Best Headstart Programs in Rapid City, SD
Compare 4 headstart programs in Rapid City. Average rating: 4.13/5 stars. See top 10 ranked daycares, compare by type, and find the right childcare for your family.
Rapid City, South Dakota at a glance
- Programs
- 4
- Avg rating
- 4.13/5
- Parent reviews
- 219
- Top rated (4.5+)
- 13
Rapid City has 4 licensed headstart programs with 219 parent reviews averaging 4.13/5.13 are top-rated with 4.5+ stars — 50% of rated programs, well above average.The highest-rated options cluster around 57703 (avg 4.87 stars), while 57701 has the largest selection (27 programs).Start with our top-10 ranked list below or filter by philosophy.
Top 10 Best Rated Daycares in Rapid City
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.
- 1Little Owls Daycare & Preschool4.64 score5(9)
110 N Cambell St., Suite D, Rapid City, SD · Child Daycare & Preschools · Capacity: -999 children
Little Owls Daycare & Preschool in Rapid City receives universal praise from parents who highlight the caring, responsive staff led by owner Karen. Families consistently describe feeling confident in their children's safety and happiness, with particular appreciation for the structured environment, meal quality, and emotional support during life transitions.
Caring and responsive staffSafe and well-maintained facilitiesSupportive owner and managementQuality meal preparation - 2Little Nest Preschool LLC4.48 score4.6(20)
3459 Jet Drive, Rapid City, SD · Child Daycare & Preschools · Capacity: -999 children
Parents consistently praise Little Nest Preschool for its caring, attentive staff, strong Montessori-based curriculum, and extended hours. Children are reported to be excited about attending daily and well-prepared for kindergarten. The director, Jessica, is noted as professional, approachable, and responsive to parent concerns.
caring and friendly staffstrong academic preparationMontessori curriculumextended morning/evening hours - 3Kidstop - Canyon Lake4.48 score4.6(20)
1500 Evergreen St, Rapid City, SD · Before or After School Daycare · Capacity: 30 children
KIDSTOP - CANYON LAKE appears to be a community center rather than a traditional daycare. Reviews consistently praise the friendly atmosphere, diverse activities, and well-maintained facilities. The center offers memberships for ages 21 and up with numerous programs including dance nights, bingo, pickleball, exercise classes, and a thrift store.
Friendly and welcoming staffdiverse activities and programswell-organized eventsclean facilities - 4Zion Lutheran Preschool And Daycare4.45 score4.7(9)
4550 S Highway 16, Rapid City, SD · Child Daycare & Preschools · Capacity: 96 children
Zion Lutheran Preschool and Daycare receives uniformly positive feedback from parents and families. Parents consistently praise the warm, welcoming community, excellent balance of academic challenge with encouragement, and the genuine care teachers show for children. The facility is noted for strong educational quality, integration with church activities, and family-friendly atmosphere.
Outstanding educational experiencewarm welcoming communitygood balance of academic rigor and supportcaring and loving teachers and pastors - 5Fit-N-Fun4.37 score4.6(8)
3660 Sturgis Road, Suite 4, Rapid City, SD · Child Daycare & Preschools · Capacity: 98 children
FIT-N-FUN receives overwhelmingly positive feedback from parents, with most praising the clean facilities, engaging activities, and supportive staff that help children enjoy attending. Parents highlight the variety of programming, healthy snacks, reasonable class sizes, and good teacher communication. One parent expressed concerns about activity fulfillment and parent-staff communication.
clean facilitiesvariety of activity areas (obstacle courseplaygroundgymnastics equipment) - 6Venture Kids University4.25 score4.5(5)
1339 East North Street, Rapid City, SD · Child Daycare & Preschools · Capacity: -999 children
Venture Kids University receives overwhelmingly positive feedback from parents, with most praising the caring staff, strong educational curriculum, and safe environment. Parents consistently report their children enjoy attending and are learning well. One dissenting review criticized staff qualifications and care standards.
caring and sweet teacherspersonalized attention to each childstrong educationsafe environment - 7Our Little Treasures Daycare3.93 score3.9(11)
1123 Kansas City Street, Rapid City, SD · Child Daycare & Preschools · Capacity: -999 children
Our Little Treasures Daycare in Rapid City receives overwhelmingly positive reviews, with parents praising the caring staff, engaging activities, and strong communication through daily photos and app updates. The facility is noted for its welcoming atmosphere, Christian-based curriculum, and individual attention to children's needs. However, a small number of negative reviews raise concerns about classroom transparency, health/safety protocols, and staff performance issues.
Caring and friendly staffengaging activities and field tripsdaily photo updates via appsmooth transitions for children - 8Harmony Childcare & Preschool II3.79 score3.7(11)
606 E. Indiana St., Rapid City, SD · Child Daycare & Preschools · Capacity: -999 children
Harmony Childcare & Preschool II has highly polarized reviews. Positive reviews praise the staff, owner Brenda, caring environment, and engaging activities. Negative reviews report serious safety concerns including unsupervised children, inadequate staffing ratios, unsafe sleep practices, and lack of attention to supervision.
Caring and attentive staffengaging activities and craftsoutdoor playtimewelcoming environment - 9Banana Bunch Too-Range View Circle3.66 score3.5(11)
1200 Range View Circle, Rapid City, SD · Child Daycare & Preschools · Capacity: -999 children
Banana Bunch Too-Range View Circle receives highly polarized reviews. Most parents praise the caring staff, long-term stability, flexibility with schedules, and child development outcomes. However, several parents report serious concerns including alleged abuse, favoritism toward staff members' children, and disrespectful treatment.
Attentive and kind staffexperienced teachers with tenureflexible schedulingcommunity involvement - 10Banana Bunch Clc 2-St. Pat3.66 score3.5(11)
924 E. St. Patrick St., Rapid City, SD · Child Daycare & Preschools · Capacity: 140 children
Banana Bunch CLC 2-ST. PAT receives highly polarized reviews. Most parents praise the caring staff, long-term stability, flexibility, and strong kindergarten preparation, with several families using the center for over a decade. However, serious concerns have been raised by some parents regarding staff behavior toward children, including allegations of abuse and reports of inconsistent discipline.
Attentive and kind staffexperienced teachers with long tenureflexible schedulingopen during weather closures
Rating Distribution
Based on 26 daycares with Google ratings in Rapid City
What Parents Value Most
Top qualities mentioned across 219 reviews, analyzed by AI
Daycare Types Compared
Average ratings by facility type in Rapid City, based on parent reviews
Best Rated Neighborhoods
Rapid City zip codes ranked by average daycare rating
| Zip Code | Daycares | Avg. Rating | Top Rated | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 57703 | 5 | 4.87 | 3 | |
| 57702 | 15 | 4.33 | 3 | |
| 57701 | 27 | 3.92 | 7 |
Facility Sizes
Capacity distribution of daycares in Rapid City (30–495 children)
Small
up to 30 children
4
Medium
31–75 children
9
Large
76–150 children
9
Very Large
150+ children
3
Map
Daycare types in Rapid City
Browse by type in Rapid City
Headstart Programs in Rapid City, South Dakota
There are 4 headstart programs in Rapid City, South Dakota, making up 8% of the 50 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 Rapid City have an average rating of 4.13 out of 5 across 26 rated facilities, with 50% scoring 4.5 stars or higher. Before or After School Daycare facilities lead with an average of 4.6 stars. Our analysis covers 219 parent reviews. Parents in Rapid City most frequently praise daycares for lakota immersion classroom, safe environment, and children enjoy attending.
When choosing a daycare in Rapid City, 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 Rapid City
Showing 4 results
One parent reports a positive two-year experience in a Lakota Immersion classroom, noting their grandchild successfully transitioned to Kindergarten. However, the same reviewer highlights a serious incident involving a teacher who was immediately fired after being caught on camera abusing a toddler in Early Head Start. The reviewer emphasizes that the terminated employee and her family are spreading false narratives about the dismissal.
- Address
- 3645 Sturgis Rd., Suite B, Rapid City, SD
- Phone
- (605) 341-3339
One parent highlights a positive Lakota Immersion classroom experience for an older child, while separately reporting that a teacher in the Early Headstart program was fired for abusing a toddler. The reviewer asserts the incident was witnessed and recorded, characterizing the terminated employee and her family as untruthful about the dismissal.
- Address
- 2710 Haines Ave., Rapid City, SD
- Phone
- (605) 341-3339
One parent reports a positive experience for an older child in a Lakota Immersion classroom but describes a serious incident involving abuse of a toddler by a staff member, which was handled by immediate termination. The reviewer asserts that the former employee and her family are misleadingly portraying themselves as victims of a wonderful program.
- Address
- 612 Crazy Horse St., Rapid City, SD
- Phone
- (605) 341-3163
One parent reports a positive two-year experience for an older child in a Lakota Immersion classroom, while also describing a severe incident involving abuse of a toddler in Early Head Start that resulted in the teacher's immediate termination. The reviewer supports the center's decisive action against the staff member, noting that the incident was witnessed and recorded on camera.
- Address
- 2430 Gnugnuska Drive, Rapid City, SD
- Phone
- (605) 341-3339
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Frequently asked questions
- Licensing status with South Dakota's regulatory agency
- Staff-to-child ratios (requirements vary by age group in South Dakota)
- Safety measures and cleanliness
- Daily routines and educational curriculum
- Parent reviews and ratings
- Location and hours that fit your schedule
- Child Daycare & Preschools — 30 facilities
- Headstart Programs — 4 facilities
- Church Daycare — 3 facilities
- Before or After School Daycare — 13 facilities