Finding the right childcare
in Apex

The Goddard School of Apex is a well-established, NC DCDEE 5-star licensed childcare center at 903 Olive Chapel Road serving infants through Pre-K with a research-informed Wonder of Learning curriculum. Owner-operated with hands-on management, the center earns high marks from families for attentive teachers, a clean and secure facility, and enrichment programming including ASL, dance, and yoga. Most recent inspections (January 2024) found zero violations, reflecting improvement from earlier administrative issues.

Everbrook Academy at the Peakway is a NC 5-Star licensed early education center in Apex serving children from 6 weeks through school age with a robust STEAM curriculum and individualized learning plans. The center stands out for its technology-enriched environment — including robotics zones, live classroom streaming for parents, and outdoor STEAM play structures — and earned a clean inspection in December 2023. With 138-child capacity and a full suite of programs from infant care through junior kindergarten and school break camps, it is one of the stronger non-chain options in the Apex market.

Creative Schools of Apex is a NAEYC-accredited, 5-star DCDEE-licensed center at 1201 Old Raleigh Rd serving children from 6 weeks through 5 years old with a structured, curriculum-driven program emphasizing kindergarten readiness. Founded in 1985 by Charles and Linda Hester, the family-owned Creative Schools brand has a strong multi-decade track record across the Raleigh-Durham area. Parent reviews praise caring teachers and a stimulating learning environment, though a small number of families have raised concerns about management responsiveness.

Lightbridge Academy of Apex is a nationally accredited (NAC), 4-star NC DCDEE-licensed center serving children from 6 weeks through kindergarten at 1075 Newland Ave in the 27523 zip code. Its proprietary Seedlings curriculum, facial recognition security, and fully CPR-certified staff reflect a strong commitment to both early education quality and child safety. Parent testimonials consistently highlight a warm atmosphere and highly engaged teachers.

Children's Lighthouse of Apex is a family-owned, NC Five-Star licensed early learning center at 2001 Apex Peakway serving infants through preschoolers with a character-values curriculum and live classroom video access for parents. The center holds one of the strongest licensing credentials available in North Carolina and earns a 4.6 Google rating across 243 reviews, with parents consistently praising the warmth of staff and open communication. Minor inspection findings in late 2023 were corrected with a clean January 2024 visit, and the center's overall track record makes it a reliable top-tier option in the Apex 27502 corridor.

Apex KinderCare on Olive Chapel Road is a NC 5-Star licensed, NAEYC-accredited early learning center serving children from 6 weeks through pre-K in the heart of Apex. Director Nicole Burroughs, a master's-educated educator who has led this center since 2010, anchors a staff that parents consistently describe as warm and family-like. The center's play-based curriculum spans literacy, arts, physical education, and early academics, making it one of the most credentialed childcare options in the 27502 zip code.

Primrose School of Apex holds North Carolina's highest 5-Star Center License and is Cognia-accredited, offering its proprietary Balanced Learning curriculum to children from 6 weeks through school age at a large, well-resourced campus in Apex. The center draws consistent praise from parents for caring staff and a structured, developmentally rich environment, though past inspection findings — including a 2022 staff conduct incident — are worth noting for families doing due diligence.

Kiddie Academy of Apex is a newly opened (November 2023) educational childcare center at 905 Acton Street in the 27523 zip code, holding an active NC DCDEE license with a spotless inspection record across four consecutive visits. The center's Life Essentials® curriculum, daily fresh meals, and a teaching staff that parents praise as warm and deeply engaged make it a strong emerging option in western Apex. Its NC star rating is pending public confirmation, and its public review footprint is still building, but the operational record to date is exemplary.