Seattle's childcare options are scattered across Google, state databases, Facebook groups, and word of mouth. You piece together fragments and hope you have the full picture. You don't. Shortlist is the single, current source of truth—every provider, every inspection record, every factor worth considering—so the decision you make is an informed one.
The 2026
Search Guide
Free Guide · 3,500 words
Costs, waitlists, provider types, inspections, subsidies, and a month-by-month timeline.
Editor's Note
“I build products for a living and finding childcare in Seattle made me feel like I was making it up as I went. Google shows half the picture. Waitlists are theater. Inspection records are buried in government PDFs. I never felt confident I had the full list. So I built the single source I wished existed—every provider, every inspection, every factor worth considering—in one place.”
Diana Clemons — Founder, Shortlist
| Score | Provider | Neighborhood | Type | Ages | Cost | Ratio | Staff Tenure | Full Review |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Premium | Hilltop Children's Center | Queen Anne | Independent Center | 0–10 | $2,815–$3,620 | 1:7 (Pre-K) | 50+ yr history | Full review |
| Value | Woodland Park Co-op | Fremont | Co-op | 2–6 | $189–$393 | 1:4 (w/ parents) | Co-op model | Full review |
| Value | Interlake Child Care | Green Lake | Independent Center | 0–5 | Full access | 1:3 infant (actual) | Since 1982 | Full review |
| Value | Kidspace Childcare | Queen Anne | Independent Center | 0–5 | Full access | 1:6 (preschool) | Lead: 15+ yrs | Full review |
| Premium | La Escuelita Bilingual | Green Lake | Language Immersion | 0–6 | Full access | EA Level 3 | 40+ yr history | Full review |
| Standard | Ambrosia Montessori | Queen Anne | Montessori | 0–6 | Full access | 10 classrooms | AMS listed | Full review |
| Value | The Children's School | Queen Anne | Independent Center | 2–5 | Full access | 1:4 | Since 1965 | Full review |
| Standard | Bright Horizons Seattle | Multiple | Corporate Chain | 0–5 | $2,800–$3,600 | Varies by location | 6 locations | Full review |
| Value | Seattle Amistad | Capitol Hill | Language Immersion | 1–14 | $1,085–$2,470 | 1:5 | Dual-language K-8 | Full review |
| Value | Wallingford Child Care | Wallingford | Independent Center | 0–5 | Full access | EA Level 3 | Since 1968 | Full review |
Availability, staff tenure, pay ranges, and provider interviews are in the full database.
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When Diana moved to Seattle with her husband, two cats, and son Lewis, she needed childcare. She's a product leader who solves hard problems for a living. She assumed she'd find the right daycare in a week.
It took three months.
Google showed half the picture. Home daycares were on different sites. Co-ops weren't online at all. She pulled DCYF inspection records, tracked pricing, called every provider, visited in person, and kept a massive spreadsheet. Dozens of providers across Seattle's family neighborhoods. Fees from $189 to $3,620/month.
Places that looked great online turned out to be red flags. Waitlists she signed up for went nowhere—spots went to whoever showed up first. The whole process felt like guessing.
Shortlist is the guide Diana wished existed. Not a database. Not a directory that lists everything and tells you nothing. An actual person who's been inside the daycares in your neighborhood and will tell you what she really thinks.
How is this different from Care.com or Winnie?
Are the reviews sponsored?
What ages do you cover?
What neighborhoods?
How do the ratings work?