Licensed Daycares in Long Beach, CA

Daycare & Childcare in Long Beach

As of August 2026

Long Beach's 153 licensed providers are almost evenly split, 167 family child care homes against 158 centers, keeping neither format clearly dominant. Licensed capacity across the roster totals 11,667 children, averaging 36 per provider — one of the higher per-provider averages among the cities in this batch — under the California Department of Social Services' Community Care Licensing Division. Preschool-age coverage is notably strong here, reported by 286 providers. CloverMap indexes the full Long Beach roster for parents comparing centers and homes side by side.

What to know about childcare in Long Beach

Long Beach's 325 providers include 158 centers and 167 family child care homes, a close-to-even split with homes holding a slight edge at about 51%. Centers typically run from a dedicated facility with several staff members and age-grouped classrooms; family child care homes operate from a provider's residence, usually with fewer children and a wider age mix. With the two formats this closely matched, Long Beach families aren't steered toward either type by availability alone.

Reported licensed capacity across Long Beach providers reaches 11,667 slots, averaging about 36 per provider — among the highest per-provider averages in this set of cities, suggesting a number of larger centers are pulling the figure up despite homes outnumbering centers slightly. Capacity reflects what a provider is licensed for rather than current openings, so direct confirmation with a provider is still the reliable step.

Age coverage: 186 providers report serving infants, 186 report toddlers, 286 report preschool-age children, and 181 report school-age children. Preschool coverage is especially strong at about 88% of the roster, one of the higher rates among the cities covered here. Infant and toddler coverage sits at 57%, and school-age coverage lands at 56%.

All Long Beach providers are licensed by the California Department of Social Services' Community Care Licensing Division, which holds centers and family child care homes to distinct standards on staffing ratios, safety, and the physical facility. A current license means the operator was reviewed by CCLD before enrollment began; it doesn't measure day-to-day quality, and this roster data is limited to licensing status.

Given the near-even split, Long Beach parents might start by considering scheduling needs — family child care homes, slightly more numerous here, can sometimes offer more flexible hours than a center like BAYSHORE NURSERY SCHOOL, INC. Filtering by age range served next is the fastest path through the roster's 325 listings, especially given how strong preschool coverage is citywide.

Long Beach's near-even split between 158 centers and 167 family child care homes means a broad search will turn up both formats in similar numbers, so the more useful filter is often age range — especially given how strong preschool coverage is citywide. As with any CCLD listing, this roster confirms legal operating status rather than current openings or day-to-day quality, so the next step after narrowing by format and age is a direct call to ask about schedule and group size. With 325 total providers, that two-step filter turns a long list into a workable shortlist fairly quickly.