Finding childcare in Bend is less about finding one universally “best” center and more about finding a place that lines up with your child’s age, your work schedule, your part of town, your budget and an actual opening.
Daycare, childcare and preschool: what this guide is actually about
This page is primarily for parents looking for ongoing childcare: infant care, toddler care, daycare, full-day early learning, part-time care and programs that make a normal workweek possible.
Preschool still matters because many Bend childcare centers blend the two. A three- or four-year-old may be in a preschool classroom while still receiving full-day childcare. The distinction that matters most is usually schedule, not the label on the building.
How to find childcare in Bend without wasting a week
- Write down the hours you truly need. Include commute time, not just your work hours.
- Use your child’s age on the expected start date. Infant and toddler rooms are often the hardest to place.
- Contact several realistic programs at once. Childcare availability can change by classroom.
- Ask for the next realistic opening, not just “Do you have a waitlist?”
- Check the Oregon license and safety record.
- Tour the finalists.
- Get tuition, fees, closures and withdrawal policies in writing.
The four questions to ask on the first call
You can save a lot of time by asking these before scheduling a tour:
- Do you currently serve a child who will be [age] at enrollment?
- What is the next realistic start date for that classroom?
- What are the earliest drop-off and latest pickup times for that room?
- What is the total monthly cost, including recurring add-ons?
If any of those does not work, you can move on quickly.
Local daycare & childcare options in Bend
The cards above are a starting list, not a ranking and not a claim of current openings. Childcare changes too quickly for any static page to promise availability.
Below is more context for the options families are likely to compare.
Growing Tree Children’s Center
Good fit for: families wanting an established nonprofit center with infant care through pre-K.
Growing Tree says it has operated in Bend since 1979 and serves children beginning around 6 weeks old through pre-kindergarten.
- Address: 1080 NE 4th St
- Phone: 541-388-3733
- Typical weekday hours: 7:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m.
- Care range: infant, mobile infant, toddler, preschool / pre-K
- Model: nonprofit center-based childcare
Because the center separates children into multiple age rooms, ask about availability for your exact room rather than general enrollment.
Juniperhaven Preschool & Childcare
Good fit for: parents who need a longer childcare day.
Juniperhaven currently operates as a licensed, play-based childcare center serving young children and offering school-age options.
- Address: 1155 SW Division St, Suites B7 & B8
- Phone: 503-689-7443
- Typical weekday hours: 6:30 a.m.–6 p.m.
- Care range: infant through preschool, with older-child options
- Model: center-based childcare
That long operating window is one of the most practical reasons to put it on a working parent’s call list.
Sunshine Academy
Good fit for: families comparing infant, toddler and preschool-age care who want pricing information before touring.
- Address: 2891 NE Conners Ave
- Phone: 541-797-0506
- Care range: infants, age 2, ages 3–5
- Model: center-based childcare and early learning
Sunshine publishes tuition information online, which makes it easier to decide whether the program is within budget before you invest time in a tour.
High Desert Learning Center
Good fit for: working parents who need a long day, and families with siblings in different age groups.
High Desert serves children from 6 weeks through 12 years in age-specific classrooms (infant, wobbler, toddler, preschool, pre-K and school age), plus before- and after-school care for elementary kids.
- Address: 21225 Starlight Dr (SE Bend)
- Phone: 541-312-8000
- Typical weekday hours: 6:30 a.m.–6 p.m.
- Care range: infants through school age
- Model: full-day center-based care
- Assistance: says it accepts DHS state assistance
Covers every stage from infant care to after-school in one SE Bend center, open 6:30am–6pm on weekdays. Call to ask about openings in your child's classroom.
This is especially useful to compare if you have siblings in different age groups.
Little Beez Preschool & Childcare
Good fit for: families looking for childcare from late infancy through age 5 with full- and part-time options.
- Address: 3040 NE Saber Dr
- Phone: 541-382-2710
- Typical weekday hours: about 7 a.m.–5 p.m.
- Care range: about 9 months–5 years
- Model: play-based childcare / early learning
The program currently describes meals and snacks as part of the day. Confirm the exact schedule and what is included in current tuition.
Kids Cove Learning Center & Daycare
Good fit for: families who prefer a smaller childcare environment.
- Address: 63408 Omer Dr
- Phone: 541-788-1882
- Typical weekday hours: about 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
- Focus: social-emotional learning, STEM, art, music and imaginative play
Public information is lighter than at some larger centers, so call first to confirm the current age range, schedule, openings and tuition.
ReVillage Childcare Cooperative
Good fit for: families interested in a nonprofit, play-based cooperative model.
ReVillage’s Bend program serves multiple early-childhood age groups, including babies, toddlers and pre-K children.
- Address: 2265 NW Shevlin Park Rd
- Typical weekday hours: about 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
- Model: childcare cooperative / nonprofit
- Care range: babies through pre-K
The cooperative structure is important: ask exactly what parent or caregiver participation is expected and how that works with your schedule.
Little Timbers Child Care
Good fit for: parents who want a smaller home-based environment for an infant or toddler.
Little Timbers is a licensed family-childcare program in Bend focused on small-group care.
- Typical weekday hours: about 7:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m.
- Care focus: infants and toddlers
- Model: licensed family childcare
Home-based care can feel very different from a larger center. Ask about backup staffing, vacation closures, substitutes and what happens if the provider is unavailable.
Active Learning Academy
Good fit for: families interested in active/play-based learning with an under-2 option.
- Address: 2535 NE Studio Rd
- Phone: 541-633-4723
- Typical weekday hours: about 7:45 a.m.–5 p.m.
- Care: nursery / under-2 programming plus older early-learning classrooms
Ask for the complete closure calendar. For working parents, predictable coverage matters as much as curriculum.
Other preschool-forward programs worth knowing about
If your child is preschool age and you do not need a long daycare window, Bend has additional programs worth comparing, including School of Enrichment, Mudpies & Lullabies, Bloom Children’s Center and Red Wagon Preschool Center.
They can be strong fits for the right family, but this guide intentionally does not center them because a parent searching “daycare” or “childcare” usually needs dependable care coverage first.
Infant care in Bend
Infant childcare deserves its own filter because openings, ratios and pricing are different from older classrooms.
Programs currently advertising care that begins in infancy include Growing Tree, High Desert Learning Center, Sunshine Academy, Juniperhaven, ReVillage and other licensed providers.
7Planning ahead? High Desert Learning Center takes babies from 6 weeks and keeps them in the same center through pre-K and school-age care, so there’s no second search later.
When calling about a baby, ask:
- exact minimum age at enrollment
- current infant-room waitlist
- safe-sleep policy
- bottle and breast-milk storage
- feeding on demand vs. fixed schedule
- nap documentation
- caregiver-to-infant staffing
- daily communication method
- how room transitions are handled
- whether tuition changes when the child moves up
What does daycare cost in Bend in 2026?
Childcare pricing varies too much by age and schedule for one Bend “average” to be very useful.
Infant care generally costs more because staffing ratios are tighter. Part-time care is not always proportionally cheaper because the provider still has to keep a classroom economically full.
As a current real-world anchor, Sunshine Academy has recently published full-time monthly rates ranging from the mid-$1,500s for preschool-age care to above $2,000 for infants. Verify current pricing directly before using any online number in your budget.
Ask what tuition does not include
Before comparing two providers, ask about:
- enrollment or registration fee
- deposit
- annual supply fee
- meals and snacks
- diapers and wipes
- early drop-off or late pickup
- summer tuition
- paid holidays
- staff-development closures
- weather closures
- tuition during closures
- notice required to withdraw
A cheaper monthly rate may not actually be easier on your budget if you need frequent backup care.
Waitlists: ask better questions
“Do you have a waitlist?” is not enough.
Ask:
- How many children are ahead of us for this exact room and schedule?
- When do openings in this room usually happen?
- Do siblings get priority?
- Is there a fee to join the list?
- Is the fee refundable?
- Do we need to check in to stay active?
- Could a different days-per-week schedule open sooner?
- What start date should we realistically plan around?
That gives you much more usable information than hearing “our waitlist is a year long.”
Full-time vs. part-time childcare
Part-time care can actually be harder to find than full-time because programs need to fill classroom seats efficiently.
Ask whether the provider offers:
- fixed two-day or three-day schedules
- flexible days
- full-time-only infant enrollment
- occasional add-on days
- drop-in care
- school-year vs. year-round care
If your schedule is unusual, mention it immediately.
7Need an early start or late pickup? High Desert Learning Center opens at 6:30 a.m. and closes at 6 p.m., one of the widest windows in this guide.
Tour checklist: what matters once you walk in
Watch the teachers more than the decor
Look for:
- adults talking with children at their level
- calm responses to crying or conflict
- teachers who know children’s names and routines
- children who can move and choose activities
- a classroom that feels supervised without feeling rigid
- age-appropriate outdoor time
Ask about staffing stability
Ask:
- How long has the director been here?
- How long have the lead teachers been here?
- How often does my child’s room use float staff?
- What happens when a teacher calls out?
- Has this classroom closed for staffing shortages?
Get the real closure calendar
Count:
- holidays
- winter break
- summer closures
- staff-development days
- conference days
- weather closures
Then compare the total to your PTO and backup-care options.
Check the Oregon childcare license before enrolling
Use Oregon’s Child Care Safety Portal / Find Child Care Oregon before paying a deposit.
The state system can provide information such as:
- current license status
- license type
- licensed capacity
- inspection information
- findings and enforcement history
- quality-program information
A complaint by itself is not the same thing as a substantiated finding. Read the record and context, then ask the provider about anything you do not understand.
Oregon childcare types in plain English
- Registered Family: smaller home-based childcare
- Certified Family: larger licensed home-based childcare
- Certified Center: center-based/commercial childcare
- Outdoor Nature-Based: licensed care primarily in an outdoor setting
Different settings can all work well. The better question is which structure fits your child and your family logistics.
ERDC and financial assistance
Oregon’s Employment Related Day Care (ERDC) program can help eligible families with childcare costs. 7High Desert Learning Center says it accepts DHS state assistance, so it is worth asking about your eligibility on the first call.
Use Oregon’s Find Child Care resources and ask each provider whether it currently accepts ERDC for your child’s classroom and schedule.
Do not rely on an old directory listing when money and enrollment are on the line.
Bend daycare FAQ
What Bend daycares take infants?
8High Desert Learning Center takes infants from 6 weeks, and Growing Tree, Sunshine Academy, Juniperhaven and ReVillage also advertise infant-age care. Minimum ages and openings vary, so confirm directly.
Which Bend childcare programs have longer hours?
8High Desert Learning Center (6:30 a.m.–6 p.m.) and Juniperhaven (6:30 a.m.–6 p.m.) list the widest weekday operating windows among the programs in this guide. Other full-day centers may also fit a normal workday. Always confirm the hours for your child’s actual classroom.
Is preschool the same as daycare?
Sometimes in practice, but not always. Many childcare centers provide preschool curriculum inside a full-day program. Standalone preschools may only run for part of the day or school year.
How early should I look for infant childcare?
As early as you can reasonably define your start date. Infant rooms have fewer spaces and are commonly harder to place than preschool-age rooms.
Can All Things Bend help me find childcare?
Yes. Send us your child’s age, desired start date, days and hours needed, preferred part of Bend and whether you want full-time or part-time care. We can help you narrow down which local options are worth contacting first.
Keep this guide current
Childcare information changes quickly. Staffing, tuition, classroom ages, closures and openings can all change during the year.
Before enrolling:
- confirm the provider still serves your child’s age
- ask about the next realistic opening
- verify hours and total cost
- check the Oregon childcare record
- tour the program
- read the current parent handbook and contract
If you run a Bend-area childcare program and something here needs updating, contact All Things Bend and we’ll review it.
