Licensed Daycares in Desert Hot Springs, CA

Daycare & Childcare in Desert Hot Springs

As of August 2026

Desert Hot Springs' child care landscape includes 7 licensed providers, split 12 family child care homes to 8 centers, all licensed through California's Community Care Licensing Division (CCLD). Combined licensed capacity reaches 594 children, averaging about 30 per site, and age coverage is strong — 12 providers serve infants and toddlers, 18 serve preschool-age children, and 14 serve school-age children. CloverMap's Desert Hot Springs listings, including programs like PSUSD - Arroyo de Paz, let families compare that full roster.

What to know about childcare in Desert Hot Springs

Desert Hot Springs' 7 licensed child care providers lean toward family child care homes, with 12 homes against 8 centers. That gives families a real mix to choose from, though home-based settings make up the slightly larger share of the local supply. The relatively close split here means neither setting should be assumed to be scarce.

Combined licensed capacity across Desert Hot Springs' 20 providers is 594 children, averaging about 30 per site. That average sits toward the higher end for this batch of cities, suggesting the city's centers and larger homes carry more capacity than the roughly even center/home split alone would suggest. As always, this citywide figure reflects total licensed capacity rather than confirmed current openings, and any one provider may sit well above or below that 30-seat average.

Age coverage is broad in Desert Hot Springs: 12 of the 20 providers report serving infants, 12 report toddler care, 18 report preschool-age children, and 14 report school-age programming. With 18 providers covering preschool age and 14 covering school-age care, families across a wide span of ages have real options here, including families needing before- and after-school coverage.

All 20 Desert Hot Springs providers are licensed through the California Department of Social Services' Community Care Licensing Division. A CCLD license certifies that the provider has met the state's standards for staff qualifications, health and safety, and group sizing, and that those standards must be maintained on an ongoing basis — a requirement that applies equally to the city's 8 centers and 12 homes.

For families searching in Desert Hot Springs, the roughly 60/40 split toward homes means both settings are realistically available, and the strong school-age coverage — 14 of 20 providers — stands out compared to some neighboring cities. With preschool coverage reaching 18 providers, that stage is especially well served on CloverMap's Desert Hot Springs listings.

Because this roster is a licensing snapshot rather than a live availability feed, Desert Hot Springs families should shortlist providers by setting and age band on CloverMap, then reach out directly to confirm current openings and scheduling before enrolling. Because the split between centers and homes is fairly close in Desert Hot Springs, families shouldn't need to compromise heavily on setting type to find an age-appropriate option — the harder variable to confirm will usually be a specific opening at a specific site. Reaching out early, especially for infant or toddler care, gives families the most flexibility in choosing among the city's 7 licensed providers.