How do I choose the right daycare in Tucson?

When choosing a daycare in Tucson, consider visiting facilities in person and checking: Licensing status with Arizona's regulatory agency Staff-to-child ratios (requirements vary by age group in Arizona) 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 Tucson?

Tucson offers several types of childcare facilities: Child Daycare & Preschools — 196 facilities Headstart Programs — 23 facilities Church Daycare — 15 facilities Before or After School Daycare — 77 facilities Each type serves different needs — center-based facilities typically offer structured programs, while head start programs are federally funded for low-income families.

77 Before or After School Daycare in Tucson, Arizona

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

Daycare costs in Arizona 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 Tucson for current pricing.

Browse all 77 before or after school daycare in Tucson, Arizona. Compare options and find the right childcare for your family.

Top 10 Best Rated Daycares in Tucson

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
Happy Trails School
4.8 score
5(20)
3255 North Campbell Ave, Tucson, AZ · Church Daycare · Capacity: 141 children
Happy Trails Christian Preschool in Tucson receives consistently positive feedback from parents who praise the caring, family-like environment and faith-based curriculum. Parents highlight the affordability, quality staff, comprehensive services (meals, transportation, swimming lessons), and strong academic preparation. Multiple families report multi-year enrollment and recommend the facility highly.
Caring and dedicated teachersfamily-like welcoming environmentaffordabilityall meals provided
2
Little Castle Childcare & Preschool
4.76 score
5(16)
6425 S Pacheco Ave, Tucson, AZ · Child Daycare & Preschools · Capacity: 105 children
Little Castle Childcare & Preschool in Tucson receives perfect 5-star ratings from parents who praise the facility's cleanliness, caring and attentive staff, and strong academic focus. Parents report their children love attending, show developmental progress, and are well-prepared for kindergarten.
friendly and caring staffclean facilitystrong academic curriculumdevelopmental progress observed
3
Creative Beginnings
4.75 score
5(15)
2690 North 1st Avenue, Tucson, AZ · Child Daycare & Preschools · Capacity: 52 children
Creative Beginnings receives consistently high praise from parents, with particular recognition for staff members Samantha, Chelsea, and Lexi. Parents highlight the caring, patient teaching approach, well-rounded curriculum including education and self-care skills, and strong teacher-child relationships.
Caring and patient staffindividual teacher attentioncurriculum includes academics and life skillswarm welcoming environment
4
Kids Village Pre-School And Child Care
4.72 score
4.9(20)
1321 North 6th Avenue, Tucson, AZ · Child Daycare & Preschools · Capacity: 104 children
Parents consistently praise Kids Village for its nurturing environment, professional staff, and strong educational focus. The facility maintains excellent cleanliness and safety standards, with low staff turnover that ensures consistency. Multiple long-term families highlight the caring teachers, effective communication via app updates, and children's measurable developmental progress.
Warm and compassionate stafflow staff turnoverclean and safe facilitiesstrong educational curriculum
5
Three Points Child Care Center
4.71 score
4.9(19)
15530 W Ajo, Tucson, AZ · Child Daycare & Preschools · Capacity: 96 children
Three Points Child Care Center receives unanimous 5-star ratings from parents who praise the dedicated, caring staff and nurturing environment. Parents consistently highlight the strong communication, small class sizes, and visible child development across social, emotional, and cognitive areas.
Caring and professional staffstrong communication and transparencysmall intimate class sizeswell-rounded curriculum with educational activities and outdoor play
6
Creative Kids Preschool
4.71 score
5(12)
1310 West Ina Road, Tucson, AZ · Child Daycare & Preschools · Capacity: 49 children
Creative Kids Preschool receives consistently positive feedback from parents who praise the caring, attentive staff and nurturing environment. Parents highlight their children's happiness, engagement, and developmental progress, with particular appreciation for the small class sizes and faith-based curriculum.
Caring and attentive staffsmall class sizeschildren's happiness and enthusiasmstrong developmental progress and learning outcomes
7
Lamb'S Gate Preschool & Kindergarten
4.7 score
4.9(17)
4700 North Swan Road, Tucson, AZ · Child Daycare & Preschools · Capacity: 176 children
Lamb's Gate Preschool & Kindergarten in Tucson is a highly-regarded Christian preschool with a 50+ year history that parents consistently praise for its welcoming, bright campus, caring staff, and balanced approach to early childhood education. Parents report their children develop strong academic skills, form lasting friendships, and retain positive memories well into elementary and high school. The school is noted for its secure facilities, daily Christian worship, sensory-
8
Capstone Quest Academy
4.69 score
5(11)
1150 North Country Club Rd, Tucson, AZ · Before or After School Daycare · Capacity: 59 children
Capstone Quest Academy receives unanimous 5-star reviews from parents who praise the Pre-K program, particularly teacher Ms. Lizette, for creating a loving, educational environment where children are excited to attend. Parents highlight the school's classroom-like setting, hands-on learning activities including STEM and Spanish, personal attention to each child, and strong communication with families.
Dedicated and caring staffespecially Ms. Lizette; hands-on learning activities and projects; STEM and Spanish instruction; classroom environment rather than daycare feel; circle time and daily educational structure; children eager to attend; personal relationships between staff and families; clean facilities; easy parent access to child's progress; consistent year-over-year improvements; teacher patience and emotional support for children
9
International School Of Tucson
4.67 score
5(10)
1701 East Seneca Street, Tucson, AZ · Child Daycare & Preschools · Capacity: 401 children
Parents consistently praise International School of Tucson for its multilingual immersion programs with native-speaking teachers, warm and caring staff, and strong sense of community. Children are reported to thrive academically and socially while developing language skills and global perspectives. The school is noted for rigorous curriculum, low class sizes, and genuine investment in student well-being.
Language immersion programs (GermanSpanishFrenchChinese)
10
Congregation Anshei Israel Esther B Feldman Preschool/Kindergarten
4.64 score
5(9)
5550 East 5th Street, Tucson, AZ · Church Daycare · Capacity: 220 children
Parents consistently praise Congregation Anshei Israel Esther B Feldman Preschool as a warm, nurturing facility with experienced, caring staff and strong academic and social-emotional growth. All reviewers highlight the welcoming community atmosphere, high-quality programming, and affordability, with many noting their children love attending and are well-prepared for kindergarten.
Experienced and long-tenured teacherssmall class sizeslow student-to-teacher ratioscaring and attentive staff

Top Rated

Highest rated daycares in Tucson based on parent reviews

Capstone Quest Academy

5(11)

1150 North Country Club Rd, Tucson, AZ

Capstone Quest Academy receives unanimous 5-star reviews from parents who praise the Pre-K program, particularly teacher Ms. Lizette, for creating a loving, educational environment where children are excited to attend. Parents highlight the school's classroom-like setting, hands-on learning activities including STEM and Spanish, personal attention to each child, and strong communication with families.

Dedicated and caring staffespecially Ms. Lizette; hands-on learning activities and projects; STEM and Spanish instruction; classroom environment rather than daycare feel; circle time and daily educational structure; children eager to attend; personal relationships between staff and families; clean facilities; easy parent access to child's progress; consistent year-over-year improvements; teacher patience and emotional support for children

Our Mother Of Sorrows Extend Daycare

4.7(20)

1800 South Kolb Road, Tucson, AZ

Our Mother of Sorrows is a church-based institution in Tucson with a 4.7/5 rating. Parents praise the welcoming, loving environment, friendly staff, and strong faith-centered community. The school program is noted as well-organized with good preparation for students' next steps.

Welcoming and loving environmentfriendly and helpful staffclean facilities

M.U.S.D.#6 - Thornydale L.E.A.P./ Preschool

4.6(5)

7751 North Oldfather Road, Tucson, AZ

Parents overwhelmingly praise M.U.S.D.#6 - THORNYDALE L.E.A.P./ PRESCHOOL for its excellent staff and effective learning programs. Children show strong progress and enthusiasm for attending. One parent reported unresponsiveness to email communication.

Dedicated and kind staffstrong academic progressspeech therapy results

T.U.S.D.#1 - Brichta Infant & Early Learning Center

4.3(19)

2110 West Brichta Drive, Tucson, AZ

Parents consistently praise Brichta as an exceptional early childhood education center with a strong community feel, experienced staff, and developmentally appropriate programming. Multiple families report their children are well-prepared for kindergarten and appreciate the extended hours (7am-6pm) at competitive pricing. All reviewers highlight the caring, knowledgeable staff and safe, nurturing environment.

Experienced teachers (many with 10+ years)strong sense of communitysafe and clean facility

V.U.S.D.#20 - Mesquite Early Childhood And School Age Enrichment Program

5(1)

9455 East Rita Road, Tucson, AZ

Tucson Jewish Community Center

4.2(20)

3800 East River Road, Tucson, AZ

Parents highly praise the Tucson Jewish Community Center as a well-maintained facility with excellent childcare services, friendly staff, and numerous amenities. The daycare offers enriching activities, low class ratios, and flexible scheduling for families. Multiple reviewers note the facility is expensive but consider it worth the investment.

Friendly and caring staffenriching activities (artmusic

Map

Daycare types in Tucson

Child Daycare & Preschools 196 Headstart Programs 23 Church Daycare 15 Before or After School Daycare 77

Browse by type in Tucson

🎨 Preschools 95 ✝️ Christian Daycare 9 🌱 Montessori 8 📚 Kindergarten 8 👶 Infant & Toddler 4 🎒 After School Programs 3 ⛪ Catholic Daycare 3

Before or After School Daycare in Tucson, Arizona

There are 77 before or after school daycare in Tucson, Arizona, making up 25% of the 311 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 Tucson, consider visiting facilities in person, checking their licensing status, and asking about staff-to-child ratios, daily routines, and safety policies.

All Before or After School Daycare in Tucson

Showing 77 results