Rialto, CA · San Bernardino County · Based on public reviews & parent communities

Finding the right childcare
in Rialto, California

Once a thriving hub of California's 'Orange Empire,' Rialto was dotted with Washington navel orange groves and seven packing houses in the late 1800s, a legacy now honored through heritage citrus plantings in the district's schools. The city sits along the historic U.S. Route 66, home to the iconic Wigwam Motel with its distinctive teepee-style cottages that have welcomed travelers since 1947. Named after Venice's famous Rialto Bridge—a fitting tribute to a 'crossing place' where railroads and America's most legendary highway converged. Rialto is a mid-size Inland Empire city located between Fontana and San Bernardino. The licensed childcare landscape here is anchored by Calvary Chapel Rialto's faith-based preschool, La Petite Academy (a national chain), Volunteers of America's large state preschool, a Catholic preschool at St. Catherine of Siena, and two Preschool Services Department Head Start centers. All centers are California CCLD-licensed. We scored each California-licensed childcare center across 11 real dimensions — safety, curriculum, arts & music, infant care, kindergarten readiness and more. Scores drawn from major public review platforms and parent communities — not center marketing.

6Centers reviewed
11Dimensions scored
1,000+Reviews analyzed
107,000City population
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Score key
9–10 exceptional
7–8 strong
4–6 average or below

1
Faith-Based
CCLD LicensedCalvary Chapel AffiliatedEst. 2010
6.7/ 10
Safety
6
Curriculum
7
Art/Music
6
Infant care
4
K-ready
7
Teachers
7
Compassion
8
Mgmt
7
Culture
8
Class sizes
0
Extracurriculars
7

Strengths

  • Yelp shows 4.5-star rating (confirmed) — highest Yelp rating of any Rialto childcare center researched
  • Niche shows 5 out of 5 rating from community reviews — consistent high scores across platforms
  • Parent review: 'I have nothing but good things to say about Calvary Chapel Rialto Preschool. It is quality preschool/daycare at an affordable price'
  • Parent review: 'I love the teachers, environment, and Curriculum' — staff, culture, and curriculum praised consistently
  • One parent review notes 29 years of family connection to the school — exceptional community loyalty and retention
  • CCLD license #364840318; capacity 60 children; active since June 2010 — Day Care Center with clean licensing history

Considerations

  • Yelp shows only 7 reviews — small review sample despite strong ratings; limited statistical confidence
  • No infant program available — preschool entry only; families needing infant care must look elsewhere in Rialto
  • Faith-based Christian curriculum may not suit families seeking secular programming
  • CCLD records and inspection detail not fully reviewed — verify current citation status at ccld.dss.ca.gov before enrolling
2
Faith-Based Licensed Child Care Center
CCLD LicensedFaith-Based
6.5/ 10
Safety
7
Curriculum
7
Art/Music
6
Infant care
3
K-ready
7
Teachers
7
Compassion
8
Mgmt
7
Culture
7
Class sizes
0
Extracurriculars
6

Strengths

  • CCLD license 364840318 with capacity of 60 children; licensed since June 2010 and serving Rialto's west side
  • 4.5-star Yelp rating from 7 reviews — positive parent sentiment in publicly available reviews
  • Preschool affiliated with Calvary Chapel Rialto Christian School (PK–12) — access to a larger, well-established campus and shared resources
  • Open Monday–Friday 6:00 AM–6:00 PM — full working-day coverage for Rialto families
  • Private Christian preschool established in 2005 with strong ties to the congregation — faith community accountability and active parent involvement
  • Most recent CCLD inspection May 2025 — confirms active license and ongoing regulatory oversight

Considerations

  • Children must be potty trained at enrollment — excludes two-year-olds and late-training children
  • 2 Type B CCLD citations on file (regulations 1597.16 and 101220) — review inspection reports before enrolling
  • Faith-based Christian curriculum throughout — not appropriate for families seeking a secular preschool
  • Ages 3–4 only; no infant, toddler, or school-age program
3
Licensed Child Care Center
CCLD LicensedHead Start
6.4/ 10
Safety
7
Curriculum
7
Art/Music
6
Infant care
3
K-ready
7
Teachers
7
Compassion
7
Mgmt
7
Culture
7
Class sizes
0
Extracurriculars
6

Strengths

  • CCLD license 364813098 with capacity of 120 children; licensed since May 2003
  • DaycareCheck safety grade: A (Excellent) with 0 total violations on record — outstanding regulatory compliance history
  • Most recent CCLD inspection December 4, 2025 — recently inspected and actively licensed; only 1 Type B citation across all inspections
  • Operated by San Bernardino County PSD — same county-level oversight and federal Head Start curriculum as all PSD sites across the county
  • Free for eligible families; comprehensive early childhood services including nutrition and family engagement support
  • Located on Eucalyptus Ave in central Rialto — accessible from residential areas throughout 92376

Considerations

  • Income eligibility requirements restrict enrollment to qualifying families only
  • Preschool-only program (ages 3–5); no infant or toddler care available
  • Large capacity (120 children) requires careful monitoring of ratios and staff allocation across classrooms
4
National Chain
CCLD LicensedChainEst. 1995
6.0/ 10
Safety
6
Curriculum
7
Art/Music
5
Infant care
6
K-ready
7
Teachers
6
Compassion
6
Mgmt
5
Culture
6
Class sizes
0
Extracurriculars
6

Strengths

  • CCLD license #364801081; capacity 50 children; Day Care Center and School Age Day Care Center active since February 1995 — over 30 years in Rialto
  • Yelp shows 23 reviews (updated April 2026) — the highest Yelp review count of any Rialto childcare center researched
  • ResellerRatings shows 38 reviews with a 4.07-star average — substantial review volume on La Petite's own platform
  • Serves ages 6 weeks through 12 years — full continuity of care from infant through after-school under one enrollment
  • Open Monday–Friday 6:00 AM–6:00 PM — early opening time competitive in the Rialto market
  • Official website parent review: 'always clean with fresh-smelling classrooms where kids interact with each other and teachers'

Considerations

  • Yelp shows 3.7 stars from 23 reviews — below-average rating for a national chain; mixed parent sentiment
  • Some Yelp reviews cite communication and staff responsiveness concerns — parental due diligence during tour is warranted
  • National chain model can mean higher staff turnover and corporate constraints on teacher autonomy
  • CCLD citation history not confirmed in research — verify at ccld.dss.ca.gov before enrolling
5
Nonprofit
CCLD LicensedHead Start ProgramNo-Cost Eligible Families
6.0/ 10
Safety
6
Curriculum
7
Art/Music
5
Infant care
4
K-ready
6
Teachers
7
Compassion
7
Mgmt
6
Culture
6
Class sizes
0
Extracurriculars
6

Strengths

  • CCLD license #364800283; capacity 105 children; Day Care Center active since October 1994 — over 30 years of Head Start operation in west Rialto
  • Federal Head Start program — comprehensive services include early education, health, nutrition, dental, vision, and family social services at no cost to qualifying families
  • CCLD most recent October 2025 inspection shows No Citations — clean recent compliance record
  • Serves children with special needs as part of inclusive programming — inclusive enrollment per Head Start federal mandate
  • One positive parent review on childcarecenter.us (2015) praising the program — limited but affirming public feedback
  • Located on West Foothill Boulevard — west Rialto 92376 corridor, accessible to families near the Fontana/Rialto border

Considerations

  • Income eligibility requirements limit access — federal Head Start income guidelines apply; not open to all families
  • No infant/toddler program — Head Start serves ages 3–5 only; families needing care under age 3 must look elsewhere
  • Limited public review volume — most program information comes from federal Head Start descriptions rather than independent parent accounts
  • Hours and enrollment logistics are governed by federal program rules — less flexibility than commercial centers for schedule variations
6
Nonprofit
CCLD LicensedHead Start ProgramNo-Cost Eligible Families
6.0/ 10
Safety
6
Curriculum
7
Art/Music
5
Infant care
4
K-ready
6
Teachers
7
Compassion
7
Mgmt
6
Culture
6
Class sizes
0
Extracurriculars
6

Strengths

  • CCLD license #364813098; capacity 120 children; Day Care Center active since May 2003 — over 20 years of Head Start operation in north Rialto
  • Federal Head Start and California State Preschool program — dual funding streams providing comprehensive early childhood services for qualifying families
  • Large capacity of 120 — one of the largest Head Start centers in Rialto, accommodating a significant portion of the city's eligible population
  • Part of San Bernardino County Preschool Services Department — 39 countywide locations with federal and state funding providing quality oversight
  • Located on N. Eucalyptus Avenue in north Rialto — serves families in the 92376 corridor north of the 10 Freeway

Considerations

  • CCLD records show 1 Type B citation (code 101220(a)) in recent inspection cycle — verify current status at ccld.dss.ca.gov
  • Income eligibility requirements limit access — federal and state income guidelines apply; not open to all Rialto families
Safety
6
Curriculum
7
Art/Music
5
Infant care
4
K-ready
6
Teachers
7
Compassion
6
Mgmt
5
Culture
6
Class sizes
0
Extracurriculars
6

Strengths

  • CCLD license #364830600; capacity 190 children — the largest licensed childcare center in Rialto; Day Care Center active since September 2009
  • Administers state preschool and Early Head Start programs — comprehensive services for low-income families at no or low cost
  • Bilingual staffing and programming in English and Spanish — valuable for Rialto's large Spanish-speaking population
  • Yelp positive review: 'VOA is a great place to start...really made my daughter feel welcome and gave me peace of mind'
  • Open Monday–Friday; accepts subsidized child care program vouchers — accessible to qualifying families regardless of income

Considerations

  • Childcarecenter.us shows one negative review (2016) citing supervision concerns — warrants inquiry during tour
  • CCLD inspection records show citations from December 2021 through August 2025 — review current status at ccld.dss.ca.gov
  • Income eligibility requirements limit access — not open to all families regardless of interest or need
  • Very large capacity of 190 can feel institutional — less individualized attention than smaller faith-based or independent programs
Safety
6
Curriculum
6
Art/Music
5
Infant care
4
K-ready
6
Teachers
6
Compassion
6
Mgmt
5
Culture
6
Class sizes
0
Extracurriculars
5

Strengths

  • CCLD license #364805573; capacity 35 children; Day Care Center active since December 1998 — over 25 years of Catholic preschool operation in Rialto
  • Affiliated with St. Catherine of Siena Catholic parish — long-established faith community providing stable institutional backing
  • Ranked among top-ranked private preschools in Rialto by PrivateSchoolReview — consistent recognition in regional rankings
  • Small licensed capacity of 35 children — intimate class sizes relative to the large Volunteers of America center
  • Located centrally in 92376 on N. Sycamore Avenue — accessible from multiple Rialto neighborhoods

Considerations

  • Does not participate in subsidized child care programs — private pay only; not accessible to lower-income families
  • CCLD inspection records show both Type A and Type B citations on file — review ccld.dss.ca.gov before enrolling
9
Licensed Child Care Center
CCLD LicensedVOA Southwest
5.2/ 10
Safety
6
Curriculum
6
Art/Music
5
Infant care
4
K-ready
5
Teachers
5
Compassion
6
Mgmt
5
Culture
5
Class sizes
0
Extracurriculars
5

Strengths

  • CCLD license 364830600 with capacity of 190 children — one of the largest licensed centers in Rialto
  • Operated by Volunteers of America Southwest — a credentialed nonprofit with decades of early childhood services across San Bernardino County
  • Cares for children ages 2–5; peanut and tree-nut free environment — reduces allergy risk for young children
  • Teachers hold at minimum an Associate's degree — exceeds California's minimum qualification standards for childcare staff
  • Subsidized care accepted; bilingual English and Spanish services — accessible to Rialto's large Spanish-speaking family population
  • Licensed since September 2009 — over 15 years of continuous service in central Rialto

Considerations

  • Two community reviews on ChildcareCenter include a parent reporting their child was bitten repeatedly with no action taken — a supervision concern worth discussing with the director directly
  • Type A and Type B citations in CCLD inspection history; most recent inspection August 2025 — review full records before enrolling
  • Large center size (190 children) requires especially diligent monitoring of ratios and classroom management
  • No infant care for children under age 2; limited publicly documented curriculum specifics
10
Bonnie Wee Ones
Licensed Child Care Center
CCLD Licensed
5.1/ 10
Safety
5
Curriculum
5
Art/Music
5
Infant care
3
K-ready
5
Teachers
5
Compassion
7
Mgmt
5
Culture
6
Class sizes
0
Extracurriculars
5

Strengths

  • Licensed since 1988 (CCLD license 360908633); the facility has been serving Rialto since 1965 — over 60 years, making it one of the longest-operating childcare providers in the city
  • A parent review describes the staff as treating children 'like their own' and going 'the extra mile to make sure kids and parents are comfortable'
  • Serves ages 2 through 13 — one of the few Rialto centers offering school-age before/after-school care alongside preschool under the same roof
  • Small center (capacity 18) — highly individualized care with very low child-to-staff ratios
  • Located on Lilac Ave in central Rialto — easily accessible from the residential neighborhoods of 92376

Considerations

  • 1 Type A and 7 Type B citations in recent CCLD inspections (2023–2026) — a significant number; review full inspection reports carefully before enrolling
  • Very small capacity (18 children) — limited availability; spots likely fill with returning or referred families
  • No website found in public records — limited online presence makes independent pre-enrollment research difficult
No centers match this filter.

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