Olivia TaylorAs someone who’s working to earn the best aunt award from my nieces and nephews, I’ve seen firsthand how hard it is to get through the week with toddlers through my siblings. It wasn’t until their kids were of the right age that they finally had the aid of daycare centres in Ottawa.
So, if you’re someone who just wants to look forward to weekend getaways in Ottawa with your kids and get them the best supervision during your daily hustle, this is the right place!
Listed below are some of the city’s best daycare centres, along with what makes them a fantastic choice. Continue reading to find the centre that’s most suitable for you and your kids’ needs!
What is the average cost of daycare centres in Ottawa?
The cost of daycare centres in Ottawa ranges from CAD350 to CAD500 per month. It varies depending on the centre’s affiliation with a subsidy, its licensure, and whether Ottawa’s CWELCC program covers it.
1. Little Munchkins Hideout Day Care
Highlights: Toddlers, pre-schoolers, outside time, nap time, snacks, art creation, meal plans
Location: 1426 Hunt Club Rd
Contact: +1 613-321-0633
Business hours: Monday to Friday: 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM
Little Munchkins Hideout Daycare was the chosen centre for my niece. Knowing how shy my she was, I was pleased to see her develop her social skills as she spent more time in the centre.
We also reached out to other parents, who raised the educators and staff members for being caring and attentive. Some also shared how the educators immediately understood and catered to their children with autism spectrum disorder.
The staff members are also praised by parents for their constant communication, offering multiple updates throughout the day. Furthermore, they provide reports to the parents, stating anything about their child, from progress to behavioural issues, etc.
Meanwhile, the centre features facilities for both learning and recreation, like the outdoor play area and the learning/art room. However, the overall centre is a bit cramped.
Lastly, we love that the centre follows a strict nutritional meal plan throughout the week, which consists of an AM snack, lunch, and dinner.
A shining example of what a daycare should be
“Little Munchkins daycare has been a true blessing for my son and me. Their love and care for the children is palpable, and their efforts to help my son thrive despite his challenges with level-one autism have been nothing short of heroic.
I am so thankful for their openness to collaborating with the doctors from Cheo and their determination to help him achieve his full potential. They truly are a shining example of what daycare should be.”
-Ashley Whitman, Google Review
Caring and attentive
“Our daughter has been going to Little Munchkins for two years now, and it’s been a wonderful experience. She started when she was just two, and over time, we’ve seen her social skills blossom.
Her journey since joining the daycare has been great, and she has achieved many milestones. I want to express my gratitude to Ms Sonia for the amazing work she has been doing!
Our daughter has become more independent, and her socialising and communication skills have improved significantly, which has been a great help in other areas of learning.
The teacher’s caring and attentive nature creates a warm atmosphere where she feels comfortable, safe, and happy. They genuinely care about the kids, and we’re really grateful for the positive impact they’ve had on our daughter’s development.”
-Akshu Msu07, Google Review
2. Kinderville Ottawa
Highlights: Literacy program, numeracy program, special education, field trips
Location: 1644 Bank St.
Contact: +1 613-523-8060
Business hours: Monday to Friday: 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM
Kinderville Ottawa immediately caught our attention with its Kinderpass mobile app, which enables more convenient updates and communication. Through it, educators can post their students’ progress in real-time, including photos throughout the day.
Upon closer examination, we were also pleased with their in-depth curricula, which include both numeracy and literacy programs. We also discovered that they integrate a play-based approach, allowing kids to enjoy games, music, and experiments as they learn.
Apart from their approach, they also make learning more fun by arranging field trips throughout the year for more outdoor activities. Speaking of outdoors, the centre’s yard also features a playground!
We also appreciate how this centre promotes inclusivity, treating each student as an individual. They hone their students’ strengths and weaknesses and even provide special care for those with particular needs.
The only problem with this centre is getting hold of them since they’re almost always fully booked.
Such a wonderful childcare
“Can I just say what wonderful people you’ll find here, from the office staff to the classroom educators to the community surrounding this place?
Such wonderful childcare! Tracy and Hayden are two of the kindest and most heartfelt women I’ve ever met. Look into Kinderville if you are looking for great childcare!”
-Alma Johnson, Google Review
The teachers have a caring mindset
“Kinderville feels like a home away from home for my child. Before coming to the centre, my son was attending a home daycare, and I had concerns if he would receive the same type of nurturing that he was used to.
I can attest that the teachers have a caring mindset, and the Director and Assistant Director work closely with parents to resolve any concerns and create an inclusive environment. The staff makes a genuine effort to engage the kids and create a fun environment.
As a first-time parent, I am happy with our decision to come to Kinderville Ottawa.”
-Ubah A., Google Review
3. Tiny Hoppers Daycare Nepean
Highlights: Full-time infant daycare, before and after school daycare, music and dance, preschool daycare
Location: 3023 Cedarview Rd.
Contact: +1 613-440-8507
Business hours: Monday to Friday: 7:00 AM to 5:30 PM
We were familiar with Tiny Hoppers Daycare long before creating this list, thanks to its multiple branches across Canada. They’ve been around since 2005 and have built an impressive reputation over the years, earning numerous awards and testimonials.
One of the factors for this recognition is the variety and quality of programs. They cater to preschools, toddlers, and infants, offering in-depth curricula that tackle creativity, literacy, well-being, arts, science and more.
We reached out to parents who chose this daycare, and they stated how impressed they were with the progress of their children’s literacy and numeracy. They also praise the centre’s complete facilities for learning, such as the sensory area and the fun-looking classrooms.
Their variety of instruments to promote music and dance also impressed us. With these facilities at the children’s disposal, we could see them developing and finding their talents early on.
Our only gripe is its slightly inconvenient location. It’s not near any bus or train stops, but it’s only a short drive away from Downtown since it’s located in Nepean.
Made us feel welcome and at ease
“Tiny Hoppers Barrhaven has been such a wonderful place for my child! From the very first day, the staff made us feel welcome and at ease. My little one comes home happy, talking about all the fun activities and new friends they’ve made.
The teachers are so patient and caring, and I can see how much effort they put into making every day special. I also love how they keep parents in the loop with updates and pictures—it really shows how much they care.
Thank you, Leanne, Diana and Katerine, but also all the rest of the team, for creating such a warm and nurturing environment!”
-Stefania Rafaele, Google Review
Very thoughtful and intentional
“We have been so wonderfully impressed with our experience at Tiny Hoppers Barrhaven! Our child has attended the full-time toddler program since August 2024. The owner and staff truly care about the well-being of our children.
The communication from the staff, administration, meals, and programming is very thoughtful and intentional. They go to the extra effort to enrich our child’s life daily and to bring families together a few times a year to encourage community. Our child loves it there, and we do, too!
We wouldn’t change a thing, and we plan to continue our child’s enrollment in the toddler program!”
-Alicia Scocchia, Google Review
4. River Parkway Children’s Centre
Highlights: Toddlers’ daycare, junior and senior preschools’ daycare, specialty programming
Location: 40 Cleary Ave.
Contact: +1 613-729-3129
Business hours: Monday to Friday: 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM
We did an ocular at River Parkway Children’s Centre for this list, and we were amazed at how peaceful it was.
Their friendly staff members greeted us and showed us around the space, which we immediately thought of as being a friend’s or a relative’s home, as opposed to a daycare centre. It’s also spacious, offering a living room, a classroom, and an outdoor play area.
From our brief time with their educators and staff members, we immediately saw how passionate they are at their jobs. This checks out with our interviews with the parents who enrolled their children here, where they stated the staff’s friendliness and attentiveness.
However, one consensus we realized during our interviews was that most parents thought that the monthly rates were a bit steep. We understand this to an extent, especially when you look at their rates for January, July and December, where they balloon up to CAD500.
Genuinely love what they do
“The staff at River Parkway Children’s Centre took such good care of my child, and I will be forever grateful. The director and her staff have prepared my daughter for the upcoming KG4.
The centre is much more than child care as the staff are all early childhood development trained and stimulate the children with mental, emotional and physical activities.
They are kind and high-energy people who genuinely love what they do. I would recommend the centre with confidence. Thank you, River Parkway.”
-Chris Bjornstead, Google Review
Warm and welcoming
“River Parkway is an excellent daycare! We have sent two children to this Centre and could not have felt better about the care they were provided.
The staff are warm and welcoming, the programming is educational and fun, and the Centre itself is a beautiful purpose-built building. We loved our experience with RPCC!”
-Gemma Bonham-Carter, Google Review
5. Wee Watch Licensed Home Child Care Barrhaven/Nepean
Highlights: Personalized Wee Learn Program, cooking, reading, learn & grow
Location: 500 Claridge Dr #105
Contact: +1 613-825-9425
Business hours: Monday to Friday: 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM
We discovered Wee Watch Licensed Home Child Care on Instagram, and they immediately caught our attention when we found out that the CWELCC program covers them. This means that eligible families can enjoy lower rates for their daycare services.
We reached out to their customer support line to inquire about their curriculum, and one thing that stood out to us was their personalized Wee Learn program. They explained that it was made by educational experts and targets literacy, numeracy, social studies, and motor skills.
These programs are helmed by the educators called “providers”, and they’re some of the most passionate teachers we’ve ever met. We reached out to some of the parents who chose Wee Watch, and they also stated how their kids have grown attached to their providers.
We also appreciate that their learnings go beyond the classroom through their outdoor explorations and fun activities like cooking!
The centre itself features ample indoor and outdoor spaces, with all the facilities needed for a convenient and hands-on learning experience.
The only thing we didn’t like about this place is its location, as it’s a bit far from the city centre.
Patient and positive every step of the way
“We are incredibly grateful to our provider, Hanan. Her kindness, compassion, expertise, and patience have made a profound difference in our family’s life.
Thanks to Hanan’s support, our son smoothly transitioned into daycare. She remained patient and positive every step of the way, creating an environment where he felt safe and comfortable. Now, he absolutely loves daycare and looks forward to going every day.
Thank you, Hanan, for your exceptional care. We appreciate you more than words can express and love having you in our lives!”
-Nwankwo Linda, Google Review
Kind, compassionate and patient
“Bhavna is the most caring, kind, compassionate and patient provider. Bhavna makes an effort to make sure every child in her care feels special and loved. Bhavna will celebrate every child’s birthday with decorations, presents and even a homemade cake!
She’s a wonderful leader to the children, teaching them songs, colours, the alphabet, manners, respect and even different traditions. I’ve seen Emmy make so many great strides since being in Bhavna’s care.
When we moved from Barrhaven to Gloucester, we were devastated that we would have to pull Emmy out of Bhavna’s daycare. In the end, we decided driving every morning was worth keeping our spot with her.
We love, respect, trust and appreciate everything that Bhavna does for Emmy each and every day, and we feel like Bhavna is not Emmy’s daycare provider but part of our family.”
-Crystal Davis, Google Review
