlight the warm, welcoming atmosphere, respectful staff, and meaningful programming. Reviews reflect positive experiences across various programs and activities.
The Learning Ladder Academy
60 Chambers Bridge Road, Lakewood, NJ
The Learning Ladder Academy receives consistently high praise from parents, with all reviews rating it 5/5 stars. Parents highlight the caring, professional staff, owner Heather's involvement, and the developmental progress their children make. Families report feeling safe and valued, with many returning for multiple children or traveling from a distance to continue enrollment.
The Special Children'S Center INC
1400 Prospect Street, Lakewood, NJ
Parents consistently praise The Special Children's Center Inc for its exceptional care and support of children with special needs. The facility is noted for its warm, loving atmosphere, dedicated staff, and extensive programming including educational trips and community events. Families highlight how the center goes above and beyond to make each child feel safe, happy, and valued.
Kiddie Care Nj LLC 2
911 Somerset Avenue, Lakewood, NJ
Reviewers describe KIDDIE CARE NJ LLC 2 as a highly professional and clean facility located in the heart of Lakewood. Several parents highlight the attractive building and state-of-the-art facilities, with some explicitly calling it the number one daycare in the area.
Map
Daycare types in Lakewood
Child Daycare & Preschools in Lakewood, New Jersey
There are 20 child daycare & preschools in Lakewood, New Jersey, making up 91% of the 22 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 Lakewood have an average rating of 4.58 out of 5 across 12 rated facilities, with 83% scoring 4.5 stars or higher. Headstart Programs facilities lead with an average of 4.7 stars. Our analysis covers 113 parent reviews.
When choosing a daycare in Lakewood, 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 Lakewood
Showing 20 results
Reviewers describe KIDDIE CARE NJ LLC 2 as a highly professional and clean facility located in the heart of Lakewood. Several parents highlight the attractive building and state-of-the-art facilities, with some explicitly calling it the number one daycare in the area.
- Address
- 911 Somerset Avenue, Lakewood, NJ
- Phone
- (732) 886-7000
Reviewers highlight Ms. Garcia's extensive educational experience and ability to work with children from diverse backgrounds. Parents describe her as trustworthy, professional, and loving toward the children.
- Address
- 440 Ninth Street / 825 Forest, Lakewood, NJ
- Phone
- (732) 730-1926
Reviewers highlight the facility's professional environment, cleanliness, and high-quality infrastructure, with some calling it the top choice in Lakewood. The building is described as modern and well-maintained.
- Address
- 1015 Park Ave, Lakewood, NJ
- Phone
- (848) 222-1400
Kids World 2 is a highly-regarded family-run daycare in Lakewood, NJ with a 5/5 rating across all reviews. Parents consistently praise the nurturing environment, attentive staff led by director Miss Stephanie, and educational programs focused on music and STEM. Children show strong development and genuine happiness attending the center.
- Address
- 612 Madison Avenue, Lakewood, NJ
- Phone
- (732) 886-5437
One parent reports that both they and their children enjoy the experience at this center-based childcare facility.
- Address
- 500 River Ave, Ste 100, Lakewood, NJ
- Phone
- (732) 987-4411
Twinkle Twinkle Little Stars Child Care Center, run by Ms. Amy, receives perfect 5/5 ratings from all parents. Parents consistently praise the personalized, loving care provided, describing Ms. Amy as treating children like her own and creating a safe, clean, nurturing environment where children thrive emotionally and socially.
- Address
- 313 Third Street, Lakewood, NJ
- Phone
- (732) 363-3996
OORAH INC. receives consistently high praise as a well-organized, mission-driven organization with genuine care for families and community. Parents highlight the warm, welcoming atmosphere, respectful staff, and meaningful programming. Reviews reflect positive experiences across various programs and activities.
- Address
- 1785 Swarthmore Avenue, Lakewood, NJ
- Phone
- (732) 730-1000
The Learning Ladder Academy receives consistently high praise from parents, with all reviews rating it 5/5 stars. Parents highlight the caring, professional staff, owner Heather's involvement, and the developmental progress their children make. Families report feeling safe and valued, with many returning for multiple children or traveling from a distance to continue enrollment.
- Address
- 60 Chambers Bridge Road, Lakewood, NJ
- Phone
- (732) 370-9230
Parents consistently praise The Special Children's Center Inc for its exceptional care and support of children with special needs. The facility is noted for its warm, loving atmosphere, dedicated staff, and extensive programming including educational trips and community events. Families highlight how the center goes above and beyond to make each child feel safe, happy, and valued.
- Address
- 1400 Prospect Street, Lakewood, NJ
- Phone
- (732) 367-0099
Feedback for Lakewood Multicultural Preschool is mixed, with one parent highlighting exceptional academic preparation that led to high kindergarten assessment scores, while another criticizes severe communication barriers and staff competence issues. A third reviewer offers a neutral perspective, noting nice teachers despite the school being just okay.
- Address
- 100 Ridge Ave, Lakewood, NJ
- Phone
- (732) 363-0700
Feedback for Ready Set Grow is sharply divided, with one parent describing it as a professionally run environment where children enjoy the teachers, while others strongly advise against it. Critics characterize the center as poorly run and urge parents to avoid it entirely, suggesting better quality care options exist in Lakewood.
- Address
- 301-350 Monmouth Ave, Lakewood, NJ
- Phone
- (732) 364-1999
- Address
- 613 Oak Street, Lakewood, NJ
- Phone
- (732) 746-0309
- Address
- 419 5th Street, Lakewood, NJ
- Phone
- (732) 886-5437
- Address
- 140 Lehigh Ave, Lakewood, NJ
- Phone
- (732) 370-7178
- Address
- 525 Oberlin Ave, Lakewood, NJ
- Phone
- (732) 901-2273
- Address
- 1771 Madison Avenue, Lakewood, NJ
- Phone
- (732) 367-5437
- Address
- 580 Oak Street, Lakewood, NJ
- Phone
- (732) 901-1900
- Address
- 763 River Avenue, Lakewood, NJ
- Phone
- (732) 961-4401
- Address
- 708 Princeton Ave, Lakewood, NJ
- Phone
- (732) 597-6078
- Address
- 601 Prospect Street, Lakewood, NJ
- Phone
- (732) 886-7335
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Frequently asked questions
- Licensing status with New Jersey's regulatory agency
- Staff-to-child ratios (requirements vary by age group in New Jersey)
- Safety measures and cleanliness
- Daily routines and educational curriculum
- Parent reviews and ratings
- Location and hours that fit your schedule
- Child Daycare & Preschools — 20 facilities
- Headstart Programs — 2 facilities