Children at daycare

Best Headstart Programs in Shelby, NC

Compare 1 headstart programs in Shelby. Average rating: 4.01/5 stars. See top 10 ranked daycares, compare by type, and find the right childcare for your family.

Shelby, North Carolina at a glance

Programs
1
Avg rating
4.01/5
Parent reviews
103
Top rated (4.5+)
9

Shelby has 1 licensed headstart programs with 103 parent reviews averaging 4.01/5.9 are top-rated with 4.5+ stars — 39% of rated programs, well above average.The largest concentration is in 28150 with 23 programs.Start with our top-10 ranked list below or filter by philosophy.

Top 10 Best Rated Daycares in Shelby

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
    Kids World Child Development Center
    4.1 score
    4.2(5)

    1152 Wyke Road, Shelby, NC · Child Daycare & Preschools · Capacity: -999 children

    Kids World Child Development Center in Shelby, NC receives overwhelmingly positive feedback from parents who praise the staff's warmth, family-like atmosphere, and developmental support. Most reviews highlight the center's welcoming environment and effective child development outcomes. One negative review cited rude customer service when inquiring about enrollment.

    welcoming and kind stafffamily-like atmosphereeffective potty training supportregular developmental updates
  2. 2
    Higher Learning Child Care Academy INC.
    4 score
    4(20)

    1260 Airport Rd, Shelby, NC · Child Daycare & Preschools · Capacity: -999 children

    Higher Learning Child Care Academy receives consistently high praise from parents, with all reviews rating it 5/5 stars. Parents highlight the caring and compassionate staff, strong communication, safe environment, educational activities, and family-oriented approach that make children feel at home.

    Caring and compassionate staffexcellent communication between parents and staffsafe and secure facilityeducational and engaging activities
  3. 3
    Anointed Children Childcare Academy LLC
    3.51 score
    3.2(8)

    915 Fallston Road, Shelby, NC · Child Daycare & Preschools · Capacity: -999 children

    Anointed Children Childcare Academy receives highly polarized reviews. Positive reviews praise the owner Mrs. Elise, staff compassion, developmental progress, and family-like atmosphere. Negative reviews cite cleanliness concerns, unprofessional staff behavior, strict late policies, and inadequate hygiene protocols.

    Compassionate owner and staffstrong developmental progress in childrenexcellent teacher-parent communicationwelcoming family atmosphere
  4. 4
    Mama Lissa'S Tiny Tot University
    3.5 score
    3(5)

    107 Valentine Drive, Shelby, NC · Child Daycare & Preschools · Capacity: -999 children

    MAMA LISSA'S TINY TOT UNIVERSITY receives mixed reviews with stark contrasts. Positive reviews praise the caring teachers, allergy management, and welcoming environment. Negative reviews report issues with handling children with autism, strict behavioral expectations, and safety concerns including unexplained injuries.

    Caring and wonderful teachersstrong allergy awarenessgood paperwork managementpositive classroom environment
  5. 5
    Little Gems Learning Academy
    3.42 score
    3(7)

    607 Mcbrayer Homestead Road, Shelby, NC · Child Daycare & Preschools · Capacity: -999 children

    Little Gems Learning Academy receives mixed reviews. Multiple parents praise the caring staff, educational activities, and child development, with several reporting their children thrived during their time there. However, several parents reported serious concerns including sudden enrollment termination, unresponsive enrollment staff, and unexplained bruising incidents.

    Caring and patient staffchildren enjoy attendingeducational curriculum (ABCs and songs)good communication about child illness
  6. 6
    Shelby Child Care Development Center INC
    3.05 score
    2.1(5)

    124 West Sumter Street, Shelby, NC · Child Daycare & Preschools · Capacity: -999 children

    Shelby Child Care Development Center receives mixed reviews with significant concerns about care quality and staff accountability. While one parent reported initial positive experiences with communication and learning outcomes, multiple parents documented issues with inadequate supervision, poor hygiene practices, inconsistent teaching, and inappropriate staff behavior. The facility has experienced notable decline in standards over time according to long-term parent observati

  7. 7
    Kiddieland Child Development Center
    2.77 score
    2.3(13)

    2231 S Post Road, Shelby, NC · Child Daycare & Preschools · Capacity: -999 children

    Reviews are sharply divided with no middle ground. Positive reviewers praise the friendly staff, clean facilities, structured curriculum, and child development outcomes over multiple years. Negative reviewers cite unkempt classrooms, unwelcoming staff, poor learning outcomes, and overall poor quality.

    Friendly and welcoming staffclean and colorful facilitiesstructured lesson plans and curriculumchild development in cognitive/social/emotional skills

Rating Distribution

Based on 23 daycares with Google ratings in Shelby

4.5 - 5.0
9
4.0 - 4.4
5
3.0 - 3.9
6
Below 3
3

Daycare Types Compared

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

Child Daycare & Preschools

3.91avg rating
28 daycares · 21 rated

Before or After School Daycare

No ratings yet
7 daycares

Church Daycare

5avg rating
2 daycares · 1 rated

Headstart Programs

5avg rating
1 daycares · 1 rated

Best Rated Neighborhoods

Shelby zip codes ranked by average daycare rating

Zip CodeDaycaresAvg. RatingTop Rated
2815215
4.14
5
2815023
3.92
4

Facility Sizes

Capacity distribution of daycares in Shelby (– children)

Small

up to 30 children

0

Medium

31–75 children

0

Large

76–150 children

0

Very Large

150+ children

0

Top Rated

Highest rated daycares in Shelby based on parent reviews

Apples Of Gold Too

5(2)

1633 South Post Road, Shelby, NC

Map

Daycare types in Shelby

Child Daycare & Preschools 28Headstart Programs 1Church Daycare 2Before or After School Daycare 7

Browse by type in Shelby

🎨 Preschools 5🕊️ Baptist Daycare 2

Headstart Programs in Shelby, North Carolina

There are 1 headstart programs in Shelby, North Carolina, making up 3% of the 38 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 Shelby have an average rating of 4.01 out of 5 across 23 rated facilities, with 39% scoring 4.5 stars or higher. Church Daycare facilities lead with an average of 5 stars. Our analysis covers 103 parent reviews.

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

All Headstart Programs in Shelby

Showing 1 results

Apples Of Gold Too
Headstart Programs
5
Address
1633 South Post Road, Shelby, NC
Phone
(704) 481-9265

Page 1 of 1· 1 results

Frequently asked questions

There are 1 headstart programs daycares in Shelby, North Carolina, out of 38 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 Shelby have an average Google rating of 4.01 out of 5 across 23 rated facilities. About 39% of rated daycares score 4.5 stars or higher.
When choosing a daycare in Shelby, consider visiting facilities in person and checking:
  • Licensing status with North Carolina's regulatory agency
  • Staff-to-child ratios (requirements vary by age group in North Carolina)
  • Safety measures and cleanliness
  • Daily routines and educational curriculum
  • Parent reviews and ratings
  • Location and hours that fit your schedule
Shelby offers several types of childcare facilities:
  • Child Daycare & Preschools — 28 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 North Carolina 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 Shelby for current pricing.
Yes, daycare centers in Shelby must be licensed by North Carolina'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.