Finding childcare in Lodi is its own kind of stress. You are weighing your budget, your work hours, your kid's age, and a wait for a spot, all at once. National sites list a few Lodi names and a lot of places an hour away. This guide is just Lodi, and it is built from the actual licensed list.
Lodi Kids Activities tracks all 43 licensed daycares and preschools in town, pulled from California's child care licensing records. Below is how to think about the options. You can browse and filter them all on the [Lodi daycare directory](https://lodikidsactivities.com/daycare).
Where we know something we say it, and where we do not we say that too. Prices, languages and subsidies are only published by some facilities, and you will see the exact count each time below rather than a vague "many."
The short answer
Lodi has 43 licensed childcare options: 24 centers and 19 in-home family daycares. For infants and babies, your best bet is usually a licensed family home (16 of the 19 take kids from birth) or one of the centers that holds a state infant license, like Zion Child Care Center (from 1 month) and La Petite Academy (from 6 weeks). For ages 2 to 5, Lodi has a deep bench of preschools, from faith-based programs like St. Paul Lutheran and Grace Presbyterian to Lodi Montessori. If cost is tight, 12 of the 43 accept a subsidy, including the state-funded preschools (Lawrence, Heritage and Washington) and two Head Start centers. At least 10 providers offer care in Spanish. Among the 8 facilities that publish a price, monthly tuition runs $150 to $1,045 depending on age, hours and setting.
Centers vs. family home daycares
Lodi has both, and the right choice depends on your kid and your hours.
Licensed centers are larger, structured, and usually preschool-focused for ages 2 to 5. Examples include La Petite Academy, Zion Child Care Center, First Steps Preschool, Lodi Christian School Preschool, and Lodi Montessori. Centers tend to have set hours, a curriculum, and more staff, but many do not take infants.
Family home daycares are run out of a licensed provider's home with smaller groups. These are often your best option for infants and for mixed-age care: 16 of Lodi's 19 take babies from birth. They can be more flexible and more affordable, and 4 of the 19 list Spanish.
Daycare for infants and babies in Lodi
Infant care is the hardest to find anywhere, and Lodi is no exception. Most Lodi preschools start at age 2.
Start with the family homes: 16 of the 19 take babies from birth, and several go up to age 12, including Esquivel, Rodriguez and Woodworth.
Among the centers, these hold an infant license or state a birth-to-five range:
- Zion Child Care Center, from 1 month. It holds a separate state infant-center license with capacity for 36.
- La Petite Academy, from 6 weeks, with an infant license for 24.
- The Capslo Adelita Center, from 11 months.
- Lawrence State Preschool, from birth.
- Beckman State Preschool and CAPK Lodi UCCC, both of which serve infants per their own records.
Start early. Infant spots fill first.
Free and subsidized childcare in Lodi
If paying out of pocket is hard, Lodi has real options. 12 of the 43 accept a subsidy.
The state-funded preschools, including Lawrence State Preschool, Heritage State Preschool and Washington State Preschool, serve income-eligible families at low or no cost, along with Live Oak and Lincoln Tech Academy.
Two are Head Start centers, which is free for families who qualify:
- CAPK Lodi UCCC on S. Hutchins Street is a Community Action Partnership of Kern Head Start center.
- The Capslo Adelita Center on East Harney Lane is a Migrant and Seasonal Head Start center. Worth knowing before you call: this one is specifically for families who earn 51% or more of their income from agricultural work. In Lodi that fits a lot of families, but it is a real eligibility rule, not a general subsidy.
Five family home daycares also accept subsidy vouchers: Maria Olivia Esquivel, Jaime Jasperson, Esther Magdaleno, Tere Rodriguez and Learn and Grow Daycare.
For the other 31 facilities we have no subsidy information either way, so if you qualify it is worth asking each one directly.
Bilingual and Spanish-speaking daycare
At least 10 of the 43 offer care in Spanish, which matters in a town with a large Spanish-speaking community.
Centers: Zion Child Care Center, St. Paul Lutheran Preschool, the Capslo Adelita Center, Live Oak, Nichols Preschool and Camp Hutchins at Lodi Memorial Hospital. Family homes: Maria Olivia Esquivel, Aurora Lopez, Esther Magdaleno and Tere Rodriguez.
Being straight about the limits of that number: we only have language on file for 10 of the 43. The other 33 do not publish it, so there are almost certainly more. Ask when you call.
There is also a Spanish-language version of this guide at [guarderías y preescolares con licencia en Lodi](https://lodikidsactivities.com/es/blog/guarderias-preescolares-lodi-guia).
What daycare costs in Lodi
Tuition depends on age, hours, and whether it is a center or a family home. These are the real monthly ranges published by Lodi providers:
| Facility | Monthly | |–-|–-| | Little Methodist Pre-School | $150 to $500 | | St. Peter's Preschool | $175 to $550 | | St. Paul Lutheran Preschool | $218 to $668 | | Zion Child Care Center | $318 to $1,045 | | Lodi Christian School | $360 to $690 | | First Steps Preschool | $680 to $940 | | Lodi Montessori | $695 to $850 | | Learn and Grow Daycare (family home) | $1,032 |
Only 8 of the 43 publish a price, so that $150 to $1,045 range describes those 8, not the whole town. The other 35 do not post rates and you have to call. Part-time and half-day options bring the low end down, and subsidized programs can be free for families who qualify.
How to choose, and what to do next
Start with the two hard constraints: your kid's age and your budget. That narrows the Lodi list fast. Then sort by hours (do you need full-day or just a preschool morning), language, and location. Tour two or three before you commit.
One thing we want to be clear about: we do not publish how many spots a facility has open today. That number changes week to week and we have no verified feed for it, so we would rather say nothing than guess. Call the facility and ask directly, and ask about the waitlist while you have them.
Browse and filter every licensed Lodi option on the [Lodi daycare directory](https://lodikidsactivities.com/daycare). It is free, has no ads, and is built by a local parent.
Frequently asked questions
How many licensed daycares are there in Lodi?
Lodi has 43 licensed childcare options: 24 centers and 19 in-home family daycares. You can see and filter the full current list on the Lodi Kids Activities daycare directory.
Which Lodi daycares take infants?
Infant care in Lodi is mostly at licensed family home daycares, 16 of the 19 of which take babies from birth. Among centers, Zion Child Care Center takes infants from 1 month and holds a separate state infant license with capacity for 36, La Petite Academy takes them from 6 weeks with an infant license for 24, the Capslo Adelita Center from 11 months, and Lawrence State Preschool from birth. Infant spots fill first, so start early.
Is there free or low-cost daycare in Lodi?
Yes. 12 of the 43 accept a subsidy. State-funded preschools including Lawrence, Heritage and Washington serve income-eligible families at low or no cost, along with Live Oak and Lincoln Tech Academy. Two are Head Start centers: CAPK Lodi UCCC, and the Capslo Adelita Center, which is a Migrant and Seasonal Head Start site and requires that 51% or more of household income comes from agricultural work. Five family home daycares also accept subsidy vouchers.
How much does daycare cost in Lodi?
Among the 8 Lodi facilities that publish a price, monthly tuition runs $150 to $1,045 depending on the child's age, the hours, and whether it is a center or a family home. Little Methodist is $150 to $500 and First Steps is $680 to $940. The other 35 do not post rates, so you have to call. Subsidized programs can be free for qualifying families.
Are there Spanish-speaking daycares in Lodi?
Yes. At least 10 of the 43 offer care in Spanish. The centers are Zion Child Care Center, St. Paul Lutheran Preschool, the Capslo Adelita Center, Live Oak, Nichols Preschool and Camp Hutchins at Lodi Memorial Hospital. The family homes are Maria Olivia Esquivel, Aurora Lopez, Esther Magdaleno and Tere Rodriguez. We only have language on file for 10 of the 43, so there are likely more. Ask when you call.
What is the difference between a daycare center and a family home daycare?
A center is larger and more structured, usually focused on preschool ages 2 to 5 with set hours and a curriculum. A family home daycare runs out of a licensed provider's home with smaller, often mixed-age groups, and is frequently the better option for infants and for flexible or more affordable care.
How do I find a daycare with an opening in Lodi?
We do not publish how many spots a Lodi facility has open today. That number changes week to week and we have no verified feed for it, so we would rather say nothing than guess. The fastest path is to shortlist a few licensed providers that match your kid's age and budget on the Lodi daycare directory, then call each one to ask about current availability, the waitlist, and a tour.