Updated October 2026. Shopping for a daycare in Denville, NJ? Town has a solid mix: four full-day centers with infant rooms, a long-running small center on Myers Avenue, two church preschools with half-day classes, Early Head Start, a public preschool lottery and YMCA before and after care at the elementary schools. Here is every option, with ages, hours and contact details.
We only list programs we could match to the New Jersey Office of Licensing’s Child Care Explorer, which showed 10 licensed centers with Denville addresses in October 2026, plus the school district’s own preschool. Details come from each center’s website. We do not rank centers; tour them and check the state’s inspection records before you decide. For what comes next, see our Denville schools guide and the moving to Denville guide.
Quick picks
- Full-day care with infant rooms: The Learning Experience, KinderCare, The Goddard School, Little Learner Academy.
- Longest hours: The Learning Experience and Little Learner Academy, 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. weekdays.
- Half-day church preschool: Denville Community Church Pre-School and Union Hill Church Preschool.
- Public option: Denville Township School District inclusive preschool (lottery).
- Income-eligible families: NORWESCAP Early Head Start on Peer Place.
- Before and after school: Lakeland Hills YMCA Kids Club at Lakeview and Riverview.
Full-day daycare centers
The Learning Experience Denville
The Learning Experience is on Route 10 and covers the widest age range in town, from infants at 6 weeks through toddlers, a “twaddler” room for 2 to 2.5 year olds, preschool, pre-K and kindergarten readiness, plus a school-age program. It uses the chain’s L.E.A.P. curriculum. Its 6:30 a.m. opening is among the earliest in Denville, which matters for commuters.
Address: 3121 Route 10, Denville, NJ 07834
Phone: (973) 442-5760
Hours: Monday to Friday 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Website: thelearningexperience.com
Denville KinderCare
KinderCare on East Main Street takes children from 6 weeks to 5 years, with infant, toddler, preschool and prekindergarten rooms. KinderCare lists the Denville center as accredited by NAEYC, the National Association for the Education of Young Children.
Address: 162 E. Main St., Denville, NJ 07834
Phone: (973) 625-4555
Hours: Monday to Friday 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Website: kindercare.com
The Goddard School of Denville
The Goddard School on Route 10 East runs classrooms for infants (6 weeks to 12 months), toddlers, twos, a “bridge” class for 2.5 to 3.5 year olds, preschool and pre-K up to age 5.
Address: 3175 Route 10 East, Suite 1, Denville, NJ 07834
Phone: (973) 328-8588
Hours: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Website: goddardschool.com
Little Learner Academy
Little Learner Academy is a family-owned center on Route 46 East with programs from infancy through pre-K and after care for school-age kids. It also runs Hand Over Hand, a program for children with learning disabilities, developmental delays and other diagnoses, and offers applied behavior analysis.
Address: 89 Route 46 East, Denville, NJ 07834
Phone: (973) 625-2800
Hours: Monday to Friday 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Website: littlelearneracademy.com
Rhyme and Reason
A smaller, licensed center tucked onto Myers Avenue, Rhyme and Reason runs developmental programs for children from 14 months through early elementary, plus before and after school care for older kids. Call for hours and openings.
Address: 8 Myers Ave., Denville, NJ 07834
Phone: (973) 625-4455
Website: rhymeandreasonchildcare.com
NORWESCAP Early Head Start Morris County
Early Head Start is a federally funded program for infants and toddlers from eligible families, run in Morris County by the nonprofit NORWESCAP. The state’s ChildCareNJ listing shows the Peer Place center open weekdays. Call to ask about eligibility and openings.
Address: 42 Peer Place, Denville, NJ 07834
Phone: (862) 244-9837
Hours: Monday to Friday 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Website: norwescap.org
Church preschools (part day)
Both church preschools are state licensed and run on a school-year calendar with short morning classes. They suit families who do not need full-day care.
Denville Community Church Pre-School
Running since 1948 at the Denville Community Church on Diamond Spring Road, this preschool offers classes for 2-year-olds, 3-year-olds and pre-K 4-year-olds. Morning classes run 9 to 11:30 a.m. on two- or three-day schedules, with optional enrichment classes, an extended lunch hour and Wednesday afternoon “Leap” and “Grow” classes. Applications carry a nonrefundable $100 registration fee per child.
Address: 190 Diamond Spring Road, Denville, NJ 07834
Phone: (973) 625-2456
Hours: Office Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.; classes 9 to 11:30 a.m.
Website: denvillecommunitychurch.org
Union Hill Church Preschool
At Union Hill Presbyterian Church on Franklin Road, the preschool takes children from 2.5 years through pre-K. Most classes are three hours, 8:30 to 11:30 a.m., with a four-hour option to 12:30 p.m. and extended-day clubs until 2 p.m. Twos come one or two days, threes two or three days, and pre-K fours three or four days. To enroll in the preschool class a child must turn 3 by Oct. 1; for pre-K, 4 by Oct. 1.
Address: 427 Franklin Road, Denville, NJ 07834
Phone: (973) 361-5983
Hours: Classes 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. or 12:30 p.m.; extended day until 2 p.m.
Website: unionhillchurchpreschool.org
What about Montessori?
We did not find a licensed Montessori center with a Denville address on the state’s list. If Montessori is a must, you will be looking in nearby towns; use the Child Care Explorer to confirm any program’s license before you enroll.
Denville public preschool program
The Denville Township School District runs an inclusive preschool program that follows a 10-month school-year calendar, September through June. Seats go by lottery. For 2026-2027, families entered by emailing the child’s name, address, date of birth and phone number to the district before April 8, 2026. The district says the lottery for the 2027-2028 school year is expected to open in March 2027, with details posted then.
Address: Town Hall, 1 St. Mary’s Place, 2nd Floor, Denville, NJ 07834
Phone: (973) 983-6530 (district office)
Website: denville.org
Before and after school care
Once kids start at Lakeview or Riverview, the main on-site option is the Lakeland Hills YMCA’s Kids Club. After care runs from dismissal until 6 p.m. at both schools, and morning care starts at 7 a.m. at Riverview. The Y also covers scheduled half days and runs full-day vacation camps. Online registration opens June 1, and paperwork must be in by Aug. 14 to start on the first day of school.
Address: Lakeland Hills YMCA, 100 Fanny Road, Mountain Lakes, NJ 07046
Phone: (973) 334-2820
Website: lakelandhillsymca.com
Rhyme and Reason, Little Learner Academy and The Learning Experience also list school-age care, so ask about transportation to your child’s school when you call.
How to vet a daycare
- Look up the center on the state’s Child Care Explorer to confirm its license and review inspection records.
- Visit during drop-off or pickup, not just a scheduled tour.
- Ask about staff turnover, teacher-to-child ratios in your child’s room, and the sick policy.
- Get the full cost in writing: registration fees, supply fees and closure days.
- Ask how many open spots exist for your child’s age group. Infant spots are often the hardest to get.
Frequently asked questions
How many licensed daycare centers are in Denville, NJ?
As of October 2026, the New Jersey Office of Licensing’s Child Care Explorer lists 10 licensed child care centers with Denville addresses. That count includes full-day centers, two church preschools, Early Head Start and the YMCA’s before and after care sites at Lakeview and Riverview schools.
Which Denville daycares take infants?
The Learning Experience, KinderCare and The Goddard School list infant programs starting at 6 weeks, and Little Learner Academy also runs an infant program. NORWESCAP Early Head Start serves infants and toddlers from eligible families.
Does Denville have a public preschool?
Yes. The Denville Township School District runs an inclusive preschool program on a 10-month September to June calendar, with seats filled by lottery. The district says the lottery for the 2027-2028 school year is expected to open in March 2027.
Is there a Montessori school in Denville?
No Montessori center appears on the state’s list of licensed child care centers with a Denville address as of October 2026. Families looking for Montessori typically look in neighboring towns.
Who runs before and after school care in Denville?
The Lakeland Hills YMCA runs its Kids Club program at Lakeview and Riverview elementary schools, with after care until 6 p.m. and morning care from 7 a.m. at Riverview. Registration opens in June.
How do I check a daycare’s license and inspection history in New Jersey?
Search the center by name or town on the state’s Child Care Explorer at childcareexplorer.njccis.com, or call the NJ Office of Licensing at 1-877-667-9845.
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