Children at daycare

Best Before or After School Daycare in Santee, CA

Compare 1 before or after school daycare in Santee. Average rating: 4.59/5 stars. See top 10 ranked daycares, compare by type, and find the right childcare for your family.

Santee, California at a glance

Programs
1
Avg rating
4.59/5
Parent reviews
110
Top rated (4.5+)
6

Santee has 1 licensed before or after school daycare with 110 parent reviews averaging 4.59/5.6 are top-rated with 4.5+ stars — 75% of rated programs, well above average.The highest-rated options cluster around the 92071 zip code, averaging 4.59 stars across 17 programs.Start with our top-10 ranked list below or filter by philosophy.

Top 10 Best Rated Daycares in Santee

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
    Children'S Choice
    4.72 score
    4.9(20)

    8824 Cottonwood Ave, Santee, CA · Child Daycare & Preschools · Capacity: 43 children

    Parents consistently praise Children's Choice for its warm, safe, and nurturing environment where children thrive academically and emotionally. The staff, led by director Ms. Vanessa, is highlighted as exceptional, compassionate, and dedicated to each child's individual growth and happiness. Multiple parents report their children look forward to attending daily and have developed genuine love of learning.

    Warm and safe environmentengaging activitiesexceptional an
  2. 2
    Guardian Angels Catholic Church Preschool
    4.56 score
    4.7(20)

    9310 Dalehurst Road, Santee, CA · Church Daycare · Capacity: 48 children

    Guardian Angels Catholic Church Preschool is consistently praised for its welcoming and compassionate community atmosphere. Parents appreciate the friendly parish members, family-oriented programming, and engagement activities. The facility is noted as a safe, caring environment that makes families feel like part of a larger faith community.

    welcoming atmospherekind and compassionate stafffamily-friendly programs (family massfestivals)
  3. 3
    Giggles & Smiles Child Care Center LLC
    4.43 score
    4.6(13)

    11316 Woodside Avenue N., Santee, CA · Child Daycare & Preschools · Capacity: 60 children

    Parents consistently praise Giggles & Smiles for exceptional care, attentive staff, and strong communication. The facility is noted for cleanliness, a comprehensive curriculum, and going above-and-beyond with amenities like provided meals and diapers. Multiple families have enrolled multiple children over many years, indicating high satisfaction and retention.

    Caring and professional staffowner involvement and communicationclean facilityprovided meals and diapers
  4. 4
    Giggles & Smiles Child Care Center LLC-Infant
    4.43 score
    4.6(13)

    11316 Woodside Avenue N., Santee, CA · Child Daycare & Preschools · Capacity: 20 children

    Giggles & Smiles receives consistently excellent feedback from parents who praise the caring owners (Piper and Brooke) and dedicated teaching staff. Parents highlight strong communication, comprehensive curriculum including academics and Spanish, and practical benefits like provided meals and diapers. Multiple families have enrolled multiple children over many years, indicating high satisfaction and trust.

    Caring and communicative owners and staffclean facilityst
  5. 5
    Door To The Future Preschool
    4.1 score
    4.2(5)

    8964 North Magnolia Avenue, Santee, CA · Child Daycare & Preschools · Capacity: 34 children

    Door to the Future Preschool receives mostly positive feedback from parents, with high praise for staff attentiveness, communication, and child engagement. However, one parent raised concerns about excessive outdoor noise levels disturbing the residential neighborhood.

    Caring and generous staffstrong parent communication with photo updatesinclusive eventsoutdoor activities and projects

Rating Distribution

Based on 8 daycares with Google ratings in Santee

4.5 - 5.0
6
4.0 - 4.4
2
3.0 - 3.9
0
Below 3
0

What Parents Value Most

Top qualities mentioned across 110 reviews, analyzed by AI

1Clean facility
3

Daycare Types Compared

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

Child Daycare & Preschools

4.57avg rating
15 daycares · 7 rated

Before or After School Daycare

No ratings yet
1 daycares

Church Daycare

4.7avg rating
1 daycares · 1 rated

Best Rated Neighborhoods

Santee zip codes ranked by average daycare rating

Zip CodeDaycaresAvg. RatingTop Rated
9207117
4.59
6

Facility Sizes

Capacity distribution of daycares in Santee (20–72 children)

Small

up to 30 children

3

Medium

31–75 children

14

Large

76–150 children

0

Very Large

150+ children

0

Map

Daycare types in Santee

Child Daycare & Preschools 15Church Daycare 1Before or After School Daycare 1

Browse by type in Santee

🎨 Preschools 8👶 Infant & Toddler 4

Before or After School Daycare in Santee, California

There are 1 before or after school daycare in Santee, California, making up 6% of the 17 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 Santee have an average rating of 4.59 out of 5 across 8 rated facilities, with 75% scoring 4.5 stars or higher. Church Daycare facilities lead with an average of 4.7 stars. Our analysis covers 110 parent reviews.

When choosing a daycare in Santee, 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 Santee

Showing 1 results

Montessori Discovery School
Before or After School Daycare
Address
8559 Fanita Drive, Santee, CA
Phone
(619) 449-1187

Page 1 of 1· 1 results

Frequently asked questions

There are 1 before or after school daycares in Santee, California, out of 17 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 Santee have an average Google rating of 4.59 out of 5 across 8 rated facilities. About 75% of rated daycares score 4.5 stars or higher.
When choosing a daycare in Santee, 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
Santee offers several types of childcare facilities:
  • Child Daycare & Preschools — 15 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 Santee for current pricing.
Yes, daycare centers in Santee 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.