Infant Care in and Around Boulder Creek: Who Takes Babies
This article is the reason Boulder Creek Local exists. When our baby arrived and my return to a demanding job started counting down, I went looking for infant care and found almost nothing to look at. The valley's providers are real, and some of them are wonderful, but most have no website and no active social media, so as far as a search engine is concerned they barely exist. I finally secured a spot the old mountain way: through word of mouth, one recommendation at a time, while the clock ran.
Somewhere between those conversations and the first day of care, it clicked that half this valley solves its problems this way, and that somebody should start writing the answers down. That's how this site began. So if you're reading this late at night with a due date approaching and a return-to-work date after that, this page is the one I needed and couldn't find. One ground rule: for home-based care we print the community and phone only, never a home address. The call is how you arrange a visit anyway.
In town: two licensed options
Little People's School (13155 Oak Street, 831-566-4236) is the anchor for this age band. A longtime in-town program, it now focuses on infants and toddlers, roughly babies up to age three, and holds a state infant-center license, the license type specifically for the under-two crowd. Ages served have shifted over the years, so confirm the current range and openings when you call.
Adina's Daycare (831-338-3873) is a licensed family child care home that's operated in Boulder Creek since 1991, taking infants through preschool age on weekdays. A home setting means small, mixed-age groups, and for a baby it also means your toddler can eventually stay in the same place. It's home-based, so call to arrange a visit.
That's the in-town list: two providers, both reached by phone.
Down the valley
The Highlands Park Early Education Center (8500 Highway 9, Ben Lomond, 831-400-1170), a Community Bridges program, offers licensed infant, toddler, and preschool care, weekdays 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. It also runs the California State Preschool Program for income-eligible families, so if cost is the constraint, this is the first call.
Osito's Day Care (831-336-8486) is a licensed, home-based, bilingual English and Spanish program in Ben Lomond that starts around 12 months, so it's an option for older babies rather than newborns. Weekdays 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.; confirm the starting age when you call.
In Felton, Quail Hollow Montessori (187 Laurel Drive), part of the Little Acorns Montessori family of schools, takes infants from 6 months in a dedicated infant class, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., with half-day and extended options; it enrolls by application and waitlist.
Mountain Buddies, a home-based daycare in Ben Lomond, posts openings on its public Facebook page; the owner describes care for babies 3 to 23 months with part-time, full-time, and drop-in options in a very small group. Its license status isn't posted, so run the state lookup below and ask directly before enrolling.
How to land a spot
Infant spots turn over slowest because babies stay for years. Openings appear when a child ages up, not on a semester calendar: call every provider whose range fits, ask to be added to the list, and check back monthly. Starting the search during pregnancy is normal here.
Two tools help. The county's Child Development Resource Center (831-466-5820, weekdays 8 to 5) gives free referrals to licensed programs with current openings, including subsidized options. And before enrolling anywhere, look the provider up on the state's Community Care Licensing search to confirm the license is current.
Once your child nears two, the options widen considerably; our preschools guide covers that band, and the childcare overview maps every age.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does anyone in Boulder Creek take babies?
Yes, two licensed providers: Little People's School on Oak Street, which holds a state infant-center license, and Adina's Daycare, a licensed family child care home operating since 1991. Both are weekday programs; call for current openings.
When should I start looking for infant care?
As early as you can, ideally before the baby arrives. Lists move slowly, and being on several at once is normal and expected.
Is there subsidized infant care nearby?
Highlands Park Early Education Center in Ben Lomond offers licensed infant care, and the county referral line at 831-466-5820 can walk you through subsidy programs countywide.
Related reading
- Childcare in Boulder Creek: Start Here
- Preschools in and Around Boulder Creek
- Healthcare Near Boulder Creek: Pharmacy, Urgent Care, and the Nearest ER
- Schools, Preschools, and Daycare in the San Lorenzo Valley
Details come from our verified business directory; ages served and openings change, so confirm everything by phone.
Every provider above is in the business directory. And if you run care in this valley and you're not listed here, please get in touch. Being findable is half the battle, and I know exactly which half.
