Best Daycares in San Francisco, CA — 2026 Rankings
We ranked 21 daycares and childcare centers in San Francisco based on licensing, accreditation, parent reviews, and childcare quality.
Top Daycares in San Francisco
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#1 — Montessori Children’s Center Score: 25/100
Montessori Children's Center
Programs: Montessori. View full profile →
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#2 — Moldovan Academy Score: 24/100
Preschool, childcare, daycare, toddler care, infant care, prekindergarten, prek, education, schools, academic, curriculum
Programs: General Childcare. View full profile →
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#3 — Kai Ming Head Start Score: 24/100
Kai Ming Head Start
Programs: General Childcare. View full profile →
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#4 — Glenridge Cooperative Nursery Score: 24/100
Glenridge Cooperative Preschool
Programs: General Childcare. View full profile →
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#5 — Project Commotion Score: 23/100
Project Commotion: Child development, movement, play & community
Programs: Preschool. View full profile →
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#6 — SOMA Daycare & Preschool Score: 23/100
SOMA Daycare & Preschool
Programs: Preschool. View full profile →
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#7 — Little People Preschool and T K Score: 22/100
Little people preschool & TK
Programs: Preschool. View full profile →
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#8 — Jamaroo Kids Score: 21/100
JAMaROO Kids
Programs: General Childcare. View full profile →
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#9 — Teaching Tots Preschool Score: 20/100
Teaching Tots Preschool San Francisco, CA
Programs: Preschool. View full profile →
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#10 — Noe Valley Nursery School Score: 19/100
Noe Valley Nursery School
Programs: General Childcare. View full profile →
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#11 — Lana's Dwarfs Score: 19/100
Childcare center listed from OpenStreetMap contribution node/9464758908. Type: center-based. No program signal in source. Verified fields: name, website, address.
Programs: General Childcare. View full profile →
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#12 — New Journey Score: 18/100
New Journey Mandarin Preschool
Programs: General Childcare. View full profile →
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#13 — The Crayon Box Preschool Score: 18/100
The Crayon Box Preschool
Programs: Preschool. View full profile →
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#14 — Petite Explorer Score: 17/100
Petite Explorer Preschool
Programs: General Childcare. View full profile →
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#15 — Sweet Peas Preschool Score: 16/100
Sweet Peas Preschool | Preschool | Bernal Heights
Programs: Preschool. View full profile →
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#16 — Bright Horizons Score: 15/100
Find a Daycare Center Near You
Programs: General Childcare. View full profile →
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#17 — St Thomas Apostle Pre-school and Pre-k Learning Center Score: 14/100
Childcare center listed from OpenStreetMap contribution node/9816827926. Type: center-based. Program signals: preschool, pre-k. Verified fields: name, phone, website, address.
Programs: Preschool, Pre K. View full profile →
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#18 — Faces SF Hayes Valley Child Development Center Infant and Toddlers Score: 14/100
Childcare center listed from OpenStreetMap contribution node/10708025139. Type: center-based. Program signals: infant-care, toddler-care. Verified fields: name, phone, website, address.
Programs: Infant Care, Toddler Care. View full profile →
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#19 — Parkside Preschool And Kindergarten Score: 14/100
Childcare center listed from OpenStreetMap contribution way/404671334. Type: center-based. Program signals: preschool. Verified fields: name, phone, website, address.
Programs: Preschool. View full profile →
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#20 — Kai Ming Head Start Score: 13/100
Childcare center listed from OpenStreetMap contribution node/6639186310. Type: center-based. No program signal in source. Verified fields: name, phone, website, address.
Programs: General Childcare. View full profile →
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#21 — Mission Montessori Score: 11/100
Childcare center listed from OpenStreetMap contribution way/282917235. Type: montessori. Program signals: montessori. Verified fields: name, website, address.
Programs: Montessori. View full profile →
How We Rank Daycares & Childcare Centers
Our Guide Score (0–100) combines Google rating (35%), review volume (20%), web and contact presence (20%), profile completeness (15%), accreditation such as NAEYC (5%), press recognition (3%), and years of operation (2%). Read our full methodology →
Browse San Francisco daycares by program
Frequently asked questions
- Who is the #1 daycare in San Francisco?
- Montessori Children’s Center is currently the #1 ranked daycare in San Francisco based on our Guide Score, which evaluates parent reviews, licensing status, accreditation, and quality signals. See the full ranked list above.
- How are daycares ranked in San Francisco?
- Our Guide Score (0–100) combines Google rating (35%), review volume (20%), web and contact presence (20%), profile completeness (15%), accreditation (5%), press recognition (3%), and years of operation (2%). There is no paid placement.
- How much does daycare cost in San Francisco?
- Childcare costs in San Francisco vary by program type and age group. Full-time infant care commonly ranges from $800–$2,500/month; preschool programs run $600–$1,800/month. Each center's profile page lists contact information for current rates.