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Preschool & pre-K

Preschools & Pre-K in Nebraska

Preschool and pre-K programs across Nebraska take children from about 3 until kindergarten. Full-time preschool-age care at a center costs a median of $162 a week in the middle Nebraska county (2022).

preschools and pre-K programs listed
2,421
towns
281
towns have their own preschools and pre-K page
130
of all Nebraska daycares
92%

Map of Nebraska: 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 Nebraska

Preschool-age care at a center, per week, in the middle Nebraska county (2022)
$162
The median of 93 county medians, from $163 in the lowest county to $205 in the highest.
of preschool websites mention part-time or half-day places
23%
Of the 318 websites we read for preschools in Nebraska, 23% mention part-time places and 22% mention full-time care. Ask which days and hours a place covers.

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

Nebraska

Largest towns for preschools and pre-K in Nebraska

Omaha628 preschoolsLincoln299 preschoolsKearney77 preschoolsGrand Island67 preschoolsBellevue60 preschoolsColumbus46 preschoolsNorfolk45 preschoolsPapillion40 preschoolsElkhorn29 preschoolsBeatrice28 preschoolsBennington27 preschoolsHastings27 preschools

Programs

Programs in Nebraska

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 daycares2,629
Take infants2,112
Child care centers1,121
Accept subsidy1,559
In-home daycares1,508
Christian & church daycares112
Montessori schools37
Preschools & pre-K2,421
24-hour daycare306
Night daycare664
Early morning daycare1,669
Weekend daycare544
Part-time daycare73
Drop-in daycare27
After-school care2,614
Head Start44

The Nebraska state record

Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, Children's Services Licensing licenses daycares in Nebraska.

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 Nebraska state records

Before you enroll

Choosing a preschool or pre-K in Nebraska

  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.

Nebraska

Cost, inspections and ratios in Nebraska

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

A to Z

All 281 Nebraska towns with preschools and pre-K, A to Z

A18 towns
B25 towns
C30 towns
D11 towns
E12 towns
F12 towns
G14 towns
H18 towns
I2 towns
J2 towns
K3 towns
L15 towns
M13 towns
N10 towns
O14 towns
P16 towns
R9 towns
S27 towns
T5 towns
U2 towns
V4 towns
W18 towns
Y1 town

Nearby

Nearby states

Missouri2,217 preschoolsColorado2,103 preschoolsIowa345 preschoolsKansas295 preschoolsWyoming84 preschoolsSouth Dakota46 preschools

Questions

Questions about preschools and pre-K in Nebraska

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

2,421 preschools and pre-K programs are listed in 281 Nebraska towns. A daycare without this tag may still run a preschool room; ask.

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

Omaha, with 628 listed. Next are Lincoln (299) and Kearney (77).

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 Nebraska?

Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, Children's Services Licensing licenses daycares in Nebraska. It publishes inspections on its own site; use the state search linked on this page.