Curated · August 2026

Best Daycares in Lincolnwood, IL

Our top licensed picks in Lincolnwood — ranked on license status, capacity, and verification recency from Illinois Department of Children and Family Services — Day Care Licensing. 12 centers reviewed. No paid placement, ever.

How we picked: from 12 licensed centers in Lincolnwood, 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.

1

Elgin Wonder Years #326

Lincolnwood, IL · 60659

Montessori Capacity 118 6 weeks - 12 years
2

First Steps Elgin #315

Lincolnwood, IL · 60645

Head Start Capacity 85 2 years - 12 years
3

Chicago Learning Center #365

Lincolnwood, IL · 60646

Infant Care Capacity 68 5 years - 12 years
4

Cicero Early Learning Center #90

Lincolnwood, IL · 60646

Preschool Capacity 66 2 years - 5 years
5

Little Genius Naperville #141

Lincolnwood, IL · 60645

Infant Care Capacity 63 5 years - 12 years
6

Naperville Wonder Years #140

Lincolnwood, IL · 60659

Before & After School Care Capacity 62 3 years - 5 years
7

Chicago Bright Beginnings #376

Lincolnwood, IL · 60645

Family Daycare Capacity 56 0 months - 5 years
8

First Steps Cicero #101

Lincolnwood, IL · 60645

Infant Care Capacity 52 5 years - 12 years
9

Chicago Childcare Academy #366

Lincolnwood, IL · 60659

Montessori Capacity 38 6 weeks - 12 years
10

Naperville Learning Center #151

Lincolnwood, IL · 60646

Child Care Center Capacity 36 0 months - 12 months

How we ranked these Lincolnwood 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:

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.

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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 the checklist →

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