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Preschool & pre-K

Preschools & Pre-K in Colorado

Preschool and pre-K programs across Colorado take children from about 3 until kindergarten. Full-time preschool-age care at a center costs a median of $202 a week in the middle Colorado county (2022).

preschools and pre-K programs listed
2,103
towns
264
towns have their own preschools and pre-K page
93
of all Colorado daycares
49%

Map of Colorado: each dot is a town with preschools and pre-K programs, sized by how many are listed

Preschool & pre-K
What puts a daycare on this listThe state record lists preschool-age children among the ages it serves or names a state pre-K program, or it says it offers pre-K, or its name says preschool, pre-K or nursery school. Public school pre-K classes are often not on child care license lists; check with your school district too.A daycare without this tag may still run a preschool room; ask.

Preschool and pre-K

What preschool costs in Colorado

Preschool-age care at a center, per week, in the middle Colorado county (2022)
$202
The median of 62 county medians, from $87 in the lowest county to $372 in the highest.

County prices: U.S. Department of Labor, National Database of Childcare Prices, 2022 (median full-time weekly price).

Colorado

Largest towns for preschools and pre-K in Colorado

Denver293 preschoolsColorado Springs204 preschoolsAurora148 preschoolsLittleton73 preschoolsFort Collins72 preschoolsLakewood55 preschoolsBoulder52 preschoolsParker48 preschoolsLongmont47 preschoolsArvada44 preschoolsWestminster41 preschoolsThornton40 preschools

Programs

Programs in Colorado

Counts come from the state record and what each daycare says it offers. A daycare without a tag may still offer the program; ask.

ProgramListed
All daycares4,335
Take infants777
Child care centers3,048
Accept subsidy2,294
In-home daycares1,287
Christian & church daycares136
Montessori schools114
Preschools & pre-K2,103
Early morning daycare194
After-school care2,237
Head Start156

The Colorado state record

Colorado Department of Early Childhood licenses daycares in Colorado.

License list
The state's public list of licensed child care
Ages served
On some licenses only; elsewhere shown where the daycare gives them
Inspections
On the state's own site; each listing links to it
Search the Colorado state records

Before you enroll

Choosing a preschool or pre-K in Colorado

  1. 1

    Ask about the day

    Ask how the day runs: free play, circle time, outdoor time and naps. Ask what children do to get ready for kindergarten.

  2. 2

    Half day or full day

    Many preschools run half days or school-year hours. If you work full time, ask about before- and after-care.

  3. 3

    Ask about cost

    Ask for the tuition, the registration fee and whether the state's pre-K or child care assistance can pay part of it.

  4. 4

    Check the license record

    Open a listing for its state license, the ages it serves and, where the state publishes it, the inspection record.

Colorado

Cost, inspections and ratios in Colorado

Daycare cost in ColoradoWeekly prices by age and countyStaff-to-child ratios in ColoradoHow many children each adult may care forDaycare tour checklistQuestions to ask when you visit

A to Z

All 264 Colorado towns with preschools and pre-K, A to Z

A12 towns
B20 towns
C27 towns
D11 towns
E15 towns
F18 towns
G15 towns
H10 towns
I4 towns
J3 towns
K7 towns
L23 towns
M16 towns
N7 towns
O5 towns
P15 towns
R7 towns
S19 towns
T6 towns
V2 towns
W19 towns
Y3 towns

Nearby

Nearby states

Oklahoma2,489 preschoolsNebraska2,421 preschoolsArizona808 preschoolsKansas295 preschoolsUtah230 preschoolsNew Mexico157 preschoolsWyoming84 preschools

Questions

Questions about preschools and pre-K in Colorado

How many preschools and pre-K programs are in Colorado?

2,103 preschools and pre-K programs are listed in 264 Colorado towns. A daycare without this tag may still run a preschool room; ask.

Which Colorado town has the most preschools and pre-K programs?

Denver, with 293 listed. Next are Colorado Springs (204) and Aurora (148).

What is the difference between preschool and pre-K?

Pre-K is the year before kindergarten, usually for 4-year-olds, and many states fund free or low-cost pre-K. Preschool is the wider term for programs for children of about 3 to 5. Many daycares run both, and this list has both.

Is there free preschool near me?

Head Start is free for children 3 to 5 from families who qualify, and many school districts run free pre-K classes. School-district pre-K is often not on child care license lists, so check with your school district too.

What age is pre-K?

Pre-K is usually for children who turn 4 by a cutoff date in late summer or early fall, the year before kindergarten. Each state sets its own cutoff.

What is the difference between preschool and daycare?

A preschool teaches children of about 3 to 5 before kindergarten, often for part of the day. A daycare looks after children while parents work, often all day, and many daycares run a preschool room. This list has both: places whose state record serves preschool-age children, that offer pre-K on their own website, or that are named a preschool.

Who licenses daycares in Colorado?

Colorado Department of Early Childhood licenses daycares in Colorado. It publishes inspections on its own site; use the state search linked on this page.