Kirkland · Licensed center
Totem Lake KinderCare
At a glance
- Medium developmental center, licensed for 114 children.
- Hours 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., 5 days a week.
- KinderCare: public company; majority holder Partners Group (private equity).
Company news
KinderCare, the company that runs this center, reported in a federal filing that it permanently closed 49 of its early childhood centers in the six months ending July 4, 2026. It ran 1,567 of these centers at the end of that period. In the same filing, it reported closing 7 in the same six months of 2025.
The filing is about the company. It does not name which centers closed.
KinderCare’s quarterly report to the SEC, filed August 13, 2026. Shortlist last read it on November 3, 2026.
What to know
The license is the range the state allows. It does not say which ages have openings.
What the state has found
Someone reported concerns to the state, and it found all 3 valid, most recently in September 2025. The state also cited rules at 2 of its 4 licensing inspections since February 2024.
See each inspection and complaint
Complaints the state found valid
Received Jul 25, 2025Valid complaintresolved Sep 3, 2025
Received May 21, 2025Valid complaintresolved Jun 12, 2025
Received Jun 19, 2024Valid complaintresolved Jul 29, 2024
Of the 207 Seattle-area centers licensed for 71 to 115 children, 139 (67%) have no valid complaint in the last three years; 23 (11%) have three or more, as this center does.
How all 207 similar-size centers compare
Of the 207 Seattle-area centers licensed for 71 to 115 children, how many valid complaints each had in the last three years:
- None67%
- Fewer than 322%
- 3 or more11%This center
Licensing inspections
- Aug 19, 2026Nothing cited
Dec 30, 20254 citations
MedicationSerious. Fix within 5 business days. The licensor rechecks within 10.
“An inhaler was observed onsite but did not have an authorization on file.”
WAC 110-300-0215(3)
Emergency preparedness planShort Term. Fix within 10 business days. Rechecked within 15.
“The program missed a July and Sept 2025 drill.”
WAC 110-300-0470(4)(a)
Emergency preparedness planShort Term. Fix within 10 business days. Rechecked within 15.
“It was observed that the program did not complete any disaster drills in 2025.”
WAC 110-300-0470(4)(b)
Immunizations and exempt childrenLong Term. The state’s lowest risk level. Fix within 20 business days, no recheck.
“It was observed that not all immunizations were printed within the last 12 months.”
WAC 110-300-0210(1)(2)
Dec 10, 20243 citations
MedicationSerious. Fix within 5 business days. The licensor rechecks within 10.
“One child had diaper cream on site that was expired and a medicaiton form was not completed by the parents. One child had Claritin on site, when their doctor's note was written for Zyrtec. The Claritin was expired. In multiple classrooms, diaper creams were accessible to children.”
WAC 110-300-0215(3), WAC 110-300-0215(3)(a)(ii), WAC 110-300-0215(3)(c)
Emergency preparedness planShort Term. Fix within 10 business days. Rechecked within 15.
“It was observed that the program had not completed a disaster drill. It was observed that there was no fire drill completed for S.N. 2024”
WAC 110-300-0470(4)(a), WAC 110-300-0470(4)(b)
Immunizations and exempt childrenLong Term. The state’s lowest risk level. Fix within 20 business days, no recheck.
“It was observed that not all files had current immunization records within the last 12 months. One CIS form stated "not complete" and a plan was not created with the parents.”
WAC 110-300-0210(1)(2)
- Feb 7, 2024Nothing cited
The state cited rules at 2 of this center's 4 inspections. Most Seattle-area centers inspected 4 times had more: 62% of 272 had rules cited at 3 or more.
How all 272 Seattle-area centers inspected 4 times compare
Of the 272 Seattle-area centers the state inspected 4 times, how many of those inspections cited a rule:
- None7%
- 1 of 415%
- 2 of 417%This center
- 3 of 433%
- All 429%
Read every record and the state’s reports
Across KinderCare's 33 locations in the Seattle area, it cited something at 81% of 135 visits.
State record — Washington DCYF
- Last visit
- August 19, 2026
- On file
- 4 visits since February 2024 — 2 cited nothing · 3 complaint investigations
- Most serious
- Serious —
An inhaler was observed onsite but did not have an authorization on file.
· December 30, 2025
Washington DCYF publishes each citation in the licensor’s own words, with a risk level.
Dec 2025 Licensing visit 4 findings
Licensing visit · December 30, 2025
Immunizations and exempt children
WAC 110-300-0210(1)(2) · Long Term
It was observed that not all immunizations were printed within the last 12 months.
WAC 110-300-0215(3) · Serious
An inhaler was observed onsite but did not have an authorization on file.
WAC 110-300-0470(4)(a) · Short Term
The program missed a July and Sept 2025 drill.
WAC 110-300-0470(4)(b) · Short Term
It was observed that the program did not complete any disaster drills in 2025.
Jul 2025 Complaint 1 valid issue
Complaint · Received July 25, 2025 · Resolved September 3, 2025
May 2025 Complaint 1 valid issue
Complaint · Received May 21, 2025 · Resolved June 12, 2025
Dec 2024 Licensing visit 3 findings
Licensing visit · December 10, 2024
Immunizations and exempt children
WAC 110-300-0210(1)(2) · Long Term
It was observed that not all files had current immunization records within the last 12 months. One CIS form stated "not complete" and a plan was not created with the parents.
WAC 110-300-0215(3) / 110-300-0215(3)(a)(ii) / 110-300-0215(3)(c) · Serious
One child had diaper cream on site that was expired and a medicaiton form was not completed by the parents. One child had Claritin on site, when their doctor's note was written for Zyrtec. The Claritin was expired. In multiple classrooms, diaper creams were accessible to children.
WAC 110-300-0470(4)(a) / 110-300-0470(4)(b) · Short Term
It was observed that the program had not completed a disaster drill. It was observed that there was no fire drill completed for S.N. 2024
Jun 2024 Complaint 1 valid issue
Complaint · Received June 19, 2024 · Resolved July 29, 2024
Reported to the state by the program
Serious injury, valid issues and self-report are Washington’s own fields on its complaint listing.
Shortlist replaces people’s names in the state’s text with initials. This is done by rule, not by hand, so it can miss a name or shorten a word that isn’t one. The state’s report, linked on each row, has the original.
What it costs
We couldn’t find it, so if you know, please share. We’ll publish it and work to confirm it with the provider directly too.
A day here
7 a.m. to 6 p.m., 5 days a week
Meals, outdoors, diapers and two more
- Meals
- Meals and snacks provided, developed by a registered dietitian; families with special dietary needs may bring lunch by arrangement with the director
- Outdoors
- Outdoor play decisions follow state licensing rules plus center guidelines based on temperature, humidity, and wind chill
- Diapers
- Center provides diaper changes as needed until the child shows interest in toilet learning
- Updates for parents
- KinderCare App: messaging with the center director, progress updates, and photos
- Schedule
- Full-time and part-time
How they teach
Developmental
“Our whole-child, play-based curriculum gives kids the freedom to learn and explore.”
Details
- Phone
- (425) 828-3583
- Address
- 11404 Slater Ave NE, Kirkland, 98033
- License
- PL-21124
- Quality program
- Early Achievers Level 3
- Siblings
- Sibling discounts
We couldn’t find some information that may matter to your decision: openings, Working Connections subsidy, tuition, ratios and staff, and sick and biting policies. We can ask the program for you and copy you in.
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.
How they teach
- Approach — Checked October 2026 kindercare.com
What it costs
- Sibling discount — Checked July 2026 kindercare.com
State record
From Washington DCYF’s published reports, last checked November 3, 2026.
Washington’s four risk levels, highest first: Immediate, Serious, Short Term, Long Term. Deadlines from DCYF procedure PRO 10.1.21.
Ages
A day here
- Meals, Outdoors, Diapers, Schedule — Checked July 2026 kindercare.com
- Updates for parents, Hours — Checked September 2026 kindercare.com
Details
- Phone — Checked April 2026 kindercare.com
- Website — Checked July 2026 kindercare.com
- Address — Checked June 2026 data.wa.gov
- License, Quality program — Checked April 2026 data.wa.gov
- Ages on the license — Checked September 2026 findchildcarewa.org
- Ages they serve — Checked September 2026 kindercare.com
- Who runs it — Checked October 2026 kindercare.com
- Who runs it — Checked October 2026 sec.gov/…/klc-20260704.htm
From KinderCare's quarterly report to the SEC, filed August 13, 2026. sec.gov
Medium means the middle half of Seattle-area’s 855 licensed centers by state-licensed capacity: 41 to 115 children. Small is 6 to 40; large is 116 to 323.
The ages on the license are what the state licenses it to care for, which can be wider than the ages it takes.