KinderCare (Central Park)

Center · Denver · 8858 E 46th Ave

What kind of place is this?

Size 204 children licensed Larger than the middle half of Denver centers, where the middle half licenses 40–113. Measured across 1,156 Denver centers, 2026-08-17.

Who runs it

Ownership For-profit Colorado Department of Early Childhood names a limited company as the licensee, and it is not in the IRS register of tax-exempt organisations. data.colorado.gov
Chain KinderCare
Owner Partners Group (controlling) Public (NYSE: KLC) since Oct 2024; Partners Group holds 71.2% controlling interest per its SEC registration. sec.gov

KinderCare runs 23 licensed locations in Denver.

How this compares

Colorado Department of Early Childhood cited something at 3 of the 4 visits below. Across Denver centers it cites something at about 55% of visits. Each state decides what gets written up, so this compares Denver with Denver and never with another state.

Will it fit our family?

Not yet reported: ages served, hours, days / week, schedule, holiday closures.

What will it cost us?

This provider does not publish pricing.

What Shortlist has verified

State quality rating Colorado Shines Level 1
License status Active

State record — Colorado Department of Early Childhood

Last visit
July 2, 2026
On file
4 visits since October 2023 · 2 complaint investigations
Fixed?
The latest correction deadline was August 2, 2026. Colorado Department of Early Childhood does not publish whether it was made.
Most serious
Colorado Department of Early Childhood does not publish a severity level for a citation, so there is no most-serious to name.

Colorado’s Department of Early Childhood lists each program’s complaints on its Colorado Shines page, with the department’s verdict on each and a report behind it, going back about three years. Older complaints are released only on request. The department does not rank complaints by severity in either place.

Jul 2026 Supervisory visit 13 findings

Supervisory visit · July 2, 2026

2.229.L · Correction due July 2, 2026

Accessible choking hazards for children under three (3) years of age were observed in Imagination A (marker caps, play insects/animals) and Exploration B (pom poms).

Required correction: Ensure all toys, toy parts, furnishings, equipment, and any materials accessible to children under three (3) years of age do not pose a choking or inhalation hazard. Submit written documentation of future compliance to the licensing specialist. Correct by 07/02/2026

2.237.B

In the Acceleration B classroom, a strong sewage odor emanating from the bathroom floor drain was observed with a piece of paper taped over the floor drain.

Required correction: Ensure all areas of the building, including plumbing and bathroom drains, are kept in good repair and maintained in a safe, condition. Submit written documentation of future compliance to the licensing specialist. Correct by

2.212.E · Correction due July 2, 2026

In the Fascination A classroom a staff member was observed to be using their personal cellphone while supervising children.

Required correction: Ensure all staff members refrain from the personal use of electronic devices, including cell phones, while supervising and caring for children. Submit written documentation of future compliance to the licensing specialist. Correct by 07/02/2026

2.229.C · Correction due July 2, 2026

Items labeled 'keep out of reach of children' were observed to be accessible to children in two locations: a container of baking soda on the windowsill in the Imagination B classroom, and a pack of baby wipes on the restroom floor in the Enchantment classroom.

Required correction: Ensure all items labeled 'keep out of reach of children' are inaccessible to children. **Corrected at the time of inspection; the director removed the items from the classroom**. Submit written documentation of ongoing compliance to the licensing specialist. Correct by 07/02/2026

2.206.B · Correction due August 2, 2026

Reviewed Parent Handbook and observed the following policies to be missing or incomplete: B.4, B.5, B.6, B.11, B.14, B.25, B.26, and B.28

Required correction: Add the missing/incomplete policies to the statement of policies and procedures (parent handbook) and make them available to parents. Send a copy of the updated policy and procedures to Licensing Specialist. Correct by 08/02/2026

2.220.A · Correction due July 2, 2026

The medication maintained on hand at the facility for a child was observed to be different from the prescribed medication listed on their written health care plan.

Required correction: Ensure all medications maintained on-site exactly match the child's current written medication authorization and health care plan. Any changes in the authorized medication must be accompanied by a new written order from the prescribing practitioner and the corresponding medication. Submit written documentation of future compliance to the licensing specialist. Correct by 07/02/2026

2.223.C.2.a · Correction due July 2, 2026

In the Fascination B classroom one crib was observed with a loose fitting sheet.

Required correction: Ensure mattreses for cribs have a properly fitted sheet. ** Corrected at the time of inspection. Assistant director adjusted the sheet to fit properly**. Submit documentation of future compliance to licensing specialist. Correct by 07/02/2026

2.213.B · Correction due July 2, 2026

Reviewed fifteen (15) staff files and observed SM7 and SM10's files to be missing documentation of completion of Department-approved Standard Precations training.

Required correction: Obtain documentation of completion of Department-approved Standard precautions training. Submit copy of training certificate to licensing specialist. Correct by 07/02/2026

2.213.G · Correction due July 2, 2026

Reviewed fifteen (15) staff files and observed SM7and SM10's files to be missing documentation of completion of a Department-approved training about Child Abuse Prevention.

Required correction: Obtain documentation of completion of a Department-approved training about Child Abuse Prevention. Submit copy of training certificate to licensing specialist. Correct by 07/02/2026

2.212.G · Correction due August 2, 2026

Reviewed fifteen (15) staff files and observed SM13 and SM14's files to be missing a health statement.

Required correction: Obtain documentation of health statement and submit picture of health statement to licensing specialist. Correct by 08/02/2026

2.121.D.4.a · Correction due July 2, 2026

Reviewed fifteen (15) staff files and observed SM13's, file to be missing an FBI clearance letter.

Required correction: All individuals requiring a background check must review Navigating the Background Check Investigation Unit's (BIU) Webpage powerpoint. Submit verification that SM13 has reviewed the powerpoint within 24 hours. Submit documentation of FBI for SM13 with written response to the Specialist. Correct by 07/02/2026

2.219.B.2 · Correction due August 2, 2026

Reviewed twelve (12) child files and observed CH10's file to be missing a current health statement.

Required correction: Obtain documentation of updated Health Statement and submit picture of document to to licensing specialists. Correct by 08/02/2026

2.209.A.7 · Correction due July 2, 2026

Reviewed twelve (12) child files and observed CH6's file to have an expired emergency medical authorization.

Required correction: Correct immediately and submit photograph of verification of signed emergency medical authorization form to licensing specialists. Correct by 07/02/2026

State records file

Apr 2026 Complaint

Complaint · April 28, 2026

2.225.E · Correction due April 28, 2026

Identified through SM1 and SM2's statement children's physical activity and outdoor time is withheld as a disciplinary measure for not cleaning up.

Required correction: Physical activity and outdoor time must not be withheld as a disciplinary measure. Submit written documentation of future compliance to licensing specialist. Correct by 04/28/2026

State records file

Apr 2026 Complaint Founded

Complaint · April 28, 2026

Founded

The state lists this complaint on the provider’s record and publishes an investigation report for it. Shortlist has not read that report, so this row includes no citation detail.

State records file

Aug 2025 Supervisory visit 2 findings

Supervisory visit · August 19, 2025

2.219.B.3 · Correction due September 19, 2025

Reviewed 13 children's files and 1 child under the age of 2 years old had an expired health statement.

Required correction: Review and ensure that all children under the age of two must have an updated health statement. The health statement must be in accordance with AAP health care schedule. Correct and respond with verification of compliance by 9/19/2025. Correct by 09/19/2025

2.229.L · Correction due August 19, 2025

Outside on the toddler playground there were several small rocks all throughout the play area. The small rocks were accessible to children under 3 years old and posing a possible choking hazard. In the Discovery C classroom there was a small hair tie laying on the floor accessible to children under the age of 3 years old. The small hair tie was posing a possible choking hazard to children ages 3 years old.. In the Imagination B classroom there were small legos and small counting bears that were sitting on a shelf accessible to children under the age of 3 years old. The small legos and small counting bears were posing a possible choking hazard.

Required correction: Toys, toy parts, furnishings, equipment, and any materials accessible to children under than three (3) years of age must not be a choke hazard or able to be inhaled. Any area of the facility accessible to children less than three (3) years of age must be free of any choke or inhalation hazards. ***Corrected at the time of the visit the director and staff removed the small rocks, small legos, and small counting bears making all items inaccessible to children under the age of 3 years old on 8/19/2025.***Respond with a plan of ongoing compliance by 9/19/2025. Correct by 08/19/2025

State records file

Sep 2024 Supervisory visit 2 findings

Supervisory visit · September 26, 2024

2.229.L · Correction due September 26, 2024

In the Discovery B classroom there was a child under the age of 3 carrying a mark cap. The cap was small enough to fit in a choke tube and it was posing a choking hazard.

Required correction: All toys, furnishing, and materials including marker caps must be made inaccessible to children under 3 years old. ***Corrected at the time of visit the teacher placed all marker caps up high and inaccessible to children on 9/26/2024. No response required.*** Correct by 09/26/2024

2.230.B

Outside on the toddler playground there was a gap on the purple slide that was posing a safety hazard.

State records file

Oct 2023 Original visit report not read State records file

Where this record comes from

The Department of Early Childhood keeps about three years of complaints on a program’s public page. Anything older is released only on request, as a single file covering the whole state. Shortlist asked for that file under the Colorado Open Records Act and renews it yearly; it is what this page shows for complaints older than the department’s own window.

The file this page is built from arrived on September 1, 2026 and covers complaints the department publishes today, and complaints back to January 2023 obtained by records request. The next request goes in September 2027.

The department publishes a report for each of these visits. Shortlist has not read those reports yet, so this page shows when the state came and not what it found.

Ask for this program’s record now

The department will also review one program’s complete file on request, which is more than either source above contains. Leave your email and Shortlist will ask for KinderCare (Central Park)’s file specifically, instead of waiting for the next one.

Before you tour

KinderCare (Central Park) hasn’t published

Cost, hours and late pickup, a typical day, sick and biting policies.

Ask which of these findings were serious, and what changed.Colorado Department of Early Childhood publishes a correction deadline, never whether the work was done or how serious it was.

Sources and dates

Where every fact on this page came from, and when Shortlist last checked it against that source. Anything Shortlist could not source is named here rather than left blank.

What kind of place is this

Not yet reported: established, teaching approach.

Who runs it

Licensing and contact

State record

Every state visit and complaint on file, shown in full and never edited. Open a date to read what the state wrote.

Do you run KinderCare (Central Park)? Shortlist has no tuition, hours or ratios for it, because the state does not publish that. Add what is missing. It is free and takes about ten minutes.