Children at daycare

Best Child Daycare & Preschools in Lakeland, TN

Compare 3 child daycare & preschools in Lakeland. Average rating: 3.7/5 stars. See top 10 ranked daycares, compare by type, and find the right childcare for your family.

Lakeland, Tennessee at a glance

Programs
3
Avg rating
3.7/5
Parent reviews
33
Top rated (4.5+)
0

Lakeland has 3 licensed child daycare & preschools with 33 parent reviews averaging 3.7/5.The largest concentration is in 38002 with 8 programs.Browse all options below to find the right fit for your family.

Top 10 Best Rated Daycares in Lakeland

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.

  1. 1
    St. Paul Umc Preschool
    4.25 score
    4.4(8)

    2949 Davies Plantation Road, Lakeland, TN · Church Daycare · Capacity: 108 children

    St. Paul UMC Preschool in Lakeland receives consistently high praise from parents. Families highlight the caring teachers, positive developmental impact on children, clean facilities, and welcoming community atmosphere. The program is particularly noted for its engaging activities and friendly staff who treat children with personal care.

    caring and devoted teacherschild development and growthclean facilitywelcoming and friendly staff
  2. 2
    Ymca Child Development Center
    3.67 score
    3.5(10)

    2935 Lakeland Hills Drive, Lakeland, TN · Child Daycare & Preschools · Capacity: 144 children

    YMCA Child Development Center in Lakeland receives highly polarized reviews. Multiple parents praise the caring staff, cleanliness, educational activities, and communication, while others report serious safety concerns including inadequate supervision, hygiene issues, failure to follow parent instructions, and lack of response to incidents of physical assault.

    Caring and friendly staffclean facilityeducational activities and craftsgood communication about daily
  3. 3
    Learning Tree Day Care Lakeland, INC
    3.4 score
    3.2(15)

    9667 Davies Plantation Rd., Lakeland, TN · Child Daycare & Preschools · Capacity: 250 children

    Learning Tree Day Care Lakeland receives mostly positive reviews praising engaged teachers, educational curriculum, and family-oriented care. However, two parents reported serious concerns including alleged physical discipline and inappropriate medication use, alongside administrative issues with enrollment communication.

    Experienced and caring teachersstrong educational programming (readingphonicsforeign language)

Rating Distribution

Based on 3 daycares with Google ratings in Lakeland

4.5 - 5.0
0
4.0 - 4.4
1
3.0 - 3.9
2
Below 3
0

Daycare Types Compared

Average ratings by facility type in Lakeland, based on parent reviews

Before or After School Daycare

No ratings yet
3 daycares

Child Daycare & Preschools

3.35avg rating
3 daycares · 2 rated

Church Daycare

4.4avg rating
2 daycares · 1 rated

Best Rated Neighborhoods

Lakeland zip codes ranked by average daycare rating

Zip CodeDaycaresAvg. RatingTop Rated
380028
3.7
0

Facility Sizes

Capacity distribution of daycares in Lakeland (40–250 children)

Small

up to 30 children

0

Medium

31–75 children

1

Large

76–150 children

6

Very Large

150+ children

1

Top Rated

Highest rated daycares in Lakeland based on parent reviews

Ymca Child Development Center

3.5(10)

2935 Lakeland Hills Drive, Lakeland, TN

YMCA Child Development Center in Lakeland receives highly polarized reviews. Multiple parents praise the caring staff, cleanliness, educational activities, and communication, while others report serious safety concerns including inadequate supervision, hygiene issues, failure to follow parent instructions, and lack of response to incidents of physical assault.

Caring and friendly staffclean facilityeducational activities and crafts

Learning Tree Day Care Lakeland, INC

3.2(15)

9667 Davies Plantation Rd., Lakeland, TN

Learning Tree Day Care Lakeland receives mostly positive reviews praising engaged teachers, educational curriculum, and family-oriented care. However, two parents reported serious concerns including alleged physical discipline and inappropriate medication use, alongside administrative issues with enrollment communication.

Experienced and caring teachersstrong educational programming (readingphonics

Map

Daycare types in Lakeland

Child Daycare & Preschools 3Church Daycare 2Before or After School Daycare 3

Child Daycare & Preschools in Lakeland, Tennessee

There are 3 child daycare & preschools in Lakeland, Tennessee, making up 38% of the 8 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 Lakeland have an average rating of 3.7 out of 5 across 3 rated facilities, with 0% scoring 4.5 stars or higher. Church Daycare facilities lead with an average of 4.4 stars. Our analysis covers 33 parent reviews.

When choosing a daycare in Lakeland, 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 Lakeland

Showing 3 results

Ymca Child Development Center
Child Daycare & Preschools
3.5

YMCA Child Development Center in Lakeland receives highly polarized reviews. Multiple parents praise the caring staff, cleanliness, educational activities, and communication, while others report serious safety concerns including inadequate supervision, hygiene issues, failure to follow parent instructions, and lack of response to incidents of physical assault.

Caring and friendly staffclean facilityeducational activities and crafts
Address
2935 Lakeland Hills Drive, Lakeland, TN
Phone
(901) 430-0593
Learning Tree Day Care Lakeland, INC
Child Daycare & Preschools
3.2

Learning Tree Day Care Lakeland receives mostly positive reviews praising engaged teachers, educational curriculum, and family-oriented care. However, two parents reported serious concerns including alleged physical discipline and inappropriate medication use, alongside administrative issues with enrollment communication.

Experienced and caring teachersstrong educational programming (readingphonics
Address
9667 Davies Plantation Rd., Lakeland, TN
Phone
(901) 388-6388
Lakeland Middle Extended Activities Prog
Child Daycare & Preschools
Address
5020 Lions Crest Drive, Lakeland, TN
Phone
(901) 867-5406

Page 1 of 1· 3 results

Frequently asked questions

There are 3 child daycare & preschools daycares in Lakeland, Tennessee, out of 8 total childcare facilities in the city. Browse our directory to compare options and find the right fit for your child.
Based on parent reviews, daycares in Lakeland have an average Google rating of 3.7 out of 5 across 3 rated facilities.
When choosing a daycare in Lakeland, consider visiting facilities in person and checking:
  • Licensing status with Tennessee's regulatory agency
  • Staff-to-child ratios (requirements vary by age group in Tennessee)
  • Safety measures and cleanliness
  • Daily routines and educational curriculum
  • Parent reviews and ratings
  • Location and hours that fit your schedule
Lakeland offers several types of childcare facilities:
  • Child Daycare & Preschools — 3 facilities
  • Church Daycare — 2 facilities
  • Before or After School Daycare — 3 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 Tennessee 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 Lakeland for current pricing.
Yes, daycare centers in Lakeland must be licensed by Tennessee'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.