Take our 5-minute survey to see 3 daycares that match your preferences, timeline, and what matters most to you.
When smaller is better, home daycare is the best. Find great options for infants & toddlers near you.
A good daycare program is an important piece of the puzzle for many families, especially single parents. As a young mother, I really had to work things out on my own, and it wasn’t always easy! I want to help parents who are in that same situation and offer a support system that they can count on. I have lots of experience with kids – I’m a mother of two and worked as a monitor in the Boston Public Schools and in a personal security position at Boston Children’s Hospital. Having my own program and working with young people every day is a lifelong dream, one I am so happy to be fulfilling!
I love to see the joy that lights up their faces when they learn something new and how proud they are to not only tell you but show what they are able to do. I believe young children need to be natured
I started working with children as an early childhood educator in daycare centers 24 years ago, and I have been caring for children ever since. Opening my own child care program in my home gave me the opportunity to create the welcoming, nurturing 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 giving children personalized attention. One of the best parts of working with children is watching them learn and grow. 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.
Working with children is so heartwarming because they encourage community. When children feel safe and supported, they can be so beautifully social and welcoming. At this age, they are learning how to make new friends and starting to make connections. Through play time, it’s incredible to see what they come up with together. Lunch is also a great opportunity for them to come out of their shells and get to know one another. A good day here is one full of laughter and good conversations.
There are 10 licensed home daycares in Dorchester. Most parents don’t know that home daycare is regulated by the Department of Early Education and Care, just like the big preschool centers.
For more daycare recommendations in Dorchester, take our 5-minute survey.
See what parents are saying about these preschools & daycares right in the neighborhood.
My favorite thing about caring for children is that they start to show you their little personalities. That has been a highlight for me throughout my 5 years of experience working with young kids. I’m a mom and most recently I have been running my own program. People have said that I create an environment that is friendly and comfortable. I focus on children's wellbeing, 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.
I grew up teaching in my church from children, junior’s, youth ministry, and seniors. As I got older and had my daughter, I began helping out and working at my relatives’ family child care programs. Three people in my immediate family have programs of their own, so I felt encouraged to start one myself! It allowed me the flexibility I wanted and the ability to be home with my daughter. This coupled with the fact that my background was in teaching early age children, it was a perfect fit. When I decided to start my program, I also pursued a degree in Early Childhood Education so that I would be able to better meet the needs of the children. I knew there was something special in the smaller group setting of family child care and it’s been great so far. Especially because my favorite part of working with children is seeing that little lightbulb go off in their minds when they learn something new. This is what drives me to flexible, restructure my own thinking and teaching styles to fit each individual child. Each child challenges me to continually learn and think, how can I help this child today based on their abilities, skills, and learning style?
I’m Nakia Reyes, born and raised in Greater-Boston. Since I was a young girl, I’ve dreamed and prepared to open a school. As a little one in foster care, I naturally fell into a motherly, yet collaborative role of helping my younger foster sibling learn about the world around them and how to move through it. Encouraged by my foster mother, who was a natural teacher and encouraged independence, I knew by age 10 that I wanted to be a teacher and open my own school. Now, 25+ years later, I’ve taken my years of education, New England Montessori Teacher Education Center training, and experience in a variety of roles in schools throughout Boston to bring the holistic Montessori educational experience to children in the Dorchester and surrounding neighborhoods. I love everything about children. I enjoy talking with them about what they’re experiencing and listening to the funny things they say. I also appreciate how honest they are. My favorite part of working with children is navigating life with them and learning who each child is as an individual. My favorite activities to do with the kids are anything that involves a smock. Long-term messy projects are the best - anything that gets the sensory skills of the kids working and growing. These types of activities with the Montessori teaching method help me connect with the children and dive deeper into their learning.
Home daycare programs are a great first step in a child’s life outside the home, and I’m so happy to be able to use my training and experience to start young kids off on the right foot! I worked as a personal care attendant with children on the autism spectrum, have a degree in psychology and a certification in art therapy, and have two kids of my own – and all along my journey had the dream of opening my own home daycare. What I love most about what I do is that I get to help children learn and move forward in their development every day. There is nothing more rewarding than that!
A small-scale daycare, Ms. Ajanee provides care for just 6 children at a time. As with all home daycares, her program is licensed by the state and she has completed training in childhood ages & stages, medication administration, and food safety. In this mixed-age group program, children get the socialization, stimulation and support they need to learn and grow. Parents are often surprised to discover home daycares like Ms. Ajanee right in the neighborhood. See more details and take the survey to see if she has an opening for your little one.
A small-scale daycare, Ms. Maria provides care for just 10 children at a time. As with all home daycares, her program is licensed by the state and she has completed training in childhood ages & stages, medication administration, and food safety. In this mixed-age group program, children get the socialization, stimulation and support they need to learn and grow. Parents are often surprised to discover home daycares like Ms. Maria right in the neighborhood. See more details and take the survey to see if she has an opening for your little one.
Each daycare provider designs their program based on their unique background & child care experience.
All of these nearby daycares are licensed by the Department of Early Education and Care. While they don’t work with NeighborSchools, you can visit the government website here to try to contact them directly.
9 Harvard Park #2, Dorchester, MA
License # 9078955
Licensed for 6 since 2021
95 Harvard Street, Dorchester, MA
License # 9052605
Licensed for 6 since 2010
38 Harvard Street, Dorchester, MA
License # 78
Licensed for 8 since 2008
751 Washington Street #4, Dorchester, MA
License # 9082048
Licensed for 6 since 2021
27 Harvard Street #2, Dorchester, MA
License # 9077226
Licensed for 6 since 2021
Get your own recommendations based on your preferences, daily routine, and what matters most to you.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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Take the survey and get 3 daycare recommendations that fit your preferences. Takes 5 minutes and it’s 100% free for parents.