Daycare in Alexandria VA
Alexandria families have plenty of choice, from large centers to small home daycares, and the hard part is telling them apart. This guide ranks the highest-rated daycares and preschools in Alexandria using the parent reviews on each listing, with hours and review counts so you can build a shortlist quickly.
Like the rest of Northern Virginia, Alexandria is a high-demand market and infant rooms often have waitlists, so it pays to call your top choices early. The full directory of Alexandria daycares sits below the rankings.
How we rank
We start from the Google parent reviews on every Alexandria listing in our directory. Each center is scored on both its average rating and how many reviews stand behind it, so a 4.9 across 60 reviews outranks a 5.0 from two or three parents. Centers that are closed or unpublished are left out, along with listings outside Alexandria. Nobody pays to be ranked.
Last updated October 16, 2026.
Top 10 daycares in Alexandria
- The Goddard School of Alexandria (West): 4.9 stars (251 reviews), open 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM. The most-reviewed center in our entire Northern Virginia directory, holding a 4.9 across 251 parent reviews.
- The Vine Preschool at St James: 5.0 stars (29 reviews), open 6:30 AM – 6:00 PM. A perfect rating across 29 reviews and an early 6:30 AM opening. Its teachers go beyond Virginia's minimum training requirements.
- Saint Gabriel Preschool & Daycare: 5.0 stars (27 reviews), open 7:30 AM – 5:30 PM. A faith-based program with Catholic values and home-cooked meals, rated 5.0 by 27 parents.
- Little Beginners Daycare: 5.0 stars (20 reviews), open 7:30 AM – 5:30 PM. A home-like daycare rated 5.0 across 20 reviews, praised for treating each child as an individual.
- Bila's Child Care: 5.0 stars (16 reviews), open 7:30 AM – 5:00 PM. A smaller, more intimate setting with individual attention, rated 5.0 across 16 reviews.
- The Goddard School of Alexandria (Old Town): 5.0 stars (16 reviews), open 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM. The Old Town location of Goddard, rated 5.0 across 16 reviews.
- Bright Mind Preschool: 4.9 stars (29 reviews), open 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM. Known for daily excursions and small class sizes, rated 4.9 across 29 reviews.
- Yoli's Day Care: 5.0 stars (14 reviews), open 7:35 AM – 5:00 PM. A family-style home daycare rated 5.0 across 14 reviews.
- Baby Home Day Care: 5.0 stars (13 reviews), open 7:00 AM – 5:30 PM. A long-tenured team with a focus on healthy food, outdoor play and kindergarten readiness.
- Blooming Babies Daycare: 4.9 stars (24 reviews), open 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM. Individualized care and a curriculum tailored to each child, rated 4.9 across 24 reviews.
Also worth a look: BabyFe Bilingual Learning Center offers a bilingual curriculum and family-style meals (5.0, 12 reviews). Looking just north? See our guide to the best daycares in Arlington.
Alexandria daycare FAQ
How much does daycare cost in Alexandria, VA?
Child Care Aware of America puts the average Virginia price for full-time infant care in a center at about $16,800 a year (roughly $1,400 a month, 2024 data), with toddler care a little lower. Alexandria and the rest of Northern Virginia run well above that statewide average, and infant care costs the most. Home daycares are often less expensive than larger centers. Always confirm current tuition, fees and waitlist policies with each provider.
What hours do Alexandria daycares keep?
Most Alexandria centers run roughly 7:00 or 7:30 AM to 5:30 or 6:00 PM. The Vine Preschool at St James opens at 6:30 AM, while many home daycares close at 5:00 PM. Each listing on this page shows that provider's hours.
How do I check whether an Alexandria daycare is licensed?
Child care in Virginia is licensed and inspected by the Virginia Department of Education. Its Search for Child Care tool shows each provider's license status, capacity, age range and inspection reports, including any violations. Licensed centers are inspected at least twice a year.
What is the difference between a daycare center and a home daycare?
Centers are larger, with separate classrooms by age and more staff. Home daycares (family day homes) run out of the provider's home with smaller, often mixed-age groups. Several of Alexandria's top-rated providers, like Little Beginners, Bila's and Yoli's, are smaller home-style programs.
How were these rankings decided?
We score every Alexandria listing on its average parent rating and the number of reviews behind that rating, and leave out centers that are closed or unpublished, along with listings outside Alexandria. No provider pays to be included or ranked.