Childcare Openings

Childcare openings in Southington and nearby vary by category, the child’s age, and individual program. With new centers opening in 2024, resulting in over 175 more licensed spots, the shortages have eased a bit. For centers, finding teachers and assistants continues to be an issue so not all licensed classrooms are open. There was a mini baby-boom in 2021 with 5o+ more children born to Southington parents then in each of the previous few years and that baby-boom continued in 2022. These children are now headed into preschool programs.

Contact information for local providers is in the ECCS Resource Directory, look under either Childcare Centers or Family Childcare Provider categories.

You can also visit https://www.211childcare.org or call 2 – 1 – 1 for childcare openings State-wide. Once you do a search on the 211 Childcare website, and select a provider, you have the option to “View Inspection and Complaint History.”

The ECCS periodically surveys childcare providers in Southington and the neighboring communities to create this list.

Openings List Updated 3/26/2025:

Nursery Schools/Preschool Programs (school year, part-time, for age 3-5):

As these programs run on a school-year basis, registration starts over the winter for the following fall. Do not wait until the summer to look for a program, they will likely be full.

• UPDATE 12/9/2024: Bright Beginnings – Have a few openings for 2024-2025 for their Nursery School program (2, 3 or 5 mornings from 9 to 12:30). Tours are being given for the 2025-2026 year and applications are being accepted.
• UPDATE 12/9/24: St. Luke Catholic School – Space still available for the 2024-2025 school year for their three-year-old, four-year-old, kindergarten, and grades 1 to 8 programs. They do offer after-school care up to 5:30 pm. Tours are being given for the 2025-2026 year and applications are being accepted.
• UPDATE 1/2/25: Southington Public School’s Integrated Preschool Program – Families with developmental concerns can contact the district for an evaluation at any time once their child turns three years old. Applications for the 2025-2026 year for “community peers” for the 3-, 4-, and 5-year-old classrooms started being accepted starting on January 2, 2025 and a screening will be held in February. For the 2024-2025 school year, the district is no longer accepting applications. The peers, who pay tuition, model behavior for the children in the special education program.
• UPDATE 2/7/25: Southington-Cheshire Community YMCA’s nursery school program – For the 2024-2025 school year: Nursery School 3s (Tuesday/ Thursday 9:00-11:30), Nursery School 4s (MWF 9:00 – 11:30) and Nursery School Ext 4s (MWF 9:00 – 1:00) are all Full – Waitlisted.  A few spots in the full day Jumpstart/Preschool 5s . Now enrolling for the 2025-2026 year and currently at 90% capacity.
• UPDATE 2/10/25: Village Green Nursery School – For the 2024-2025 school year, a few openings for PreK3 (Tu-Th mornings). Full, with a wait list, for PreK4 (MWF mornings). For the 2025-2026 year, there are openings for threes and just a few in the fours
• UPDATE 2/7/25: Zion Lutheran Nursery School – Full for the 2024-2025 school year for the TuTh morning 3- year old  program. A few spots in the MWF morning 4-year-old program and in their M-F afternoon preschool program which is geared towards those older preschoolers, including children with “late in the year” birthdays, who are not ready for the rigors of all-day kindergarten. For the 2025-2026 year, full for 3 and 4 year old classes. Limited space in the afternoon PreK program for 5 year olds.

Contact information for local providers is in the ECCS Town Resource Directory, look under the Preschool/Nursery School category.

Childcare Centers (full or part day, year round, or before/after school):

• UPDATE 7/8/2024: Bright Beginnings – for their full-day program for fall 2024, expects to have a few openings for infants and for ages 3, 4, and 5.  For school-age they have openings for before and aftercare.
• UPDATE 9/10/2024: Cub Academy –  As of September 1, will have openings for infants (1 full time and 1 part time) and for Pre-K (5 full time and 1 part time).
• UPDATE 8/9/24: Giggles & Grins Child Care Center – One part time infant opening and one part time toddler opening. Full for other ages.
• UPDATE 3/4/2025: Jack and Jill II Day Care Center – Two infant spaces, four toddler spaces and three preschool spaces are available.
• UPDATE 3/12/2025: Leadership Martial Arts in Southington – Now enrolling for their after-school program for fall 2025 which includes transportation to South End, Hatton, and Derynoski Elementary schools. You can provide your own transportation from other schools.
• UPDATE 2/7/25: Margaret C. Griffin Child Development Center in Southington – Currently full for 4- 5 year old classrooms with a waiting list. Registration for fall of 2025 is almost full, and a waiting list has been started. Due to their State funding, priority is given to families who are income-eligible, payment on a sliding scale. They are not licensed for infants and toddlers.
• UPDATE 1/15/2025: My Little Rascals – Re-opened on 12/9/2024 for children under the age of 3 under a new OEC license.  They are now enrolling and have openings for all ages under 3.
• UPDATE 1/15/2025: My Little Rascals Too – Provides care for infants to age 5. Has some availability.
• UPDATE 11/9/2024: The Learning Experience – Openings for all ages. They offer half-day (8 to 12:30), part day (8 to 3 pm) and full-day/extended day options for 3 or 5 days a week. Infants are only enrolled for full-days, 5 days a week.
• UPDATE 9/19/24: The Nurturing Nest Early Learning Center – Currently full.
• UPDATE 3/4/25: Saint Dominic Childcare Center – Opening for full-time infant (6 weeks-8 months old) openings starting March 30th. Currently full with a waiting list for other ages. Based on staffing, they are planning for openings for preschool (must be fully potty-trained) age 3 and 4 and adding options for half days for over 3 years old.
• UPDATE 7/2/24: Southington-Cheshire Community YMCA’s full-day program – The full day 3’s preschool is currently full. Preschool 4s/5s has limited openings – 1  M-F and 3 T-Th full-day spots. They are not licensed for infants and toddlers.
• UPDATE 3/12/25: Southington-Cheshire Community YMCA’s before/after programs – For Fall 2025, registration for current participants is now open. Registration for new participants opens on March 31st.
• UPDATE 7/28/2024: Stork Club – Accepting applications.
• UPDATE 1/12/2024: Town and Country Early Learning Center in Southington – Currently enrolling for infants starting in August of ’24, and currently have part-time availability in their Preschool program.  They are full for other ages with a waiting list.

Contact information for local providers is in the ECCS Town Resource Directory, look under the Childcare Centers category.

Family Childcare (in private homes):

Note, due to licensing regulations, the family childcare providers are restricted in the number of children they can enroll and so they usually don’t have openings unless a family leaves or a child goes to kindergarten. There are additional licensed family childcare providers in town who either have not respond to requests for information about open spots or who preferred not to be listed.

• UPDATE 2/11/25: Robyn Angeli, Vernondale Day School – One opening for any age.
• UPDATE 8/27/21: Kristin Baush, Kristin’s Family Day Care – Currently Full.
• UPDATE 7/10/24: Terry Bouchard, Tlc Services – One full time opening for an under 18 months available now. One full time position (infant-preK) as of 8/22/24. Two before & after school openings for Derynoski (bus pickup at driveway) for Sept. 2024.
• UPDATE 2/14/2025: Darlene Butkiewicz – Currently Full, no expected openings until 2026.
• UPDATE 8/27/2021: Jennifer Cook, Jennifer Cook Day Care – Currently Full.
• UPDATE 5/31/23: Loraine Carbone, Loraine Carbone’s Day Care – Currently Full.
• UPDATE 3/4/25: Susan Cyr, Hugs N Cuddles Home Day Care – Currently Full.
• UPDATE 1/5/2023: Gloria Dorau, Gloria’s Day Care – Before and after school availability for Derynoski (bus stop at end of the driveway). 1 opening for 2 years and above.  End of August 2023, additional openings for 2 years and above and an Infant.
• UPDATE 8/5/2024: Angela Griffis, Little Miracles Family Childcare & Preschool – Two full-time openings available after Labor Day – one infant opening and one over 18 months.  She has a full-time assistant. They provide before school care only with transportation to Flanders, Hatton, Thalberg, and Derynowski.  Hours of operation are 6 AM to 3:30 PM.
• UPDATE 7/18/2022: Beth Mearkle, Precious Cargo Child Care – Currently Full.
• UPDATE 5/22/23: Tracy Munson, Tracy’s Tender Tots – Currently Full.
• UPDATE 1/2/23: Jennifer Natal, Tiny Feet Home Daycare – 3 spots open. Ages 2 month to 5 years old.
• UPDATE 1/2/2023: Maria Nelson, Country Kids Home Daycare – Two opening age 18 months or older.
• UPDATE 1/2/23: Marzena Radziwon, Polish Home Day Care – Currently Full until August 2023.
• UPDATE 3/26/25: Marilyn Sargent, Marilyn’s Farmhouse Daycare – Currently full. Will have three openings for ages one to three for fall 2025. This is a school year program, focused on the children of teachers, with the summers off.
• UPDATE 7/5/24: Justyna Szymczyk – Currently full for the upcoming year.
• UPDATE 2/11/25: Nichole Thompson, Happy Campers Home Day Care – Currently full. Will be closing in August 2025,
• UPDATE 2/11/25: Crissy Wight, Peanut Gallery Daycare – Currently full with a waiting list. Expect to have two openings in fall of 2026.

Contact information for these licensed family childcare providers is in the ECCS Resource Directory; look under the Family Childcare Provider category. There are additional licensed family childcare providers who either did not respond to requests for information about open spots or who preferred not to be listed.

Note that anyone caring for other people’s children in their own home for at least 3 hours a day on a regular basis they must be licensed by the CT Office of Early Childhood. Interested in becoming a licensed family childcare provider? The ECCS can connect you with the right people at the OEC and local mentors.

Childcare Costs

The cost for childcare depends on the age of the child and their schedule. The cost per day is lower if attending all five days instead of part-time. Extended day options usually cost extra. The cost for infants and toddlers is usually higher since there is a lower teacher-child ratio and can run $230 to $500 per week. Care for preschool age children can be $36 to $70 per day depending on the hours. Some centers offer financial assistance or sibling discounts.

Lower and moderate income working families can apply for the Care4Kids childcare subsidy program. Phone: 1-888-214-KIDS (5437) or web site: http://www.ctcare4kids.com