Best Daycares in Wilmington, DE
Our top licensed picks in Wilmington — ranked on license status, capacity, and verification recency from Delaware Office of Child Care Licensing (DELACARE). 635 centers reviewed. No paid placement, ever.
How we picked: from 635 licensed centers in Wilmington, we surface those with a current license, larger licensed capacity, and the most recent verification. Ranking is objective and editorial — providers cannot pay for placement. Always confirm current license status before enrolling.
Boys & Girls Club @ Brandywine Springs Elem. School
Wilmington, DE · 19808
Nemours Child Development Center
Wilmington, DE · 19803
Wilmington Montessori School
Wilmington, DE · 19810
Siegel Jcc Of Delaware - Early Childhood Center
Wilmington, DE · 19803
Ymca Of Delaware / Walnut Street Ymca Children's Corner 3
Wilmington, DE · 19801
St. Michael's School And Nursery
Wilmington, DE · 19801
Smalls Stepping Stone Daycare & Preschool, Inc.
Wilmington, DE · 19801
Police Athletic League Of Wilmington Child Care Center
Wilmington, DE · 19802
Boys & Girls Club @ Clarence Fraim
Wilmington, DE · 19805
St. Mark's Pre-kindergarten & Kindergarten
Wilmington, DE · 19804
How we ranked these Wilmington daycares
This ranking is built from public licensing records, not from opinions or paid placements. Every center on this page is pulled from the state licensing database, and the order is decided by three objective signals applied in this exact sequence:
- Current license status first. Centers whose permit is on record as licensed appear above those with any other status. A license is the single strongest signal a state gives you.
- Licensed capacity, largest first. Bigger licensed capacity usually means more classrooms, more age groups served and a better chance of an open spot — but it is not a measure of quality, and a small center may suit your child better.
- Most recent inspection date. A center inspected recently has fresher public data behind it, so what you read here is closer to today's reality.
What does not affect this ranking
No center can pay to be listed, to rank higher, or to change its description. We do not accept payment from providers, and affiliate links elsewhere on this site never influence the order of any listing.
What this list cannot tell you. Licensing data says nothing about staff turnover, how a room feels at 4pm, or whether a director answers the phone. Those you can only learn by visiting.
Before you enrol anywhere, verify the license yourself in your state database, tour during operating hours, and ask for the ratio in your child's specific room — our 30-point tour checklist walks through exactly what to ask.
Starting daycare soon? Here is what to pack
Bottles, name labels, nap bedding and spare clothes — our checklist by age covers what centers ask you to bring, and what they ask you not to send.
See all 635 Wilmington daycares
Filter by age, program type, and ZIP — free, no signup.