Safety7
Curriculum8
Art/Music6
Infant care8
K-ready8
Teachers9
Compassion9
Mgmt7
Culture9
Class sizes6
Extracurriculars8
Grace Christian Child Development Center is Sanford's most decorated childcare institution, voted Best Child Care Center in Lee County for 16 consecutive years. Operating as a faith-based nonprofit under the umbrella of Grace Chapel Church, it serves infants through school-age children across three Lee County campuses, earning a 4.7-star Google rating on the strength of teacher dedication and a nurturing, values-centered environment. The center holds an NC Notice of Compliance license (G.S. 110-106 religious exemption) rather than a DCDEE star rating, but its community reputation and longevity set it apart in the Sanford market.
Strengths
- Voted Best Child Care Center in Lee County for 16 consecutive years
- Staff praised by parents for deep personal investment in each child's development
- Serves infants through school-age with consistent, routines-based approach
- Faith-based curriculum integrating Bible stories and Christian values throughout the day
- Open 6:30 AM–6:30 PM Monday–Friday; offers before/after school care and summer camp
Considerations
- Operates under NC G.S. 110-106 religious exemption — not star-rated by DCDEE
- Recent inspection violations noted (2025): medication return and incomplete incident report documentation
- Large campus (397-child capacity) may feel less intimate for some families
- No Yelp presence; limited third-party review data beyond Google
What parents say
“Both of my children have a love for Christ, learning, and others that I believe have been inspired by all of the wonderful teachers.”
“Not a day has passed at Grace when I did not see the love his teachers have for him — from the time he was a 6-week-old baby to now at age 3.”
“There is no better place for a child to get their foundation in faith and learning.”
Safety8
Curriculum9
Art/Music7
Infant care1
K-ready9
Teachers9
Compassion8
Mgmt8
Culture8
Class sizes6
Extracurriculars8
Warren Williams Child Development Center is a Lee County Schools-operated, 5-star licensed preschool serving up to 140 children ages 2–5 in Sanford, NC. The center deploys eight classrooms staffed by licensed early childhood educators and integrates on-site specialist services including speech, occupational, and physical therapy within a play-based, kindergarten-readiness curriculum. As the top-ranked daycare in both Sanford and Lee County, it is a flagship public early childhood program for the region.
Strengths
- Holds North Carolina's top 5-star center license (license #53000149), the highest achievable rating
- Staffed by eight classrooms of NC-licensed early childhood educators with instructional assistants
- Specialized on-site support including speech/language therapy and occupational/physical therapy
- Ranked #1 daycare in Sanford and #1 in Lee County by independent directory countyoffice.org
- Research-based, developmentally appropriate curriculum emphasizing kindergarten readiness across literacy, math, science, and social-emotional development
- Part of Lee County Schools system with established infrastructure, accountability, and subsidized care enrollment
Considerations
- Serves only ages 2–5; no infant care and no school-age program
- Operates school-day hours only (8:00 AM–2:30 PM), limiting options for full-time working parents
- Very limited online presence and no publicly posted parent reviews on major platforms
- Minor inspection violations noted in 2022 and 2023 related to sanitation and medication storage protocols
Safety7
Curriculum8
Art/Music6
Infant care7
K-ready8
Teachers7
Compassion7
Mgmt6
Culture7
Class sizes6
Extracurriculars7
Childcare Network #102A is a well-established, 5-star DCDEE-licensed center on Washington Avenue in Sanford, serving children from infants through school-age with a structured curriculum suite and robust enrichment programs including NC Free Pre-K and USDA meals. The center is operated by Childcare Network, a regional chain with deep roots in North Carolina, and is led by director Della Burnette, a credentialed early childhood educator. Its large capacity and broad program offerings make it one of the most comprehensive licensed childcare options in Lee County.
Strengths
- Holds North Carolina's highest 5-star DCDEE rating (License #53000318)
- Large capacity of 185 children with programs from infants through school-age
- Offers NC Free Pre-K, USDA-approved free meals, and Soccer Shots enrichment
- Structured curriculum progression: Bright Baby, Smart Steps, Ready 2 Learn, and Kindergarten Prep Academy
- Keyless entry security system and school transportation to multiple local elementaries
Considerations
- Inspection violations in 2022–2023 involving sanitation, playground gate safety, and documentation gaps
- Large enrollment size may mean less individualized attention
- Only one verified Yelp review limits online review confidence
What parents say
“The teachers have always been friendly and attentive, and the admin has always been helpful and courteous. The price of childcare is not for the faint of heart, but this is the only establishment within the last 9 years that I have used for my 3 children and would recommend.”
“This place is amazing. My daughter loves the class and she is learning a lot. The teachers are wonderful, especially Nancy at the front as soon as you walk in and Mrs. Tuesday on pre-K.”
Safety7
Curriculum7
Art/Music5
Infant care8
K-ready7
Teachers7
Compassion7
Mgmt6
Culture6
Class sizes7
Extracurriculars5
Kiddie Land Day Care is a NC DCDEE 5-star licensed childcare center in Sanford serving children from infants to school age with a capacity of 66. The center accepts subsidized care and has maintained largely clean inspection records since 2022, making it one of the more accessible options for Lee County families.
Strengths
- NC DCDEE 5-star licensed — highest state rating tier
- Serves broad age range: infants through school age (0-12 years)
- Capacity of 66 children
- Participates in subsidized child care program
- Majority of inspections since 2022 resulted in no violations
Considerations
- One Yelp review raising concerns about holiday/teacher workday availability for after-school enrollees
- 2024 inspection cited bottle propping violation; 2026 inspection cited activity plan posting noncompliance
- No public website
What parents say
“even if you pay full time there your not going to be able to take them full time — they do pre k as well and unable to take after schoolers on teacher workdays and holidays”
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