Curated · August 2026

Best Daycares in Chattanooga, TN

Our top licensed picks in Chattanooga — ranked on license status, capacity, and verification recency from Tennessee Department of Human Services — Child Care Licensing. 52 centers reviewed. No paid placement, ever.

How we picked: from 52 licensed centers in Chattanooga, 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

Kingsport Stepping Stones #17

Chattanooga, TN · 37404

Montessori Capacity 120 6 weeks - 12 years
2

Nashville Abc Childcare #198

Chattanooga, TN · 37403

Head Start Capacity 115 2 years - 12 years
3

Tiny Tots Of Nashville #196

Chattanooga, TN · 37421

Licensed Group Child Care Home Capacity 110 6 weeks - 5 years
4

Happy Days Clarksville Daycare #208

Chattanooga, TN · 37419

Infant Care Capacity 109 5 years - 12 years
5

Nashville Kids First Academy #194

Chattanooga, TN · 37416

Child Care Center Capacity 108 0 months - 12 months
6

Murfreesboro Primrose School #2

Chattanooga, TN · 37402

Child Care Center Capacity 105 0 months - 12 months
7

Kingsport Golden Gate Daycare #23

Chattanooga, TN · 37410

Before & After School Care Capacity 105 3 years - 5 years
8

La Petite Academy Nashville #205

Chattanooga, TN · 37410

Preschool Capacity 101 2 years - 5 years
9

Johnson City Kindercare #7

Chattanooga, TN · 37407

Before & After School Care Capacity 97 3 years - 5 years
10

Nashville Early Learning Center #197

Chattanooga, TN · 37402

Preschool Capacity 94 2 years - 5 years

How we ranked these Chattanooga 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 52 Chattanooga daycares

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