How do I choose the right daycare in Toms River?

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

Toms River offers several types of childcare facilities: Child Daycare & Preschools — 26 facilities Church Daycare — 1 facilities Before or After School Daycare — 10 facilities Each type serves different needs — center-based facilities typically offer structured programs, while head start programs are federally funded for low-income families.

Before or After School Daycare in Toms River, New Jersey (10 Results)

Q: What is the average cost of daycare in New Jersey?

Daycare costs in New Jersey 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 Toms River for current pricing.

Top 10 Best Rated Daycares in Toms River

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.

Toms River Nursery School & Kindergarten

4.8 score

5(20)

1404 Old Freehold Rd, Toms River, NJ · Child Daycare & Preschools · Capacity: 110 children

Toms River Nursery School receives perfect 5/5 ratings from parents who consistently praise the caring staff, welcoming community atmosphere, and individualized approach to learning. Parents highlight strong academic curricula, safety precautions, reasonable costs, and the school's non-profit cooperative structure that demonstrates genuine staff commitment.

Caring and professional staffwelcoming atmosphereindividualized learning approachescertified teachers

The Peppermint Tree Child Development Center

4.65 score

4.9(13)

1571 Partridge Street, Toms River, NJ · Child Daycare & Preschools · Capacity: 70 children

The Peppermint Tree Child Development Center in Toms River, New Jersey receives unanimous 5-star reviews from parents who praise the warm, nurturing environment and exceptional leadership of Director Valerie. Parents consistently report their children thriving academically, socially, and emotionally, with strong emphasis on personalized care, parent involvement, and a supportive community.

Caring and attentive staffstrong leadership from Director Valchildren eage

Smart Start Academy For Kids INC.

4.32 score

4.5(9)

1580 Lakewood Road, Toms River, NJ · Child Daycare & Preschools · Capacity: 153 children

Smart Start Academy receives mostly positive reviews praising staff kindness, child engagement, and growth, with parents reporting children are happy and well-cared for. However, two negative reviews raised serious concerns about security breaches, lack of supervision, and inadequate staff response to behavioral incidents.

Staff friendliness and kindnesschild enthusiasm and engagementexcellent communication with parentscreative activities and themes

Westminster Nursery School

4.3 score

4.4(15)

1070 Hooper Ave, Toms River, NJ · Child Daycare & Preschools · Capacity: 174 children

Westminster Nursery School receives universal praise from parents who highlight the caring, professional staff, individualized attention, and play-based curriculum. Children consistently show enthusiasm for learning and are well-prepared for kindergarten. Parents report strong emotional bonds between children and teachers, with many families choosing the school across multiple children.

Caring and patient teachersindividualized child attentionplay-based learning approachstrong academic preparation for kindergarten

Ocean Gymnastics Academy - Oceans Of Fun Nursery School

4.3 score

4.6(5)

1200 Fischer Blvd, Toms River, NJ · Child Daycare & Preschools · Capacity: 30 children

Ocean Gymnastics Academy receives mostly positive feedback, with parents praising the teachers, staff, welcoming environment, and value for pricing. However, one parent reported a serious incident involving inadequate accommodation for a child with special needs (Down Syndrome, hearing loss, and feeding tube), resulting in the child being asked to leave after 10 minutes.

Excellent teachers and staffgood preparation for kindergartenwelcoming and accommodating owne

Ocean Kids Academy

4.22 score

4.3(15)

1172 Church Road, Toms River, NJ · Child Daycare & Preschools · Capacity: 60 children

Ocean Kids Academy receives consistently high praise from parents, with all 10 recent reviews rating the facility 5/5 stars. Parents highlight the caring and communicative staff, strong child development, and safe, welcoming environment that helps children feel comfortable and secure.

caring and attentive staffexcellent communication with parentschild growth and developmentwelcoming environment

Kids Growing Early Learning Center

4.22 score

4.3(14)

399 Dover Road, Suite 6, Toms River, NJ · Child Daycare & Preschools · Capacity: 55 children

Parents consistently praise Kids Growing Early Learning Center for its caring, friendly staff and clean, welcoming environment. Children show enthusiasm for attending and demonstrate developmental progress in speech, social skills, and cognitive abilities. Communication between staff and parents is highlighted as a strong point.

Caring and friendly staffclean facilitystrong parent-child communicationchildren eager to attend

Mulberry Bush Preschool

4.16 score

4.2(20)

1088 W. Whitty Road, Toms River, NJ · Child Daycare & Preschools · Capacity: 18 children

The reviews provided do not pertain to Mulberry Bush Preschool in Toms River. Instead, they are reviews for various YMCA locations discussing their gym facilities, swim lessons, summer camp programs, and fitness classes. No actual parent reviews for the daycare center were submitted.

Friendly and helpful staffwell-maintained facilitiesswimming lessonssummer camp programs

Cherry Lane Child Care & Learning Center

4 score

4(11)

806-808 Main Street, Toms River, NJ · Child Daycare & Preschools · Capacity: 155 children

Cherry Lane receives overwhelmingly positive feedback from most parents, with praise for caring staff, nurturing environment, and child development support. However, one detailed negative review raises serious concerns about infant care safety, including a reported burn incident, feeding inconsistencies, and alleged retaliation after complaints were made.

Caring and attentive staffwarm nurturing environmentchild development and learning focusaccessibility of ow

Sung Star Academy

4 score

4(10)

182 James Street, Toms River, NJ · Child Daycare & Preschools · Capacity: 174 children

Sung Star Academy receives overwhelmingly positive reviews, with most parents praising the caring staff, child development, and convenient amenities like karate classes and flexible pickup hours. However, two recent negative reviews cite concerns about staff turnover, billing disputes after withdrawal, and inadequate child supervision including an unreported bite incident.

Caring and nurturing staffchild development and growthflexible drop-off/pickup without extr

Before or After School Daycare in Toms River, New Jersey

There are 10 before or after school daycare in Toms River, New Jersey, making up 27% of the 37 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 Toms River, consider visiting facilities in person, checking their licensing status, and asking about staff-to-child ratios, daily routines, and safety policies.

Frequently asked questions

There are 10 before or after school daycares in Toms River, New Jersey, out of 37 total childcare facilities in the city. Browse our directory to compare options and find the right fit for your child.

When choosing a daycare in Toms River, consider visiting facilities in person and checking:

Licensing status with New Jersey's regulatory agency
Staff-to-child ratios (requirements vary by age group in New Jersey)
Safety measures and cleanliness
Daily routines and educational curriculum
Parent reviews and ratings
Location and hours that fit your schedule

Toms River offers several types of childcare facilities:

Child Daycare & Preschools — 26 facilities
Church Daycare — 1 facilities
Before or After School Daycare — 10 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 New Jersey 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 Toms River for current pricing.

Yes, daycare centers in Toms River must be licensed by New Jersey'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.

10 Before or After School Daycare in Toms River, New Jersey

Top 10 Best Rated Daycares in Toms River

Top Rated

Creative Castle Nursery School

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Daycare types in Toms River

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