Children at daycare

Best Before or After School Daycare in Durham, NC

Compare 33 before or after school daycare in Durham. Average rating: 4.32/5 stars. See top 10 ranked daycares, compare by type, and find the right childcare for your family.

Durham, North Carolina at a glance

Programs
33
Avg rating
4.32/5
Parent reviews
699
Top rated (4.5+)
37

Durham has 33 licensed before or after school daycare with 699 parent reviews averaging 4.32/5.37 are top-rated with 4.5+ stars — 48% of rated programs, well above average.The highest-rated options cluster around 27712 (avg 4.63 stars), while 27707 has the largest selection (37 programs).Start with our top-10 ranked list below or filter by philosophy.

Top 10 Best Rated Daycares in Durham

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
    Wildflower Cottage For Children
    4.8 score
    5(20)

    1200 W Cornwallis Road, Durham, NC · Church Daycare · Capacity: -999 children

    Wildflower Cottage receives unanimous 5-star ratings from parents who praise its nature-based, play-focused curriculum and strong sense of community. Parents consistently highlight the caring, attentive staff with low turnover, thoughtfully designed facilities, and meaningful parent involvement opportunities. Families report noticeable improvements in their children's social-emotional development and independence after attending.

    Nature-based learning environmentimaginative play emphasisoutdoor spaceslow staff turnover
  2. 2
    Brown'S Early Learning School
    4.72 score
    4.9(20)

    2724 Atlantic Street, Durham, NC · Child Daycare & Preschools · Capacity: -999 children

    Brown's Early Learning School in Durham receives universally positive feedback from parents, with all reviews rating it 5/5 stars. Parents consistently praise the director Ms. Cheryl and her teaching staff for their passion, compassion, and nurturing approach to early childhood education. Families report significant developmental growth in their children and describe the school as creating a warm, family-like environment.

    Passionate and caring teachersstrong communication with parentsnurturing family environmentcomprehensive curriculum including phonics and social skills
  3. 3
    Early Start Academy
    4.56 score
    4.8(12)

    702 Trent Drive, Durham, NC · Child Daycare & Preschools · Capacity: -999 children

    Early Start Academy receives consistently excellent reviews from parents who praise the warm, caring staff and safe, nurturing environment. Parents highlight the quality of teachers, engaging activities, and exceptional outdoor facilities. The center is noted as conveniently located and affordable.

    Warm and caring staffsafe environmentengaging art projects and activitiesexcellent outdoor play space
  4. 4
    Community Preschool At Lakewood
    4.51 score
    4.7(13)

    1912 Chapel Hill Road, Durham, NC · Child Daycare & Preschools · Capacity: -999 children

    Community Preschool at Lakewood receives universally positive feedback from parents who praise the caring, nurturing staff and warm environment. Parents consistently highlight strong emotional bonds between teachers and children, excellent facility cleanliness, and effective developmental support. Multiple families express deep gratitude for the center's impact on their children's growth and wellbeing.

    Caring and nurturing staffwarm environmentpersonal attention to each childstrong teacher-child relationships
  5. 5
    Alice In Wonderland Childcare Center
    4.5 score
    5(5)

    2100 South Miami Blvd, Durham, NC · Child Daycare & Preschools · Capacity: -999 children

    Alice in Wonderland Childcare Center in Durham receives consistently positive feedback from parents. All reviews rate the facility 5/5 stars, with parents praising the passionate staff, nurturing environment, and strong developmental outcomes for children. Multiple parents describe it as a reliable, loving home away from home.

    Passionate and friendly staffchild development and learning outcomessafe and nurturing environmentcurriculum quality
  6. 6
    Beautiful Beginnings Child Care INC.
    4.5 score
    5(5)

    1222 N Alston Ave, Durham, NC · Child Daycare & Preschools · Capacity: -999 children

    Beautiful Beginnings Child Care Inc. in Durham, NC has no parent reviews about its daycare services on Google. All five recent reviews are from customers who used the facility as an event venue for parties, weddings, and celebrations.

    Spacious and beautiful facilityattentive and kind ownersexcellent communication and response timefull kitchen available
  7. 7
    White Rock Child Development Center
    4.46 score
    4.6(17)

    3400 Fayeteville Street, Durham, NC · Child Daycare & Preschools · Capacity: -999 children

    The reviews provided are not for a daycare center but for White Rock Baptist Church in Durham, North Carolina. No actual daycare parent reviews are available to summarize.

    None - reviews are for a churchnot a daycare facility
  8. 8
    Triangle Day Care Center
    4.42 score
    4.6(12)

    1301 Riddle Rd, Durham, NC · Child Daycare & Preschools · Capacity: -999 children

    Triangle Day Care Center in Durham, NC receives consistently high praise from parents. All 10 reviews rate the center 5 out of 5 stars, with parents highlighting the professionalism and care of the staff, strong communication with families, clean facilities, and quality curriculum that supports both social and academic development.

    Professional and caring staffexcellent parent communicationclean and well-organized facilitystrong curriculum
  9. 9
    Sprouting Scholars Preschool
    4.41 score
    4.7(7)

    3816 Sw Durham Dr, Durham, NC · Child Daycare & Preschools · Capacity: -999 children

    Sprouting Scholars receives overwhelmingly positive feedback for its caring staff, small class sizes, educational curriculum, and excellent daily communication with parents. One parent reported significant concerns about management, inconsistent billing practices, facility maintenance issues, and scheduling changes without notice.

    Warm and caring staffstrong teacher-child relationshipsdaily photo and video updatessmall class sizes
  10. 10
    Watts Sac Club
    4.41 score
    4.7(7)

    700 Watts Street, Durham, NC · Before or After School Daycare · Capacity: -999 children

    Watts SAC Club is described as a welcoming and inclusive community with loving staff. Parents appreciate its progressive values, emphasis on social justice, and strong sense of community connection. The facility is noted for its historic setting and caring approach to both children and neighbors.

    loving staffwelcoming and affirming environmentprogressive and inclusive valuesstrong community focus

Rating Distribution

Based on 77 daycares with Google ratings in Durham

4.5 - 5.0
37
4.0 - 4.4
22
3.0 - 3.9
16
Below 3
2

What Parents Value Most

Top qualities mentioned across 699 reviews, analyzed by AI

1Excellent parent communication
8
2Safe environment
6
3Welcoming environment
5
4Caring and attentive staff
5
5Clean facility
5
6Safe and nurturing environment
5
7Strong teacher-child relationships
4
8Warm and caring staff
4

Daycare Types Compared

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

Child Daycare & Preschools

4.33avg rating
104 daycares · 63 rated

Before or After School Daycare

4.1avg rating
33 daycares · 6 rated

Church Daycare

4.66avg rating
8 daycares · 5 rated

Headstart Programs

4.2avg rating
6 daycares · 3 rated

Best Rated Neighborhoods

Durham zip codes ranked by average daycare rating

Zip CodeDaycaresAvg. RatingTop Rated
277126
4.63
2
2770324
4.48
5
2770118
4.48
6
2770517
4.42
6
2770737
4.34
10
2771326
4.18
4
2770423
3.97
4

Facility Sizes

Capacity distribution of daycares in Durham (– children)

Small

up to 30 children

0

Medium

31–75 children

0

Large

76–150 children

0

Very Large

150+ children

0

Top Rated

Highest rated daycares in Durham based on parent reviews

Watts Sac Club

4.7(7)

700 Watts Street, Durham, NC

Watts SAC Club is described as a welcoming and inclusive community with loving staff. Parents appreciate its progressive values, emphasis on social justice, and strong sense of community connection. The facility is noted for its historic setting and caring approach to both children and neighbors.

loving staffwelcoming and affirming environmentprogressive and inclusive values

Liberty Baptist Day Care

4.4(20)

3864 Guess Rd, Durham, NC

Reviews praise Liberty Baptist Day Care's Christian education approach, welcoming community, and dedicated staff. Parents highlight the school's independence from government guidelines, strong academic performance, low student-to-teacher ratios, and Christ-based curriculum. The facility is described as a supportive family-oriented environment with quality instruction.

Christian educationwelcoming stafflow student-to-teacher ratios

Mount Sylvan United Methodist

4.5(2)

5731 Roxboro Rd, Durham, NC

One parent highlights the friendly staff and efficient operations, while another describes the environment as loving and all-inclusive.

friendly workersefficient operationsloving environment

Whitted School

4(1)

1210 Sawyer Street, Durham, NC

Mount Zion Day Care

3.9(6)

3519 Fayetteville Street, Durham, NC

Mount Zion Day Care receives mostly positive feedback from parents praising the quality of care, loving teachers, and strong Pre-K curriculum. However, there are two negative reviews citing poor customer service during a tour appointment and concerns about a prep school program. Note: One 1-star review appears to reference a different Mount Zion prep school rather than the daycare center.

loving and attentive teachers and staffaccommodates children with special needsstrong Pre-K curriculum with good academic results

The Little School At Duke

3.1(4)

1516 Hull Ave, Durham, NC

Some parents describe the school as magical with caring teachers and a strong community, while others report significant issues including high staff turnover, poor communication, and unprofessional conduct. One reviewer notes that despite promises of inclusivity, the school expelled a child and lied about its policies, citing an unsustainable model and toxic management.

caring teacherssweet staffwonderful community

Map

Daycare types in Durham

Child Daycare & Preschools 104Headstart Programs 6Church Daycare 8Before or After School Daycare 33

Browse by type in Durham

🎨 Preschools 8✝️ Christian Daycare 8🌱 Montessori 4🕊️ Baptist Daycare 4

Before or After School Daycare in Durham, North Carolina

There are 33 before or after school daycare in Durham, North Carolina, making up 22% of the 151 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 Durham have an average rating of 4.32 out of 5 across 77 rated facilities, with 48% scoring 4.5 stars or higher. Church Daycare facilities lead with an average of 4.66 stars. Our analysis covers 699 parent reviews. Parents in Durham most frequently praise daycares for excellent parent communication, safe environment, and welcoming environment.

When choosing a daycare in Durham, 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 Durham

Showing 33 results

Bright Horizons At Rtp
Before or After School Daycare

Bright Horizons at RTP receives overwhelmingly positive feedback from parents regarding staff warmth, child development, and nurturing environment. However, some parents have concerns about corporate policies including payment restrictions, elimination of enrichment programs, frequent director changes, and poor customer service responsiveness.

Caring and patient staffsafe and nurturing environmentstrong child development outcomes
Address
2352 So Hi Drive, Durham, NC
Phone
(919) 686-0080
Holt Sac Club
Before or After School Daycare
Address
4019 Holt School Road, Durham, NC
Phone
(919) 560-3928
Rn Harris Sac Club
Before or After School Daycare
Address
1520 Cooper St, Durham, NC
Phone
(919) 560-3967

Page 2 of 2· 33 results

Frequently asked questions

There are 33 before or after school daycares in Durham, North Carolina, out of 151 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 Durham have an average Google rating of 4.32 out of 5 across 77 rated facilities. About 48% of rated daycares score 4.5 stars or higher.
When choosing a daycare in Durham, consider visiting facilities in person and checking:
  • Licensing status with North Carolina's regulatory agency
  • Staff-to-child ratios (requirements vary by age group in North Carolina)
  • Safety measures and cleanliness
  • Daily routines and educational curriculum
  • Parent reviews and ratings
  • Location and hours that fit your schedule
Durham offers several types of childcare facilities:
  • Child Daycare & Preschools — 104 facilities
  • Headstart Programs — 6 facilities
  • Church Daycare — 8 facilities
  • Before or After School Daycare — 33 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 North Carolina 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 Durham for current pricing.
Yes, daycare centers in Durham must be licensed by North Carolina'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.