Finding child care in Kansas starts with two practical questions: is the program licensed, and does it have an opening? Our database holds 1,261 Kansas programs, from Agape Day Care Center on North Oliver Street in Wichita to Shining Stars Preschool on General Custer Road in Hays. This page explains how the system behind those listings works. Use it to compare options, check a provider's standing, and decide what to ask before you enroll.

How Kansas Licenses and Inspects Child Care

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) runs the state's child care licensing program. Its authority comes from the child care licensing act, which begins at K.S.A. 65-501, and from regulations in K.A.R. 28-4. Together they set the minimum standards for any program that cares for other people's children on a regular basis.

Those standards cover background checks for staff and household members, health and safety practices, building and space requirements, supervision, staff training, and how many children one adult may watch. Ratios and group sizes depend on the children's ages, with the tightest limits for infants and toddlers. A provider needs a current license before accepting children, unless the program qualifies for a legal exemption.

Inspections are called surveys. KDHE staff carry them out, and in many parts of the state local health departments conduct them on KDHE's behalf. Surveyors check records, walk through the rooms, and look at kitchens, outdoor play areas, and sleeping arrangements. Complaints about a licensed program go to KDHE, which can investigate and require corrections.

Two other agencies matter to parents. The Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF) administers child care assistance for eligible families, covered below. Local school districts and the Kansas State Department of Education run public pre-kindergarten programs, which follow different rules than licensed child care.

Metro Counties and Rural Kansas: Where Child Care Is Found

Supply is uneven across the state. Johnson County, in the Kansas City suburbs, has more listings than any other county. Overland Park, Olathe, Lenexa, Shawnee, Leawood, Prairie Village, Mission, and Gardner all have several programs each. Many are church-based, such as Grace Garden Preschool on West 127th Street in Overland Park, Holy Trinity Early Education Center on Summit Street in Lenexa, and Happy Haven Child Care Center on Marty Street in Mission. Kindercare Learning Center on Martindale Road in Shawnee represents the national chains, and the Jewish Community Center Child Development program on West 115th Street in Leawood represents community-run options.

Sedgwick County comes second, and most of its programs are in Wichita. Families in the Wichita area often look across county lines. A daycare near work in Wichita may be a short drive from home in Andover, where the YMCA runs a school-age program on U.S. 54, or in Newton, where Asbury Station operates on Southwest 14th Street.

In the capital region, Shawnee County centers on Topeka, where ABC Learning Center sits on Northwest Oakley Avenue. In Wyandotte County, programs such as Angels Of Grace Family Service Center on Troup Avenue serve Kansas City, Kansas.

College and military communities have their own rhythm. Century School on Kentucky Street serves Lawrence, home of the University of Kansas. Hope Lutheran Early Learning Center on Dempsey Road serves Manhattan, next to Kansas State University and Fort Riley. Stay And Play Child Care Center on Metropolitan Street serves Leavenworth, near Fort Leavenworth. Hutchinson Community College runs its own child care program on East 15th Avenue. Demand in these towns tends to shift with the academic calendar and with military moves, so openings can appear and vanish quickly.

Rural Kansas is different. Great Bend, Hays, Pittsburg, Independence, Ottawa, Emporia, and Garden City each have a handful of programs, and smaller towns may have only one center and a few home providers. Waiting lists for infants are common. Many rural families combine a home provider, a church preschool, and help from relatives, so ask early and ask more than one program.

Types of Child Care Programs Licensed in Kansas

Kansas sorts programs by setting and size. The type on a license tells you what to expect from daily routines and staffing.

Short-session programs, such as Kids Day Out at Westside Nazarene Church in Olathe, run limited hours. Ask whether a program like this is licensed or operates under an exemption, and get the answer in writing.

Paying for Child Care in Kansas

Cost depends on the child's age, the hours you need, and the county. Infant care costs the most almost everywhere. Ask each program for a written rate sheet. It should list registration fees, late-pickup charges, holiday closures, and whether you pay when your child is absent.

DCF Child Care Assistance helps eligible families who are working, in school, or in approved training. Eligibility depends on household size and income, and many families pay part of the cost as a copayment. You apply through DCF, and the provider you choose generally has to be approved to receive payments. Ask before you enroll, not after.

Head Start charges no tuition to eligible families, which makes it worth a call if your income is limited. Other options can lower your net cost. Many employers offer dependent care accounts, and the federal child and dependent care tax credit may apply. A tax preparer can tell you what fits your situation.

Before You Tour a Kansas Program

A few visits and a few phone calls will tell you more than any listing can. Use the phone numbers in our database to start.

Licensed daycare and childcare programs in Kansas are regulated by the state's child care licensing division, which establishes standards for health, safety, staff qualifications, and caregiver-to-child ratios to protect enrolled children.

Daycare locations are available in 215 cities across Kansas. They are spread across 93 counties.

Cities with the highest concentration include Wichita, Topeka, Overland Park, reflecting population centers where working families have the greatest demand for licensed childcare options.

Families in Kansas searching for licensed childcare should verify that any facility is currently licensed by the state, check inspection history, and inquire about available subsidy programs that may reduce out-of-pocket childcare costs.

Daycare by Counties

A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
R
S
T
W

Daycare by Cities

A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W

Families in Kansas can verify the licensing status of any childcare provider through the state's child care licensing agency online database. Income-eligible families may qualify for childcare subsidies through the Child Care and Development Fund program administered at the state level.

Browse Daycare by county across Kansas to find the nearest location.

Reading the Kansas Listings: Names, Cities and County Lines

Our listings follow the addresses in public records, so a few place names look unusual. Kansas City, Kansas appears under the city name Kansas, and Garden City appears as Garden. If you are looking for Angels Of Grace Family Service Center on Troup Avenue or KCSL Head Start on Ballinger Street, search under those shorter names.

Johnson County sits on the Missouri line, and State Line Road is the border. Leawood Baptist Preschool, on State Line Road in Prairie Village, is the kind of Kansas program that many Missouri families also consider. Because the Kansas City area spans two states, commuters often compare programs on both sides. Kansas programs follow KDHE rules, while Missouri programs follow Missouri's own rules, so check the license that applies.

Do not overlook the counties outside the big metros. Riley County around Manhattan and Reno County around Hutchinson have programs tied to a university, a college, or a church. In Douglas County, Century School serves Lawrence. In Saline County, A Sweet Litl Academy on State Street serves Salina. In Franklin County, Chosen Generation on South Cedar Street serves Ottawa.

Hours, openings, and rates change often. Call the number in the listing, confirm the street address, and ask about the license before you drive across town for a tour.

Ask the provider for the license number and look for the license posted where parents can see it. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) is the licensing authority. You can contact its child care licensing program, or the local health department that conducts surveys in your county, to confirm the license is current. Survey reports are public records. Read the latest one for repeated findings, such as supervision or paperwork problems. One minor correction is common. The same violation appearing again and again deserves a direct question to the director before you sign.

The difference is mostly size and setting. A day care home is a provider caring for a small number of children in a private residence. A group day care home is a larger home-based program, roughly seven to twelve children, and it requires more adult help. A child care center generally serves thirteen or more children in a church, school, or commercial building, with a director and teaching staff. KDHE licenses each type under its own standards. Homes often offer mixed ages and flexible hours, while centers usually group children into classrooms by age.

Yes. The Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF) runs Child Care Assistance for eligible families who are working, attending school, or in approved training. Eligibility depends on household size and income, and many families pay part of the cost as a copayment. Not every provider accepts subsidy payments, so ask before you enroll and confirm the provider is approved. Head Start, offered locally by programs such as Eckan Head Start in Emporia, is a separate option with no tuition for eligible families. Income limits change, so check with DCF or the program for current figures.

The city field in public records is sometimes shortened. In our database, Kansas means Kansas City, Kansas, in Wyandotte County, and Garden means Garden City, in Finney County. If you cannot find a program under the full city name, try the short form as well. The street address and county in each listing are the most reliable details. Enter the address into a map to see the location, then call the listed phone number to confirm the program is open and still operating at that address.

Yes, but the choices are narrower. Great Bend Childrens Learning Center in Barton County, Shining Stars Preschool in Hays, and Pittsburg Community Child Care Learning Center in Crawford County each serve their communities. In a small town, one center and a few home providers may be all there is, so waiting lists are common, especially for infants. Contact programs as early as you can and ask to join every list. Home-based providers are often easier to get into than center spots. If you commute to a larger town, compare programs there too.

Start with the director if the issue is about routines or communication. If you believe the program is breaking licensing rules, for example by having too many children in a room, unsafe conditions, or operating without a license, contact KDHE's child care licensing program, which investigates complaints. If a child is in immediate danger, call 911. Report suspected abuse or neglect to DCF or local law enforcement. Write down dates, times, names, and what you saw, and keep copies of messages with the provider. Specific records help investigators act quickly.