The Ultimate Guide to Child Care, Preschool, MDOs and Daycares in New Orleans

Editor’s Note :: all New Orleans families should thoroughly investigate the available daycare, preschool and child care options in your area. In our New Orleans mom’s guide to daycare, we provide advice and guidance in selecting a daycare in New Orleans. In addition, a list of state licensed child care facilities is available on the Louisiana Department of Education-Louisiana Believes website.

best daycares in New OrleansYou asked; we answered. We have compiled a list of the best New Orleans daycares, New Orleans preschools, and Mother’s Day Out (MDO) programs as recommended by you, New Orleans moms! Don’t see your favorite New Orleans daycare on this list? Let us know and we’ll add them. Keep in mind that many preschool programs in New Orleans fill up fast and often have waiting lists. Metairie daycares, Kenner daycares, Mandeville daycares, Covington daycares … anywhere that offers childcare in the greater New Orleans area may be listed!

Do you have school-aged children in New Orleans?

Jump to your New Orleans neighborhood daycare choices by selecting below

Lakeview | Mid-City | Gentilly & NO East | Metairie & Kenner | Old Jefferson, Harahan & River Ridge | Uptown | Downtown | Bywater & 9th Ward | Westbank | Chalmette | Northshore | River Parishes


Special thanks to our title sponsor Lily House at Ursuline Academy

Lily House at Ursuline Academy is a nursery program that serves boys and girls from 6 weeks of age through the Toddler 1 program. Named in honor of Ursuline foundress St. Angela Merici, the Lily House is located in the former Nashville Convent on the Academy’s 11.5 acre historic Uptown campus.

Who :: Boys and girls 6 weeks of age through the Toddler 1 program.

What :: The Lily House serves a maximum of 27 children.

When :: This nursery program offers both a 10 and 12-month option. Both options are Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. care. The newborn teacher/student ratio is 1:5 and the Toddler 1 ratio is 1:7

Where :: The Lily House is located in the former Nashville Convent on the Academy’s 11.5 acre historic Uptown campus.

Why :: Ursuline Academy of New Orleans develops tomorrow’s brightest independent thinkers, innovators, and community builders. Its nurturing community, diverse by design, fuels every child’s success. The Academy’s Lily House provides a small and welcoming environment, which ensures that our youngest students have meaningful relationships with their peers and teachers during their most formative years.

Learn more about Lily House HERE! 


Lakeview New Orleans

Cathedral Montessori: Primary program: Ages 3-6

Cub Corner at Mt. Carmel: Infants- Age 3

Children’s Place: 6 weeks- Age 4

Carriage House (under 12 months only)

Lakeview Presbyterian Week Day School: 14 months- 5 years

St. Paul’s Episcopal: Pre-K 2, 3 & 4

First Baptist ELC: 6 weeks- 4 years

Grace Lutheran: 6 weeks- 4 years

St. Dominic: Full day 3 & 4-year-old programs

St. Pius X: Full day 3 & 4-year-old programs

St. Luke’s Methodist: 2, 3 & 4-year olds

Crescent City Montessori: Ages 3-6

Class Kids Center: Full Day 3 months- 12 years

Moving Grace Montessori: 3- 6 year-olds

Holy Cross: Pre-K4

Mid-City New Orleans

Krescent City Kids: 6 weeks-5 years

Abeona House: 6 weeks-5 years

Joey Georgusis Center for Children at Delgado:6 weeks-4 years

Crescent Cradle at Cabrini: 6 weeks-3 years

Mid-City Early Learning Center: 6 weeks-3 years

Wilcox Academy: 2 months-10 years

Christian Brothers (Canal St. Campus): Pre-K4

St. Anthony of Padua Preschool: Full-day Montessori program for ages 2 and 3

Nurture Nursery: Ages 6 months to 4 years

NOLA Nature School Forest School: Pre-K-2nd

St. Luke’s Methodist: 2, 3 & 4-year olds

Kid’s Kingdom: 6 weeks- Pre-K

NOLA Petites: 1- 4 years

Little People’s Workshop: 6 weeks- 4 years

Gentilly and New Orleans East

Resurrection of Our Lord: Pre-K programs for 3 & 4-year-olds

St. Mary’s Academy: Full day programs for ages 3 & 4

New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary Preschool: Ages 1-4

Educare New Orleans: 6 weeks- 5 years

St. John Berchman’s Early Childhood Development Center: 18 months- 4 years

Winn’s Discovery Center: 6 weeks- 5 years

 

Metairie and Kenner

Celebration Christian Daycare and Learning Center: Infants-3 years

Kehoe-France: 8 weeks- Pre-K 4

Early Childhood Center at Country Day: 6 weeks- 4 years

George Cottage at St. Martin’s Episcopal: 8 weeks-4 years

Alpha Montessori: 12 months-Pre-K4

St. Philip Neri: Ages 6 weeks and up

St. Christopher: 6 weeks & up

Beary Cherry Tree: Infants-Pre-K4

Crescent City Christian: Infants-4 years

Metairie Ridge Presbyterian: 6 weeks-3 years  

St. Ann: 2, 3, and 4-year-old programs

John Calvin: Ages 1- TK (Transitional Kindergarten)

Carousel Preschool: 6 weeks-Pre-K4

Munholland: Mother’s Day Out: Babies-Age 4

Excel Early Learning Center: Infants – 4 year olds

Memorial Baptist: 6 weeks- Pre-K 4

Seven Oaks: 12 months-4 years

Christ the King Lutheran: 18 months-4 years

The Little School: Ages 2-5

Kinder Haus Montessori: Ages 1-6

Parkview Baptist Preschool: 6 weeks- Pre-K4

Metairie Daycare and Learning Center: 6 weeks-4 years

Atonement Lutheran: Pre-K 3 & 4

St. Augustine: Ages 2-5

St. Benilde Loreto Center: 6 weeks & up

St. Catherine of Siena: Pre-K 3 & 4

St. Clement of Rome: Pre-K 2, 3 & 4

St. Edward the Confessor: Ages 1 & up

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton: Ages 1 & up

St. Francis Xavier: Pre-K 2, 3 & 4

St. Louis King of France: Ages 6 weeks & up

LaPetite Nursery: 6 weeks-4 years

Gates of Prayer Nursery School: 15 months-Pre-K

Jewish Preschool of the Arts at Torah Academy: Infants-Pre-K

New Horizon Learning Academy: Infants-Pre-K

Green Preschool at JCDS/Jewish Community Day School: Infants-Age 2/Pre-K

The Learning Castle: Infants-Pre-K4

Saints Community Church MDO: Ages 2-4

Old Jefferson, Harahan, and River Ridge

St. Matthew the Apostle: Ages 1 & up

John Curtis Christian: 15 months and up

St. Rita Harahan: 2, 3, & 4-year-old programs

Jefferson Presbyterian: 20 months-Pre-K4

Uptown New Orleans 

Lily House: 6 weeks of age through toddler

Ecole Bilingue: 18 months-Pre-K4

Les Enfants at Trinity Episcopal: Independent walkers-Pre-K4

All Nations Fellowship: Ages 1-4

Waldorf Early Childhood Program: 2.5 years-Kindergarten

Ursuline Acdemy: Ages 1 & up

Newcomb Children’s Center at Tulane: Ages 12 months- 5 years

JCC: 13 months- 5 years

McGehee Little Gate: Ages 1-3

Sacred Heart Little Hearts: Ages 1- Pre-K4

Whelan at Loyola: Ages 4 months-5 years

Child Development Program: Ages 6 weeks- Pre-K4

Audubon Primary Academy & Audubon Primary Preschool: Infants-5 years

Stuart Hall School For Boys: Pre-K 3 & 4

Holy Name of Jesus: Pre-K3 and Pre-K4 PLUS a new infant/toddler program called Little Gators

Rayne Early Childhood Program: 6 weeks- Pre-K4

St. Andrew’s Episcopal: 12 months- Pre-K

St. George’s Episcopal Early Childhood Program: Ages 1-4

Isidore Newman Green Trees: Ages 6 weeks- 4 years

St. Charles Avenue Presbyterian Church Nursery School: Ages 2-4

Nurture Nannies: All ages

Benjamin Thomas Academy: Infants, Toddlers & Preschoolers

St. Stephen: 2, 3, and 4-year-old programs

The Bright School:Infants-Pre-K

childcare in New Orleans
Photo courtesy of Ursuline Academy

Downtown New Orleans

Bright Horizons at Tulane: 6 weeks- Pre-K

LSUHSC Early Learning Center: Infants & Toddlers

Bywater/9th Ward

Kids of Excellence: 6 weeks-5 years

Giggles: Infants-Pre-K4

Kiddie Kids: Infants-Pre-K

Westbank

Woodland Presbyterian – Algiers: Age 1- Kindergarten

Aurora Methodist – Algiers: Pre-K1-Pre-K4

St. Joseph’s – Gretna: Mother’s Day Out for 1 & 2-year-olds

GUMP at Gretna United Methodist Church: Infants-Age 4

St. Andrew the Apostle-Algiers: 8 weeks & up

Guardian Angels Early Learning Center at Immaculate Conception School-Marrero: 6weeks & up

Hawk’s Haven at St. Rosalie-Harvey: Ages 6 weeks & up

Visitation of Our Lady-Marrero: Pre-K 2, 3 & 4

St. Cletus-Gretna: Pre-K 3 & 4

Our Lady of Prompt Succor-Westwego: Pre-K 3 & 4

Our Lady of Perpetual Help-Belle Chasse: Ages 1 & up

Westbank Cathedral Preschool Marrero: Ages 2-4

Peas in a Pod, Marrero: 6 Weeks-Pre-K 4

Belle Chasse Saints Community Church: MDO: Ages 2-4

Belle Chasse Baptist: Pre-K2- Pre-K4

Algiers UMC: MDO: 8 months-5 years

Algiers Point Montessori: 6 weeks-3 years

Clara’s Little Lambs: 6 weeks & up

Terry Parkway & Lapalco Learning Centers: Infants-Pre-K

The Crescent School: Infants – Young Toddlers

Chalmette

Gethsemane Lutheran: Ages 2-4

Our Lady of Prompt Succor: Pre-K 3 & 4

New Orleans daycares
Photo courtesy of Krescent City Kids

Northshore

Slidell

First United Methodist: 3 & 4-year-olds

First Baptist Child Development Center: 2-year-olds-Kindergarten

Apple Tree Preschool and Little Lambs MDO: MDO-18 months-2 years, Preschool 3 & 4-year-olds

Grace Memorial Baptist MDO & Preschool: 12 months-4 years

Primary Colors: 6 weeks- 4 years

Little Camelia Schoolhouse

Our Lady of Lourdes: Ages 6 weeks and up

St. Margaret Mary: 2-year-old MDO, Pre-K 3 & 4

Helping Hands at Cross Gates: MDO 2-5 years

Covington/Mandeville/Madisonville

St. Timothy: Ages 1-5

North Cross MDO: Walkers- Pre-K

St. Michael’s: 18 months-Pre-K4

My Little Sprout: Infants-Pre-K

Planet Kids: 12 months-Pre-K

Kidz Karousel: 6 weeks-Pre-K

Bambi’s Kids Academy: Infants-Pre-K

Primary Colors Early Childhood Learning Center: 6 weeks-4 years

Hosanna Christian Preschool: 18 months-4 years

Cedarwood School: Ages 2-5

Mary, Queen of Peace: Pre-K 3 & 4

Our Lady of the Lake: 2-year-old MDO, Pre-K 3 & 4

St. Peter Covington: Pre-K 3 & 4

Church of the King Mandeville: MDO: 6 weeks- 5years

First Baptist Covington: MDO: 6 months-4 years

Children’s Chalet: 6 weeks- 8 years

Noah’s Arc: 6 weeks- 5 years

Hammond

First United Methodist Preschool: MDO: 6 months-2 years, Preschool: Ages 3 & 4

River Parishes

St. Charles United Methodist Church-Ormond: Ages 2-5 years old

Angels Among Us Childcare and Learning Center: Daycare & Pre-K

Boutte Christian Academy: Ages 1-3

Holy Family Parish: Half day programs for ages 2-4

St. Charles Borromeo: Pre-K 3 & 4

If you know of a New Orleans daycare, MDO, or Pre-K program that we should add, please submit it by leaving a comment OR emailing lindsay {at} neworleansmom {dot} com.

Shannon Corrigan
Shannon is a multitasking master, working full-time as a commercial real estate agent, and part-time as an adjunct professor at Loyola University and a wedding planner and former coordinator for Disney's Fairy Tale Weddings. She has a very active little boy named Louis and a husband who works as a professional musician. As hectic is their schedules can be, their home is always filled with music. Shannon is a proud resident of the Marigny triangle, living within spitting distance of the beloved R Bar. When not running after Louis, she enjoys local culinary excursions, sewing, reading and cooking donations for local non-profits for the food insecure.

72 COMMENTS

  1. Has anyone used St. Georges Episcopal for the early childhood program? Do you know if the wait-list is long or if it is hard to get in?

    • We have our daughter at St. George’s and love it! We applied the spring before we had our daughter that November. She started at eleven months and has been happy as a lark. The methods they use to educate children are amazing. They have parenting conference several times a semester where I have learned so much including tips to challenge a one/two year old, raising a compassionate and confident child, and developing early literacy skills.

    • Hi, im currently in contact with them for the fall for my 2 year old and they told me they have a bunch of applicants already for then but do not know at this time if he’d make the wait list.

    • Im in the process of setting up tours with St. martin on Metairie Rd, Kinder Haus and Metairie Ridge. Any feedback on those?

      • I have my little one at Metairie Ridge and we have been really happy. The teachers are really kind and loving. It has been the PERFECT introduction to “school.” The day is just long enough that I can accomplish a lot of things but not too long for him. It is also a very inexpensive program (in my opinion) which was a plus for us.

  2. Atonement Lutheran School in Metairie is where my children have gone since 3 year old preschool. We love everything about this awesome school!
    Alcs.org
    The Open House is January 28th.

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