Curated · August 2026

Best Daycares in Baltimore, MD

Our top licensed picks in Baltimore — ranked on license status, capacity, and verification recency from Maryland State Department of Education — Office of Child Care. 105 centers reviewed. No paid placement, ever.

How we picked: from 105 licensed centers in Baltimore, 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

Little Hearts Baltimore #219

Baltimore, MD · 21214

Family Daycare Capacity 120 0 months - 5 years
2

Rockville Sunflower Daycare #132

Baltimore, MD · 21217

Montessori Capacity 119 6 weeks - 12 years
3

La Petite Academy College Park #89

Baltimore, MD · 21201

Montessori Capacity 119 6 weeks - 12 years
4

La Petite Academy Baltimore #231

Baltimore, MD · 21201

Before & After School Care Capacity 116 3 years - 5 years
5

Baltimore Golden Gate Daycare #239

Baltimore, MD · 21213

Before & After School Care Capacity 116 3 years - 5 years
6

Abc Academy College Park #95

Baltimore, MD · 21211

Before & After School Care Capacity 116 3 years - 5 years
7

Rockville Bright Beginnings #114

Baltimore, MD · 21224

Before & After School Care Capacity 114 3 years - 5 years
8

Baltimore Primrose School #230

Baltimore, MD · 21286

Head Start Capacity 111 2 years - 12 years
9

Baltimore Children's Place #227

Baltimore, MD · 21230

Family Daycare Capacity 110 0 months - 5 years
10

Hagerstown Playhouse Academy #33

Baltimore, MD · 21206

Family Daycare Capacity 110 0 months - 5 years

How we ranked these Baltimore 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.

Contains affiliate links

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 →

See all 105 Baltimore daycares

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