Recognition of Excellence · North Carolina · 2026

The 100 Best Childcare, Daycare, Montessori & Preschools in North Carolina

The highest-scoring licensed childcare centers in the state — fewer than 1 in 5 make this list, ranked on the evidence alone.

564Centers ranked

Top 100Earn this rating

1 in 5Make the list

Every one of the 564 licensed childcare centers, daycares, Montessori schools and preschools we could verify across North Carolina was independently scored for 2026 on the same 0–10 scale. Each score is built from eleven quality dimensions — safety, curriculum, teacher quality, infant and toddler care, kindergarten readiness, class sizes, management and more — by combining public parent feedback with official state licensing and inspection records. Nothing here can be bought: no center can pay to appear, move up, or change a score, and we accept no payment from any center to be ranked. After scoring, all 564 centers were ranked head-to-head by overall quality, and only the top 100 earned a place on this page — fewer than 1 in 5 centers in North Carolina. Reaching it means out-scoring more than 464 other centers competing across the state, which is exactly why a spot here is so hard to earn.

Read the full methodology →

1KinderCare at Wake Forest UniversityWinston-Salem, North Carolina8.8/10 2Refuge Early Learning CenterRaleigh, North Carolina8.7/10 3Bordeaux Creative SchoolFayetteville, North Carolina8.5/10 4Cadence Academy PreschoolWilmington, North Carolina8.5/10 5Childcare Network #161Gibsonville, Jamestown & Kernersville, North Carolina8.5/10 6Evolve Early LearningAsheville, North Carolina8.5/10 7KinderNogginHigh Point, North Carolina8.5/10 8Our Children's HouseGreensboro, North Carolina8.5/10 9Primary Beginnings Child Development Center, LLCRaleigh, North Carolina8.5/10 10Sounds And Colors At MeadowlandsHillsborough, North Carolina8.5/10 11The Goddard School of ApexApex, North Carolina8.5/10 12The Goddard School of CaryCary, North Carolina8.5/10 13The Goddard School of Wake ForestWake Forest, North Carolina8.5/10 14Bright Horizons at Raleigh Corporate CenterRaleigh, North Carolina8.4/10 15Christian Montessori School at Lake NormanHuntersville, North Carolina8.4/10 16Primrose School at Hope Valley FarmsDurham, North Carolina8.4/10 17Primrose School at The ParkMorrisville, North Carolina8.4/10 18The Goddard School of Fort Mill (Gold Hill)Fort Mill, North Carolina8.4/10 19The Goddard School of Fuquay-VarinaFuquay-Varina, North Carolina8.4/10 20The Goddard School of Raleigh - Creedmoor RoadRaleigh, North Carolina8.4/10 21Wishview Children's CenterGreensboro, North Carolina8.4/10 22Bright Horizons at Harrison ParkCary, North Carolina8.3/10 23Child Care Center Of First Presbyterian ChurchAsheville, North Carolina8.3/10 24Community School for People under SixBenson, Carrboro & Creedmoor, North Carolina8.3/10 25Duke Children's Campus, managed by Bright HorizonsDurham, North Carolina8.3/10 26First Steps Learning Center, Inc.Laurinburg, Lillington & Lumberton, North Carolina8.3/10 27Leafspring School at Cornelius - The VillageCornelius, North Carolina8.3/10 28Milestones Learning CenterWilmington, North Carolina8.3/10 29Northeast Raleigh KinderCareRaleigh, North Carolina8.3/10 30Primary Colors Early Learning CenterDurham, North Carolina8.3/10 31Primrose School of New Irving ParkGreensboro, North Carolina8.3/10 32The Goddard School of Holly SpringsHolly Springs, North Carolina8.3/10 33The Goddard School of WaxhawWaxhaw, North Carolina8.3/10 34The Nest Schools - ArchdaleAdvance, Archdale & Asheboro, North Carolina8.3/10 35Bright Horizons at Wake Forest Baptist HealthWinston-Salem, North Carolina8.2/10 36Chapel Hill Day Care CenterChapel Hill, North Carolina8.2/10 37First Baptist Children's CenterMarion, Mills River & Morganton, North Carolina8.2/10 38First Presbyterian Day SchoolDurham, North Carolina8.2/10 39Harvest Learning CenterChapel Hill, North Carolina8.2/10 40Heavenly Haven AcademyFayetteville, North Carolina8.2/10 41Legacy Academy Chapel HillChapel Hill, North Carolina8.2/10 42Little Scholar Academy of KannapolisKannapolis, North Carolina8.2/10 43Magnolia Montessori Academy & School-Age ProgramHolly Springs, North Carolina8.2/10 44Primary Beginnings Child Development CenterRaleigh, North Carolina8.2/10 45The Children's Early SchoolPittsboro, North Carolina8.2/10 46The Goddard School of CorneliusCornelius, North Carolina8.2/10 47The Little School at Duke, Inc.Durham, North Carolina8.2/10 48A Place to Grow - Three Rivers WingateWingate & York, North Carolina8.1/10 49Church Child Care Center, Inc.Trinity & Walkertown, North Carolina8.1/10 50Epiphany Early Childhood CenterWinston-Salem, North Carolina8.1/10 51Fayetteville State University Early Childhood Learning CenterFayetteville, North Carolina8.1/10 52Little Scholars Academy of KannapolisKannapolis, North Carolina8.1/10 53Preston Children's AcademyCary, North Carolina8.1/10 54Primrose School of Heritage Wake ForestWake Forest, North Carolina8.1/10 55The Children's Center of Asheboro #1Advance, Archdale & Asheboro, North Carolina8.1/10 56The Jewish Preschool on SardisCharlotte, North Carolina8.1/10 57Wake Forest KinderCareWake Forest, North Carolina8.1/10 58Weaverville Primary School Head StartSylva, Waynesville & Weaverville, North Carolina8.1/10 59YWCA Child Care CenterAsheville, North Carolina8.1/10 60ARMC Family Enrichment CenterBurlington, North Carolina8.0/10 61Abundance of Love & Learning CenterHolly Ridge, Jacksonville & Kenansville, North Carolina8.0/10 62Asbury PreschoolRaleigh, North Carolina8.0/10 63Chesterbrook Academy Preschool of CaryCary, North Carolina8.0/10 64Kids 'R' Kids Learning Academy of Lake NormanHuntersville, North Carolina8.0/10 65Montessori Country DayConover, Forest City & Hendersonville, North Carolina8.0/10 66Oak Ridge Weekday SchoolOak Ridge, Randleman & Reidsville, North Carolina8.0/10 67The Goddard School MatthewsMatthews, North Carolina8.0/10 68The Goddard School of Charlotte (Mallard Creek)Charlotte, North Carolina8.0/10 69The Learning Experience @ CaryCary, North Carolina8.0/10 70The Nest Schools Clayton - MechanicalClayton, North Carolina8.0/10 71Academically Based Child CareRaleigh, North Carolina7.9/10 72Bright Horizons at Research Triangle ParkDurham, North Carolina7.9/10 73Childcare Network #242High Point, North Carolina7.9/10 74Ernest Myatt Children's Development CenterRaleigh, North Carolina7.9/10 75Everbrook Academy of Charlotte - OakhurstCharlotte, North Carolina7.9/10 76Jordan Child And Family Enrichment CenterRaleigh, North Carolina7.9/10 77Kid's Korner Child Development, Inc.Kannapolis, North Carolina7.9/10 78Kiddie Academy of MorrisvilleMorrisville, North Carolina7.9/10 79Kids 'R' Kids Learning Academy of RTPDurham, North Carolina7.9/10 80KinderCare ELC at UNC Health JohnstonSmithfield, Tarboro & Wendell, North Carolina7.9/10 81Leafspring School at CorneliusCornelius, North Carolina7.9/10 82Little Life AcademyCornelius, North Carolina7.9/10 83Primrose School at Brier CreekRaleigh, North Carolina7.9/10 84Primrose School of CaryCary, North Carolina7.9/10 85Primrose School of South CharlotteCharlotte, North Carolina7.9/10 86Primrose School of West CaryCary, North Carolina7.9/10 87Raleigh Nursery School, Inc.Raleigh, North Carolina7.9/10 88Afton Nature SchoolBenson, Carrboro & Creedmoor, North Carolina7.8/10 89Children's Lighthouse of West CaryCary, North Carolina7.8/10 90Crayolitas Childcare CenterStatesville, North Carolina7.8/10 91Creative Schools of ApexApex, North Carolina7.8/10 92Everbrook Academy at the PeakwayApex, North Carolina7.8/10 93Kiddie Academy of Wake ForestWake Forest, North Carolina7.8/10 94Partners In Learning Child Development & Family Resource CenterSalisbury, Shelby & Sherrills Ford, North Carolina7.8/10 95Randy's Five Star Academy, Inc.Durham, North Carolina7.8/10 96The Goddard School of HuntersvilleHuntersville, North Carolina7.8/10 97The Goddard School of MorrisvilleMorrisville, North Carolina7.8/10 98The Goddard School of Raleigh (5401 North)Raleigh, North Carolina7.8/10 99The Goddard School of Raleigh - Brier CreekRaleigh, North Carolina7.8/10 100Wildflower Cottage for ChildrenDurham, North Carolina7.8/10

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Rankings are produced independently by Creative Minds Montessori and reflect our own analysis of public data as of 2026. They are informational only and are not an endorsement, guarantee, or substitute for a family's own visit and due diligence. Overall scores are on a 0–10 scale across eleven quality dimensions. Who we are & editorial policy · Methodology.