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Preschool & pre-K

Preschools & Pre-K in Washington

Preschool and pre-K programs across Washington take children from about 3 until kindergarten. Full-time preschool-age care at a center costs a median of $249 a week in the middle Washington county (2022).

preschools and pre-K programs listed
1,678
towns
214
towns have their own preschools and pre-K page
102
of all Washington daycares
67%

Map of Washington: 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 Washington

Preschool-age care at a center, per week, in the middle Washington county (2022)
$249
The median of 39 county medians, from $208 in the lowest county to $390 in the highest.
Preschool tuition posted on daycare websites in Washington, per week (2026)
$363
The median of 74 daycares that post a full-time rate; half post between $289 and $506. Posted rates run above the 2022 survey: they are newer, and mostly from centers.
of preschool websites mention part-time or half-day places
24%
Of the 602 websites we read for preschools in Washington, 24% mention part-time places and 30% 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). Posted rates: tuition that daycares publish on their own websites, 2026, full-time rates only, one rate per daycare.

Washington

Largest towns for preschools and pre-K in Washington

Seattle257 preschoolsBellevue92 preschoolsSpokane79 preschoolsTacoma59 preschoolsVancouver59 preschoolsYakima46 preschoolsBellingham34 preschoolsEverett32 preschoolsKent29 preschoolsPuyallup29 preschoolsRedmond29 preschoolsLynnwood28 preschools

Programs

Programs in Washington

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 daycares2,500
Take infants752
Child care centers2,500
Accept subsidy138
In-home daycaresNone listed
Christian & church daycares163
Montessori schools184
Preschools & pre-K1,678
Early morning daycare338
Part-time daycare160
Drop-in daycare60
After-school care2,218
Bilingual daycare79
Head Start120

The Washington state record

Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families licenses daycares in Washington.

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 Washington state records

Before you enroll

Choosing a preschool or pre-K in Washington

  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.

Washington

Cost, inspections and ratios in Washington

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

A to Z

All 214 Washington towns with preschools and pre-K, A to Z

A7 towns
B17 towns
C22 towns
D7 towns
E9 towns
F8 towns
G6 towns
H3 towns
I2 towns
J1 town
K9 towns
L17 towns
M18 towns
N5 towns
O10 towns
P10 towns
Q1 town
R11 towns
S20 towns
T11 towns
U2 towns
V4 towns
W12 towns
Y2 towns

Nearby

Nearby states

Oregon700 preschoolsIdaho192 preschools

Questions

Questions about preschools and pre-K in Washington

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

1,678 preschools and pre-K programs are listed in 214 Washington towns. A daycare without this tag may still run a preschool room; ask.

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

Seattle, with 257 listed. Next are Bellevue (92) and Spokane (79).

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 Washington?

Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families licenses daycares in Washington. It publishes inspections on its own site; use the state search linked on this page.