Childcare and Preschool Options in Puyallup

A common remark from parents who relocate here is that finding the house was easier than finding childcare. They are not exaggerating. In much of Washington, licensed care for infants and toddlers is in short supply, and Puyallup is no exception.

The good news is that there are many kinds of care here and a free state tool for checking any of them. The key is to start before you move.

I am a real estate broker, so I do not recommend specific providers. I can tell you what types exist, how the system works, and how childcare should shape where you live.

Types of care in the Puyallup area

Licensed centers

Centers are spread along Meridian and the main arterials on South Hill, and around downtown and the hospital in the valley. They range from national chains to independent and faith-based programs. Most take children from six weeks or so through pre-kindergarten, and many offer school-age care with transportation to nearby elementary schools.

Licensed family homes

Family home providers care for a small group of children in their own residence. They are licensed and inspected by the state. Many parents prefer the smaller setting, especially for infants. They are scattered through residential neighborhoods and are easy to miss unless you search for them.

Part-day preschools

Churches, cooperative preschools, and private schools run programs of two to five mornings a week. They are designed for learning and socialization, not for covering a full workday. Parent co-ops lower the cost in exchange for volunteering in the classroom.

Public preschool programs

• State and federal programs. Washington's Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program and the federal Head Start program offer free preschool to eligible families, based mainly on income and certain other factors. They are delivered by school districts and community agencies.
• Developmental preschool. School districts provide preschool services for children ages three to five with identified developmental delays or disabilities. If you have concerns about your child's development, contact the district to ask about screening. It is free.
• Transitional kindergarten. Some Washington districts offer a program for children who are not yet old enough for kindergarten and would benefit from an extra year. Ask the district whether it is offered and who qualifies.

School-age care

Elementary-age children need coverage before the bell, after it, and on the many days school is out. Options include programs on school campuses, the Mel Korum Family YMCA, childcare centers that transport to and from schools, the city's recreation programs, and day camps during breaks.

Ask the elementary school which programs serve its campus. Not every center transports to every school.

How to check a provider

Washington's Department of Children, Youth, and Families licenses childcare and publishes records for every licensed provider through Child Care Check. It is free to use.

For each provider you can see:

• License status and how long the provider has been licensed
• Capacity and the ages served
• Inspection reports from recent years
• Valid complaints and their findings
• Quality rating if the provider takes part in Early Achievers, the state's quality rating and improvement system
• Whether the provider accepts state subsidy

Look up every provider on your list before you tour. A history with a few minor findings that were corrected is normal. Repeated findings on supervision or safety deserve direct questions.

Start early. Earlier than that

Timing is the hard part.

• Infant care is the scarcest. Ratios are low by law, which limits the number of spaces. Waitlists of many months are common. Some parents get on lists during pregnancy.
• Toddler care is next hardest.
• Preschool-age care is easier to find.
• Part-day preschools enroll in winter and spring for the following fall. Popular ones fill early.
• School-age care at specific campuses can fill before the school year starts.

If you are relocating, begin calling providers as soon as you know roughly where you will live. You do not need a signed purchase agreement to get on a waitlist.

What it costs

Rates change every year and vary by age, schedule, and type of care, so I will not quote numbers that will be stale by the time you read this. A few principles hold.

• Infant care costs the most. The price falls as children get older.
• Centers generally cost more than family homes.
• Full-time rates are lower per hour than part-time.
• Expect extra fees. Registration, supplies, late pickup, and sometimes a deposit to hold a space.
• For two children under five, childcare can rival a mortgage payment. Budget for it before you set your home price range.

I work through this in my post on how much income a family needs to live in Puyallup. The single biggest swing in a young family's budget here is usually childcare, not the house.

Help with the cost

• State subsidy. Washington's Working Connections Child Care program helps eligible families pay for care based on income and household size. Eligibility limits have expanded in recent years.
• Free public preschool for eligible families, as described above.
• Employer benefits. Dependent care accounts let you pay with pretax dollars. Some employers offer backup care or discounts.
• Military families. Service members can use on-base child and youth programs and may qualify for fee assistance for off-base care.
• Tax credits. Ask a tax professional what applies to you.

Questions to ask on a tour

Basics

• What are your hours, and what are the late pickup rules?
• Which days are you closed during the year?
• What is the ratio and group size in my child's room?
• How long have the lead teachers been here?

Daily life

• What does a typical day look like?
• How do naps, meals, and outdoor time work?
• How do you communicate with parents during the day?
• What is your approach to discipline?

Health and safety

• What is your illness policy?
• How is the building secured, and who may pick up a child?
• Are all staff trained in first aid and safe sleep?
• What is your emergency plan? For providers on the valley floor, ask specifically about the lahar evacuation plan and where children would be taken.

Cost

• What is the full monthly cost, including fees?
• Do I pay for days my child is absent or the center is closed?
• How much notice do you give before raising rates?

Then visit a second time, unannounced if the provider allows it, at a different hour.

Summer, school breaks, and sick days

A childcare plan has to cover more than a normal Tuesday.

Summer. School-age children need ten or more weeks of coverage. Families piece it together from day camps run by the YMCA, the city's recreation department, churches, sports clubs, and childcare centers, along with specialty camps for art, science, and the outdoors. Registration for the popular weeks opens in late winter and spring. Put a reminder on your calendar in February.

Breaks and odd days. The school year includes winter break, spring break, conference weeks, teacher work days, and early-release days. Ask your school-age provider which of these it covers and which cost extra.

Snow days and delays. A few times a winter, schools start late or close. Know in advance who stays home.

Sick days. Licensed providers must send children home with certain symptoms, and young children in group care get sick often in their first year. Every working household needs an answer to the question of who leaves work at 10 a.m. Options include splitting the duty between two parents, a relative nearby, an employer's backup care benefit, or a sitter you have already vetted.

Provider closures. Family home providers take vacations and get sick themselves. Ask how much notice you will get and whether they have a substitute.

Households that move here without relatives nearby feel this most. Build a short list of backup sitters in your first months, and trade favors with other parents. It is one of the fastest ways to make friends here, too.

Let childcare shape where you live

This is where my work comes in. Parents often pick a home first and then discover that the only opening is fifteen minutes in the wrong direction.

Think of the morning as a chain: home, drop-off, work. And the evening in reverse, with a hard closing time.

Good patterns

• Care that is on the way to work, a few minutes from home
• Care near home, so either parent can handle pickup and sick days
• Care near the workplace, which works when only one parent ever does the run
• For school-age children, care at the school itself

Patterns that cause trouble

• Care in the opposite direction from the freeway
• Care that requires crossing the hill between the valley and South Hill twice a day
• A pickup deadline that the train or the freeway cannot reliably meet

If one parent rides the Sounder to Seattle, the other parent, or a backup, needs to be able to reach the provider before closing. Trains are dependable, and they are occasionally late.

When I work with a family, I ask where care is or is likely to be, then build the search around that point and the commute. A home five minutes from both is worth more to your daily life than an extra bedroom.

If you plan to provide care in your home

Some buyers plan to open a licensed family home childcare. If that is you, check three things before you buy.

• Licensing requirements for the home itself, such as usable space, fencing, and exits. The state licensor can explain them.
• Homeowner association covenants. Some restrict home businesses. Washington law limits how far associations can go in prohibiting licensed family home childcare, and the details matter. Get advice before you rely on it.
• Zoning and business licensing for the city or county the home is in.

A timeline for relocating parents

Frequently asked questions

Is it hard to find childcare in Puyallup?

For infants and toddlers, yes. Spaces are limited and waitlists are common. Care for preschool-age children is easier to find. Start your search as early as possible.

How do I check a daycare's license in Washington?

Use Child Care Check from the Department of Children, Youth, and Families. It shows license status, capacity, inspection reports, valid complaints, and quality ratings for licensed providers.

Is there free preschool in Puyallup?

There are free public preschool programs for eligible families, including the state's Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program, Head Start, and district developmental preschool for children with identified needs.

How much does childcare cost in Puyallup?

It varies by age, schedule, and type of care, and rates change yearly. Infant care costs the most, centers generally cost more than family homes, and care for two young children can approach a housing payment.

Should I find childcare before buying a house?

Start both at once. Get on waitlists early, then choose a home where the route from home to care to work is practical in both directions.

Related reading

• Is Puyallup a Good Place to Raise a Family?
• How to Compare Schools in Puyallup
• How Much Income Does a Family Need to Live in Puyallup?
• Which Parts of Puyallup Are Best for Your Commute?

Equal Housing Opportunity. Austin Robertson, License # 21036843, Austin Robertson and Allena Robertson Real Estate Brokers, regulated by the Washington State Department of Licensing (DOL). This article is general information only. It is not legal, tax, insurance, lending, or construction advice, and it is not an appraisal of any property. Robertson & Co. supports fair housing and does not describe or recommend neighborhoods based on who lives there. Costs, rates, and rules change. Confirm the details with the sources linked above before you act.