We tour the daycares, pull the inspection records, and tell you which ones are actually worth your time. Honest reviews. Real intel. No sponsored content.
Neighborhood Guide
We toured every licensed center and home daycare in Green Lake. Here's who's worth the waitlist.
Editor's Note
“I build products for a living and finding childcare in Seattle nearly broke me. Google shows half the picture. Waitlists are theater. Inspection records are buried. I spent 3 months and a 40-row spreadsheet so nobody else has to.”
Diana Clemons — Founder, Shortlist
Montessori vs.
Play-Based
Philosophy
The honest differences, who each one is for, and why most parents overthink this.
Home Daycare
vs. Center
Care Types
Smaller ratios or more structure? Cost, quality, and what the inspection records tell you.
The Waitlist
Strategy Guide
Strategy
Which lists move, which are dead ends, and when to call instead of filling out the form online.
The classrooms are beautiful and the Montessori implementation is the real deal—not just the name. Clean inspection record. Teachers have been there for years, which in childcare tells you everything. The waitlist moves, but get on it early—they fill infant spots 9+ months out. Drop-in tours welcome, which is always a good sign.
Worth the waitlist.
If you can swing the parent hours, this is one of the best deals in Seattle. Incredible outdoor space—the kids are outside every day, rain or shine. The co-op model means you actually know the other families. Not for everyone (you're committing real time), but the parents who do it are evangelical about it. Sliding scale tuition available.
Best value in the city if you have the time.
One of the few places in Wallingford with infant spots. The play-based curriculum is solid, and the teachers clearly love what they do. Inspection record has one minor from 2024—ratio violation during nap transition, corrected same day. That level of transparency is actually reassuring. Hot lunch included, which saves you the daily prep scramble.
Solid pick for infants. Hard to find better in Wallingford.
You won't find this on Google. This is the kind of home daycare you only hear about through the parent network—and that's exactly why we exist. Immaculate space, 15 years of experience, spotless record. The provider knows every kid's quirks by day two. Small group means your infant isn't competing for attention. The catch: she only takes 2 infants at a time, so timing matters.
The hidden gem. Get on the list now.
| Provider | Neighborhood | Category | Score | Verified | Availability | Staff Tenure | Pay Range | Interview |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastlake Montessori | Green Lake | Montessori Center | 8.4 | 2 toddler spots | Lead: 6 yrs | $22-28/hr | 10 answers | |
| Phinney Ridge Co-op | Phinney Ridge | Co-op | 8.7 | Waitlist open | Head: 12 yrs | N/A (co-op) | — | |
| Small Faces | Wallingford | Independent Center | 7.9 | Full — waitlist | ED: 16 yrs | $20-26/hr | — | |
| Sunny Days Family | Queen Anne | Home Daycare | 8.1 | 1 infant spot | Owner: 15 yrs | N/A (owner) | 10 answers | |
| Kidspace Childcare | Green Lake | Independent Center | 8.8 | 3 preschool spots | Lead: 35 yrs | $21-27/hr | 10 answers | |
| La Escuelita Bilingual | Beacon Hill | Language Immersion | 8.3 | Waitlist only | Lead: 20 yrs | $19-24/hr | 10 answers | |
| Bright Horizons Ballard | Ballard | Corporate Chain | 6.2 | Multiple spots | High turnover | $17-22/hr | — | |
| The Children's School | Wallingford | Independent Center | 8.9 | Full — waitlist | Avg: 14 yrs | $24-30/hr | 10 answers | |
| Woodland Park Preschool | Green Lake | Nature / Outdoor | 7.6 | Fall 2026 spots | Head: 4 yrs | $19-23/hr | — | |
| Kiddie Academy QA | Queen Anne | Corporate Chain | 5.4 | Multiple spots | High turnover | $16-20/hr | — |
Availability, staff tenure, pay ranges, and provider interviews are in the full guide.
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24 providers across 10 neighborhoods, classified into 7 categories so you compare apples to apples. Verified providers share staff tenure, compensation, real-time availability, and answers to 10 standardized questions—data you can't find anywhere else. Updated weekly.
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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 built a spreadsheet, researched 24 providers across 10 neighborhoods, tracked fees from $600 to $3,400/month, called every one, and toured in person.
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. One school wouldn't even let her drop in for a tour.
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.