Ranked among the top 3 childcare centers in Encino across all 11 quality dimensions — placing this center in the very top tier of local options.
Best Teachers
Earned the highest teacher quality score in Encino. This dimension weighs staff tenure, qualifications, warmth reported in parent reviews, and consistency of care across classrooms.
Most Compassionate
Earned the highest compassion score in Encino. This dimension captures how families describe staff empathy, how concerns are handled, and the emotional environment of the center.
Best Infant Care
Earned the highest infant care score in Encino. This dimension focuses on caregiver ratios, responsiveness, feeding and sleep routines, and parent feedback specific to infant rooms.
Carousel Kids Child Development Center is a CCLD-licensed Infant Center and Day Care Center (license #197413304) in Encino, established in 1992, specializing in newborn and infant care from 3 months old—a rare and valued offering in the area. The center maintains strong community roots and staff continuity; 36 Yelp reviews highlight parents' exceptional trust in director Lynette and long-tenured staff, with one reviewer wishing they could give more than five stars. Its small size (capacity 16) ensures intimate, attachment-focused care through play-based learning, though limited infant spots make early application essential and may disappoint families seeking multi-room campuses. A Type B citation in March 2025 warrants review of the specific finding on the CCLD website.
Safety5.0
Curriculum7.0
Art / Music6.0
Infant care8.0
Kindergarten readiness6.0
Teacher quality8.0
Compassion9.0
Management7.0
Culture8.0
Extracurriculars6.0
Programs & curriculum
Curriculum & approach: Play-based curriculum in a center-based setting, emphasizing exploration and imagination while balancing play and learning to prepare children academically and for life skills.
Programs & activities: Three age-specific programs: Infants/Newborns (0-2) with sensory play and motor/emotional development; Toddlers with structured activities and free play for social, language, and cognitive skills; Preschool/Kindergarten (2-6) with academic and creative activities focused on language development and school readiness.
What sets it apart: Over 25 years of experience (established 1992). Staff are background checked, CPR and First Aid certified, and hold child development credentials. State-licensed facility. Hours Monday-Friday 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM, closed weekends.
Recognition of Excellence — Website Badge
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Top 3 in Encino
<!-- Recognition of Excellence: Carousel Kids Child Development Center -->
<a href="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/california/los-angeles/encino/carousel-kids-child-development-center/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" style="display:flex;align-items:flex-start;gap:16px;padding:18px;background:#FFFBF0;border:1px solid #EDD97A;border-radius:10px;max-width:420px;text-decoration:none;color:inherit;font-family:-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,'Segoe UI',Roboto,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;">
<img src="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/badges/rank-3-city.jpg" alt="Top 3 in Encino - Carousel Kids Child Development Center - Encino, CA" width="80" height="80" style="border-radius:8px;flex-shrink:0;" loading="lazy">
<span>
<strong style="display:block;font-size:15px;color:#1A1A18;margin-bottom:5px;">Top 3 in Encino</strong>
<span style="font-size:13px;color:#4A4A46;line-height:1.5;">Ranked among the top 3 childcare centers in Encino across all 11 quality dimensions — placing this center in the very top tier of local options.</span>
</span>
</a>
Best Teachers
<!-- Recognition of Excellence: Carousel Kids Child Development Center -->
<a href="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/california/los-angeles/encino/carousel-kids-child-development-center/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" style="display:flex;align-items:flex-start;gap:16px;padding:18px;background:#FFFBF0;border:1px solid #EDD97A;border-radius:10px;max-width:420px;text-decoration:none;color:inherit;font-family:-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,'Segoe UI',Roboto,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;">
<img src="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/badges/dim-teacherq.jpg" alt="Best Teachers - Carousel Kids Child Development Center - Encino, CA" width="80" height="80" style="border-radius:8px;flex-shrink:0;" loading="lazy">
<span>
<strong style="display:block;font-size:15px;color:#1A1A18;margin-bottom:5px;">Best Teachers</strong>
<span style="font-size:13px;color:#4A4A46;line-height:1.5;">Earned the highest teacher quality score in Encino. This dimension weighs staff tenure, qualifications, warmth reported in parent reviews, and consistency of care across classrooms.</span>
</span>
</a>
Most Compassionate
<!-- Recognition of Excellence: Carousel Kids Child Development Center -->
<a href="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/california/los-angeles/encino/carousel-kids-child-development-center/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" style="display:flex;align-items:flex-start;gap:16px;padding:18px;background:#FFFBF0;border:1px solid #EDD97A;border-radius:10px;max-width:420px;text-decoration:none;color:inherit;font-family:-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,'Segoe UI',Roboto,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;">
<img src="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/badges/dim-compassion.jpg" alt="Most Compassionate - Carousel Kids Child Development Center - Encino, CA" width="80" height="80" style="border-radius:8px;flex-shrink:0;" loading="lazy">
<span>
<strong style="display:block;font-size:15px;color:#1A1A18;margin-bottom:5px;">Most Compassionate</strong>
<span style="font-size:13px;color:#4A4A46;line-height:1.5;">Earned the highest compassion score in Encino. This dimension captures how families describe staff empathy, how concerns are handled, and the emotional environment of the center.</span>
</span>
</a>
Best Infant Care
<!-- Recognition of Excellence: Carousel Kids Child Development Center -->
<a href="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/california/los-angeles/encino/carousel-kids-child-development-center/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" style="display:flex;align-items:flex-start;gap:16px;padding:18px;background:#FFFBF0;border:1px solid #EDD97A;border-radius:10px;max-width:420px;text-decoration:none;color:inherit;font-family:-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,'Segoe UI',Roboto,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;">
<img src="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/badges/dim-infant.jpg" alt="Best Infant Care - Carousel Kids Child Development Center - Encino, CA" width="80" height="80" style="border-radius:8px;flex-shrink:0;" loading="lazy">
<span>
<strong style="display:block;font-size:15px;color:#1A1A18;margin-bottom:5px;">Best Infant Care</strong>
<span style="font-size:13px;color:#4A4A46;line-height:1.5;">Earned the highest infant care score in Encino. This dimension focuses on caregiver ratios, responsiveness, feeding and sleep routines, and parent feedback specific to infant rooms.</span>
</span>
</a>
This recognition is awarded independently by Creative Minds Montessori based on publicly available parent reviews and public records. Centers do not pay for or request these rankings. Scores reflect editorial synthesis of verified parent experience — not center marketing materials. Rankings are updated periodically as new reviews are analyzed.
