Children at daycare

Best Before or After School Daycare in Dana Point, CA

Compare 1 before or after school daycare in Dana Point. Average rating: 4.87/5 stars. See top 10 ranked daycares, compare by type, and find the right childcare for your family.

Dana Point, California at a glance

Programs
1
Avg rating
4.87/5
Parent reviews
37
Top rated (4.5+)
3

Dana Point has 1 licensed before or after school daycare with 37 parent reviews averaging 4.87/5.The highest-rated options cluster around the 92629 zip code, averaging 4.87 stars across 6 programs.Start with our top-10 ranked list below or filter by philosophy.

Top 10 Best Rated Daycares in Dana Point

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
    Dana Point Montessori
    4.64 score
    4.9(12)

    33501 Del Obispo Street, Dana Point, CA · Child Daycare & Preschools · Capacity: 36 children

    Dana Point Montessori receives universal 5-star ratings from parents who praise the caring, qualified staff, clean facility, and Montessori-based learning environment. Children consistently show enthusiasm for attending, demonstrate measurable learning and behavioral growth, and parents report feeling their children are safe and well-supported.

    Caring and attentive teachersclean and spacious facilitystrong communication with parentsengaging activities (music
  2. 2
    Dana Montessori School
    4.62 score
    4.9(11)

    34052 Violet Lantern St., Dana Point, CA · Before or After School Daycare · Capacity: 37 children

    Parents consistently praise Prodigy Montessori (formerly Dana Montessori) for its nurturing Montessori environment and dedicated staff led by owner Ms. Priya. Children show strong academic and social development, with parents noting enthusiasm for school attendance and significant progress in learning and language skills. The school is described as clean, warm, and family-oriented with a good balance of structured learning and creative play.

    Caring and attentive teac
  3. 3
    Gloria Dei Lutheran Church Preschool
    4.59 score
    4.8(14)

    33501 Stonehill Drive, Dana Point, CA · Church Daycare · Capacity: 54 children

    The reviews provided are for Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, not specifically for their preschool program. Reviewers praise the church's worship services, pastoral care, welcoming community, and various activities including Sunday School and youth programs. No specific feedback about the preschool daycare operations, curriculum, or childcare quality is included in these reviews.

    Welcoming and friendly communitycompassionate pastoral staffbeautiful facilities and groundsSunday School and youth activities

Rating Distribution

Based on 3 daycares with Google ratings in Dana Point

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

Daycare Types Compared

Average ratings by facility type in Dana Point, based on parent reviews

Child Daycare & Preschools

4.9avg rating
4 daycares · 1 rated

Before or After School Daycare

4.9avg rating
1 daycares · 1 rated

Church Daycare

4.8avg rating
1 daycares · 1 rated

Best Rated Neighborhoods

Dana Point zip codes ranked by average daycare rating

Zip CodeDaycaresAvg. RatingTop Rated
926296
4.87
3

Facility Sizes

Capacity distribution of daycares in Dana Point (24–90 children)

Small

up to 30 children

1

Medium

31–75 children

4

Large

76–150 children

1

Very Large

150+ children

0

Top Rated

Highest rated daycares in Dana Point based on parent reviews

Dana Montessori School

4.9(11)

34052 Violet Lantern St., Dana Point, CA

Parents consistently praise Prodigy Montessori (formerly Dana Montessori) for its nurturing Montessori environment and dedicated staff led by owner Ms. Priya. Children show strong academic and social development, with parents noting enthusiasm for school attendance and significant progress in learning and language skills. The school is described as clean, warm, and family-oriented with a good balance of structured learning and creative play.

Caring and attentive teac

Map

Daycare types in Dana Point

Child Daycare & Preschools 4Church Daycare 1Before or After School Daycare 1

Browse by type in Dana Point

🎨 Preschools 3🌱 Montessori 3

Before or After School Daycare in Dana Point, California

There are 1 before or after school daycare in Dana Point, California, making up 17% of the 6 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 Dana Point have an average rating of 4.87 out of 5 across 3 rated facilities, with 100% scoring 4.5 stars or higher. Child Daycare & Preschools facilities lead with an average of 4.9 stars. Our analysis covers 37 parent reviews.

When choosing a daycare in Dana Point, 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 Dana Point

Showing 1 results

Dana Montessori School
Before or After School Daycare
4.9

Parents consistently praise Prodigy Montessori (formerly Dana Montessori) for its nurturing Montessori environment and dedicated staff led by owner Ms. Priya. Children show strong academic and social development, with parents noting enthusiasm for school attendance and significant progress in learning and language skills. The school is described as clean, warm, and family-oriented with a good balance of structured learning and creative play.

Caring and attentive teac
Address
34052 Violet Lantern St., Dana Point, CA
Phone
(949) 240-7271

Page 1 of 1· 1 results

Frequently asked questions

There are 1 before or after school daycares in Dana Point, California, out of 6 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 Dana Point have an average Google rating of 4.87 out of 5 across 3 rated facilities. About 100% of rated daycares score 4.5 stars or higher.
When choosing a daycare in Dana Point, consider visiting facilities in person and checking:
  • Licensing status with California's regulatory agency
  • Staff-to-child ratios (requirements vary by age group in California)
  • Safety measures and cleanliness
  • Daily routines and educational curriculum
  • Parent reviews and ratings
  • Location and hours that fit your schedule
Dana Point offers several types of childcare facilities:
  • Child Daycare & Preschools — 4 facilities
  • Church Daycare — 1 facilities
  • Before or After School Daycare — 1 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 California 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 Dana Point for current pricing.
Yes, daycare centers in Dana Point must be licensed by California'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.