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Preschool & pre-K

Preschools & Pre-K in Florida

Most preschools in Florida take part in Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program (VPK), for children who are 4 by September 1. It is free.

preschools and pre-K programs listed
8,034
towns
421
towns have their own preschools and pre-K page
298
of all Florida daycares
79%

Map of Florida: 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

Pre-K and preschool costs in Florida

preschools here take part in Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program (VPK)
5,453
By the Florida license record. It is for children who are 4 by September 1. It is free.
Preschool-age care at a center, per week, in the middle Florida county (2022)
$155
The median of 56 county medians, from $94 in the lowest county to $235 in the highest.
Preschool tuition posted on daycare websites in Florida, per week (2026)
$210
The median of 201 daycares that post a full-time rate; half post between $170 and $245. Posted rates run above the 2022 survey: they are newer, and mostly from centers.
of preschool websites mention part-time or half-day places
16%
Of the 2,674 websites we read for preschools in Florida, 16% mention part-time places and 17% mention full-time care. Ask which days and hours a place covers.
Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program (VPK): the official pageVPK providers in Florida

County prices: U.S. Department of Labor, National Database of Childcare Prices, 2022 (median full-time weekly price). Posted rates: tuition that daycares publish on their own websites, 2026, full-time rates only, one rate per daycare.

Florida

Largest towns for preschools and pre-K in Florida

Miami651 preschoolsTampa578 preschoolsJacksonville490 preschoolsOrlando396 preschoolsHialeah177 preschoolsTallahassee135 preschoolsWest Palm Beach113 preschoolsSt Petersburg112 preschoolsPensacola109 preschoolsLakeland108 preschoolsKissimmee106 preschoolsGainesville91 preschools

Programs

Programs in Florida

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 daycares10,171
Take infants7,124
Child care centers9,020
Accept subsidy5,973
In-home daycares1,151
Christian & church daycares1,273
Montessori schools298
Preschools & pre-K8,034
Early morning daycare1,935
Part-time daycare443
Drop-in daycare116
After-school care9,506
Bilingual daycare210
Head Start772
Florida VPK5,453

The Florida state record

Florida Department of Children and Families, Office of Child Care Regulation licenses daycares in Florida.

License list
The state's public list of licensed child care
Ages served
The ages on each license
Inspections
On the state's own site; each listing links to it
Search the Florida state records

Before you enroll

Choosing a preschool or pre-K in Florida

  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.

Florida

Cost, inspections and ratios in Florida

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

A to Z

All 421 Florida towns with preschools and pre-K, A to Z

A17 towns
B25 towns
C28 towns
D19 towns
E15 towns
F15 towns
G12 towns
H23 towns
I8 towns
J8 towns
K6 towns
L37 towns
M38 towns
N17 towns
O18 towns
P45 towns
Q1 town
R6 towns
S35 towns
T15 towns
U1 town
V5 towns
W22 towns
Y2 towns
Z3 towns

Nearby

Nearby states

Georgia4,702 preschoolsAlabama2,148 preschools

Questions

Questions about preschools and pre-K in Florida

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

8,034 preschools and pre-K programs are listed in 421 Florida towns. A daycare without this tag may still run a preschool room; ask.

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

Miami, with 651 listed. Next are Tampa (578) and Jacksonville (490).

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 pre-K in Florida?

Yes. Florida runs Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program (VPK), for children who are 4 by September 1. It is free. Apply online on the Family Portal; the local early learning coalition reviews the application and, if approved, issues a Certificate of Eligibility to take to any VPK provider.

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 Florida?

Florida Department of Children and Families, Office of Child Care Regulation licenses daycares in Florida. It publishes inspections on its own site; use the state search linked on this page.