Preschools & Pre-K in Idaho
Preschool and pre-K programs across Idaho take children from about 3 until kindergarten. Full-time preschool-age care at a center costs a median of $113 a week in the middle Idaho county (2022).
- preschools and pre-K programs listed
- 192
- towns
- 50
- towns have their own preschools and pre-K page
- 15
- of all Idaho daycares
- 21%
Map of Idaho: each dot is a town with preschools and pre-K programs, sized by how many are listed
Preschool and pre-K
What preschool costs in Idaho
- Preschool-age care at a center, per week, in the middle Idaho county (2022)
- $113
- The median of 44 county medians, from $95 in the lowest county to $191 in the highest.
Idaho
Largest towns for preschools and pre-K in Idaho
Programs
Programs in Idaho
Counts come from the state record and what each daycare says it offers. A daycare without a tag may still offer the program; ask.
| Program | Listed |
|---|---|
| All daycares | 924 |
| Take infants | 69 |
| Child care centers | 687 |
| Accept subsidy | 27 |
| In-home daycares | 237 |
| Christian & church daycares | 59 |
| Montessori schools | 28 |
| Preschools & pre-K | 192 |
| Early morning daycare | 124 |
| Part-time daycare | 48 |
| Drop-in daycare | 11 |
| Head Start | 52 |
The Idaho state record
Idaho Department of Health and Welfare licenses daycares in Idaho.
- 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
- Every visit the state publishes back to 2017
- Cited rules
- The inspector's finding, in the state's own words
- Corrections
- Correction dates as the state records them
Before you enroll
Choosing a preschool or pre-K in Idaho
- 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
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
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
Check the license record
Open a listing for its state license, the ages it serves and, where the state publishes it, the inspection record.
Idaho
Cost, inspections and ratios in Idaho
A to Z
All 50 Idaho towns with preschools and pre-K, A to Z
A3 towns
- American Falls2 preschools
- Ammon2 preschools
- Athol1 preschool
C4 towns
- Caldwell4 preschools
- Castleford1 preschool
- Chubbuck2 preschools
- Coeur D'Alene6 preschools
G2 towns
- Garden City2 preschools
- Grangeville4 preschools
I1 town
- Idaho Falls15 preschools
J1 town
- Jerome1 preschool
L1 town
- Lewiston6 preschools
M5 towns
N1 town
- Nampa19 preschools
P4 towns
- Parma1 preschool
- Paul1 preschool
- Pocatello10 preschools
- Post Falls7 preschools
S4 towns
- Saint Maries1 preschool
- Salmon1 preschool
- Sandpoint1 preschool
- Soda Springs1 preschool
T2 towns
- Troy1 preschool
- Twin Falls6 preschools
V1 town
- Victor1 preschool
No town on this list matches. Check the spelling, or search by ZIP code above.
Nearby
Nearby states
Questions
Questions about preschools and pre-K in Idaho
How many preschools and pre-K programs are in Idaho?
192 preschools and pre-K programs are listed in 50 Idaho towns. A daycare without this tag may still run a preschool room; ask.
Which Idaho town has the most preschools and pre-K programs?
Boise, with 33 listed. Next are Meridian (23) and Nampa (19).
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 Idaho?
Idaho Department of Health and Welfare licenses daycares in Idaho. It publishes its inspections and the rules it cited, and we copy them onto each listing.