Licensed Preschool in Riverside, CA

Preschool in Riverside

As of August 2026

Riverside's roster is clearly center-heavy: of 168 total providers, 116 are centers and just 52 are family child care homes, meaning centers make up about 69% of local supply. Licensed capacity totals 7,201 children, averaging 43 per provider — one of the higher per-provider averages in this batch — under the California Department of Social Services' Community Care Licensing Division. CloverMap's Riverside directory lists all 168 verified providers, most of them center-based, for parents to compare by size and age served.

What to know about childcare in Riverside

Riverside's 168 providers split into 116 centers and 52 family child care homes, putting centers at about 69% of the roster — one of the more center-dominant splits in this set of cities. Centers operate from a dedicated facility with multiple staff and classrooms grouped by age; family child care homes, a smaller share here, run from a provider's residence with fewer children across a mixed age range. Riverside families searching broadly will encounter center-based listings considerably more often than home-based ones.

Total licensed capacity across Riverside's roster reaches 7,201 slots, averaging about 43 per provider — among the higher per-provider averages in this batch, consistent with a roster weighted toward centers, which typically carry larger licensed capacities than family child care homes. Capacity reflects what's licensed rather than what's currently open, so confirming directly with a provider is still necessary.

Age coverage in Riverside: 69 providers report serving infants, 69 report toddlers, 123 report preschool-age children, and 74 report school-age children. Preschool coverage leads at about 73% of the roster. Infant and toddler coverage sits at 41%, and school-age coverage comes in at 44% — both on the lower end relative to other cities in this batch, worth noting for families with younger children.

Every Riverside provider is licensed by the California Department of Social Services' Community Care Licensing Division, which sets distinct standards for centers and family child care homes covering staffing ratios, health and safety, and facility requirements. A current license means CCLD reviewed the operator before enrollment could begin; the roster data is limited to licensing status.

Because centers dominate Riverside's supply, families here may find a structured, center-based option like CATALYST KIDS - BENJAMIN FRANKLIN relatively easy to locate, but with infant and toddler coverage running lower than in many other cities, parents of younger children may need to search more broadly across the 168-listing roster to find a match.

Riverside's roster leans heavily toward centers, so families defaulting to that format will have the most options, while the 52 family child care homes remain a smaller-scale alternative. Because infant and toddler coverage runs lower here than in many other cities in this batch, parents of younger children may need to check more providers before finding a match. As with any CCLD listing, this roster confirms legal operating status rather than current openings or day-to-day quality, so a direct call to each shortlisted provider among Riverside's 168 total is the way to fill in the rest.