Home Daycares in Columbia

Take our 5-minute survey to see 3 daycares that match your preferences, timeline, and what matters most to you.

Location

Schedule

Age

Small-scale child care programs near you

When smaller is better, home daycare is the best. Find great options for infants & toddlers near you.

Ms. Amy

Academic Prep

I started taking care of children when I was in high school and I got a job as a teacher’s assistant at a nearby daycare. After college, I got teacher certified and worked in daycare once again. After an interim period in the corporate and small business worlds, I returned to Early Childhood Education, this time directing a literacy program in public schools and then teaching in a local preschool. Opening a child care program in my own home gives me an opportunity to use my experience and my teaching skills in a new setting. I provide a safe and loving atmosphere, and I value every child’s uniqueness. I recognize that I’m a really important adult for kids who spend time with me every day, and I focus on making kids feel cared for and loved. I’m so excited about this new chapter!

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Ms. Avril

Academic Prep

With three grown children and two of my own grandchildren in my home daycare, I'm truly spoiled to have spent my life caring for little ones! I get such joy being surrounded by these kiddos and am so happy to be able to ease the minds of parents searching for safe and loving care of their children. I have 15 years of experience taking care of young children. I’m a Mom and previously, I worked in daycare centers, and most recently I have been running my own program. For me, one of the best parts of working with children is watching them learn and grow. I feel so fortunate to experience that every day and to share my skills and experience with families through my home-based child care program, where I focus on learning through play. I aim to create an environment that is nurturing and welcoming for the children I care about so much. So many parts of this job are fun, but I especially love to sing and dance with them. I can't imagine spending my days any other way. I’m also proud to do this important work. That’s especially true when I think about all the children I've helped grow and learn.

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Ms. Ramonita

Play-Based Learning

My daughter Adela and I have always dreamed of having our own family child care program. Opening my own child care program in my home gave me the opportunity to create the happy, welcoming environment that I think is so important. I especially love to see them start to walk and talk, but the truth is that so many parts of the day and the week bring me a lot of joy. Through it all, I focus on learning through play. One of the best parts of working with children is watching them explore and discover. The work is incredibly rewarding, especially when I think about how I've prepared children for pre-K. It's such a gift to guide the children in my program as they grow.

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Ms. Nilsa

Play-Based Learning

I became a mother 13 years ago and I went to school to study early childhood to be a preschool teacher. My favorite thing about caring for children is watching them explore and discover. That has been a highlight for me throughout my7 years of experience. I have worked as an early childhood educator in daycare centers, and most recently I have been working in my own daycare program. People have said that I create an environment that is comfortable and happy. I focus on building independence, and I especially love to watch them express themselves. I’m proud when I think about all the children I've helped grow and learn. That's what makes this work so special.

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Find out rates & availability for daycares in Columbia

Columbia

There are 3 licensed home daycares in Columbia. Most parents don’t know that home daycare is regulated by the Office of Early Childhood, just like the big preschool centers.

For more daycare recommendations in Columbia, take our 5-minute survey.

Other daycares near Columbia

All of these nearby daycares are licensed by the Office of Early Childhood. While they don’t work with NeighborSchools, you can visit the government website here to try to contact them directly.

Jennifer Zator

353 Route 87, Columbia, CT

License # DCFH.54701

Licensed for 6

Jennifer Zator runs a licensed Family Child Care program in Columbia. As with all home daycares in Connecticut, her program is licensed by the Office of Early Childhood, which ensures that she’s completed trainings in childhood development, health & safety. Home daycares like this are a great option for parents looking for small-scale, personalized child care.

Shelley L Hickey

66 Johnson Road, Columbia, CT

License # DCFH.55540

Licensed for 6

This home daycare in Columbia is led by Shelley L Hickey, a licensed Family Child Care educator. By choosing licensed child care, you can rest assured that the provider has passed a government-issued background record check, and that the home daycare environment has been inspected by the state licensing department. With a maximum of just 6 children, this program is a good option for parents close to home near Columbia.

Jacquelyn Lindsay

13 Hunt Road, Columbia, CT

License # DCFH.52586

Licensed for 6

Home daycares like Jacquelyn Lindsay’s are a favorite with parents who want a small-scale child care program near Columbia. All daycares on NeighborSchools are fully licensed, so you know they’ve passed a background record check and educators have completed trainings in childhood development, health & safety. This daycare takes just 6 children, so each child gets lots of individualized care while learning to socialize in a small group setting.

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FAQs

Your family is unique to you, but some of your questions might not be. 😉 Here’s what most parents want to know when starting out.

What is NeighborSchools?

Hey there, nice to meet you 👋 We’re a new-ish startup that helps new-ish parents find daycare.

We know how hard finding good child care can be - especially for first-time parents. But really good care is what gives you the peace of mind to go back to work and feel confident that your child is getting the stimulation, socialization, and support they need to learn and grow.

So we created NeighborSchools to make this piece of parenthood a whole lot easier. We say “easier” because, let’s be honest, it’s still a big thing to figure out, but working together we can help you find some good options, understand the whole process, and choose a program you’ll feel really good about.

How’s it work?

Most first-time parents don’t know exactly what they’re looking for, so we created a simple survey that will ask you questions about your lifestyle, your daily routines, and your preferences for child care. We’ll then share 3 personalized recommendations that we think might be a good fit. We’ll also give you a timeline that maps out when we would suggest you start touring programs, choose a daycare, and pay a deposit to secure a spot. Your timeline is based on when you want to start care - so you set the pace, and you decide when you’ve found the right match.

Is there a cost?

Nope. Our daycare recommendation service is free for parents. The other half of our business is helping these small-scale daycares with software and services that handle all their administrative tasks, like online contracting, payment processing, and licensing requirements. Before NeighborSchools, services like these were only designed for large corporate child care centers, and part of our mission is to level the playing field for small, independent child care programs. That’s why we picked the name NeighborSchools - we’re all about making child care more personal, more human, and more equitable for the incredible individuals who do this work and care for our children.

How do I know if I’m ready to take the survey?

Generally, if you’re here, you’re ready. The survey lets us give you 3 recommendations to consider, but it’ll also help you better understand what factors to consider, and what questions to be asking right now. It’s simple things like where you live, your child’s date of birth, when you want to start care, and if you have any preferences around program philosophy or language of instruction. If you’re planning 6+ months ahead, it’s a great way to get started, and if you’re hoping to start daycare in the next 2-4 months, it’s definitely time to get started. Click here to start the survey.

How do I know if a daycare has openings?

Each program has a limited number of spots for each age range, so we need to know your schedule and child’s age before we can share availability. The survey covers these basics, as well as factors like drop-off and pick-up times to make sure that recommended programs fit your daily routine. Once we know your child’s age and schedule we can share rates and costs as well.