The decision to trust someone else with your baby or toddler can be a major emotional step for any parent. You want a warm, safe classroom where caring educators help your little one thrive each morning.

But tracking down the best daycare schools in Montreal can quickly turn into an overwhelming chore. Between endless provincial waitlists, language options, and varying daily fees, it’s tough to know where to begin.

We spent time evaluating top local centres to make your decision simpler and far less stressful. Here’s our honest guide to our curated childcare centres with different approaches to keeping kids nurtured and engaged.

Daycare Type	Cost Range (CAD)	Monthly Estimate (CAD)
Subsidised — centre de la petite enfance (CPE), subsidised daycare, or eligible home childcare	$9.65 per day	Approximately $200
Non-Subsidised Private Daycare	$35 – $90 per day	$750 – $1,950

How We Reviewed

1. Blossom Academy / Garderie Blossom

Website: https://www.garderieblossom.ca/

Address: 5594 Sherbrooke St W

Contact: [email protected]

Hours: Monday – Friday, 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM 

Blossom Academy is led by a nurse and requires classroom staff to hold child-specific first-aid certification. This provides an added layer of safety for children and reassurance for parents, particularly during their first days at the academy.

For their programs, they focus on play-based early literacy and math through fun group activities. The team also blends English and French into the daily routine to keep communication natural.

On top of that, security feels solid from the moment you step up to the door. Keypad entry and surveillance cameras form part of the facility’s security arrangements.

We appreciate that they even serve catered halal lunches and morning and afternoon snacks.

That said, their doors close at 6:00 PM on weekdays. Parents who regularly get stuck at work past that hour will need a different pickup arrangement or a centre with later opening hours. 

Offered medical help on site

Such an amazing daycare! So much warmth and hospitality here. My daughter is so happy and is learning so much about socializing and her motor skills are developing so nicely. The teachers are fabulous and it’s such a bonus that the director is a registered nurse. When my daughter fell and hurt herself badly, she offered medical help on site and saved me a trip to her paediatrician. Thank you Najat!! 💜 🙏

— Nicolitsa1 | Google Review

By far the best experience

Wonderful daycare! This is our 3rd daycare for our daughter and by far the best experience! The educators are very caring. The groups are small and the kids get a lot of attention and loving care. The kids interact with different ages which is amazing for their development. The daycare is very clean. Spotless really and they teach good hygiene to the kids too. They go to NDG park every day for a long time. It’s trully a beautiful community and they adapt the experience to the needs of the kids.

— Raluca E | Google Review

2. Imagination Preschool & Nursery

Website: https://garderieimagination.com/

Address: 351 Blvd Robert-Bourassa

Contact: (514) 789-0656 | [email protected]

Hours: Monday – Friday, 7:30 AM – 6:30 PM

Imagination Preschool & Nursery builds self-help skills into everyday routines, helping young children become more independent as they prepare for kindergarten.

Their practical habits are supported by responsive emotional care, so children can develop confidence at a comfortable pace. Kids learn to dress themselves, wash their hands, and clean up their toy bins.

A fellow parent at our local park raved about their engaging music and group story sessions. They mentioned as well that educators adjust activities when a child needs a different approach.

Moreover, the school serves fresh-fruit snacks and lunch, alongside a routine that includes outdoor play, indoor movement, yoga, and dance.

The schedule gives working parents until 6:30 PM for pickup, but the morning start is worth checking against your commute. Doors open at 7:30 AM, which may be too late for parents with an early shift. 

Best daycare in Montreal

Best daycare in Montreal! The assistant directors are the kindest in the world and the educators are amazing. Children are loved and learn SO MUCH every day at Imagination. I am so happy that our child attends this wonderful daycare.

— maryam bazargani | Google Review (Translated by Google)

Significantly more advanced academically

My daughter attended Imagination Duke & I would give her experience there more than 5 starts if I could. She received exceptional care and attention and was significantly more advanced academically (+ bilingual!) than most other kids when she started kindergarten. We have since moved to another neighborhood and yet I am considering an inconvenient commute to have my son attend Imagination.

— Marina Byezhanova | Google Review

3. Garderie Éducative Harmonie D’enfance

Website: https://www.garderieharmonie.com/

Address: 6995 Avenue Victoria

Contact: (514) 739-9393 | [email protected]

Hours: Daily, 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Garderie Éducative Harmonie D’enfance remains open during holidays and school closures caused by snowy weather. This provides working parents with more consistent childcare when regular school schedules are disrupted.

Their program groups children by developmental stage, from infancy up to age five. They organise daily activities targeting gross-motor development, fine-motor tasks, and cognitive and language skills.

For four-year-olds, they introduce basic math, French, and English to prepare for school, though some families can reinforce this with private tutoring services.

Additionally, their older preschool curriculum includes computer and multimedia activities.

Unfortunately, this school may not be suited for parents seeking a strictly screen-free program. 

Truly the Number 1 daycare here in Montréal

The best Garderie! Educators there are all amazing, my son loves them so much. They also have the most awesome Director! Thank you all so much for taking good care of Gregor, for providing him a home away from home. I highly recommend sending your children here. Truly the Number 1 daycare here in Montréal.

— Ira Gemilga | Google Review

Truly feels that this is his second home

If parents are looking for peace of mind and high-quality care for their children, I highly recommend this daycare. My baby truly feels that this is his second home. The staff are caring, attentive, and create a safe and welcoming environment where children can learn, play, and thrive.

— mhelo castro | Google Review

4. Garderie île CoCo

Website: https://www.ilecoco.com/

Address: 6624 Av. Somerled, Suite 201

Contact: (514) 574-4695 | [email protected]

Hours: Monday – Friday, 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Garderie île CoCo keeps class sizes small, with a maximum of seven children per teacher and even smaller groups in the nursery. This allows educators to provide more individual attention and respond more closely to each child’s needs.

Their nursery lets babies follow their own sleeping and feeding rhythms rather than placing everyone on the same routine.

We toured this facility while helping our cousin look for toddler spots last spring. The bright rooms were completely screen-free, and teachers spoke French and English interchangeably during art projects.

Plus, a trained chef prepares daily meals, with attention to allergies and food safety.

On the other hand, you should know that this centre operates as a private, non-subsidised facility. You won’t pay the reduced provincial daily rate here.

Truly dedicated to each child’s well-being and development
We couldn’t be happier with our experience at Île Coco! The educators are caring, patient, and truly dedicated to each child’s well-being and development. The environment is clean, safe, and full of engaging activities that make learning fun. Communication with parents is excellent, and it’s clear that the team genuinely loves what they do. Knowing our child is happy, supported, and excited to go every day gives us complete peace of mind. We highly recommend Île Coco to any family looking for a nurturing and trustworthy daycare! 💛

— SADIKOVA RAUSHANIA | Google Review

Cared for my children with such love and dedication
I cannot recommend Ile Coco Daycare highly enough. For years, they have cared for my children with such love and dedication. The team is incredibly loving and caring. Communication is great. They propose so many great activities for the kids. They give exceptional care to the children, If you’re looking for a daycare that will treat your children like their own, look no further. Thank you so much Maryam, Darya and the whole team.

— Alizée D’Angelo | Google Review

5. Bilingual Nursery At Chateau Du Bonheur

Website: https://chateaudubonheur.com/

Address: 801 Rue Sherbrooke E

Contact: (514) 419-1026 | [email protected]

Hours: Monday – Friday, 7:30 AM – 5:30 PM 

Bilingual Nursery At Chateau Du Bonheur offers an admissions policy that accommodates different family circumstances. This prioritises part-time schedules and children with disabilities or specific needs.

They make childcare more accessible for families who require greater flexibility or additional support.

On top of that, their program combines bilingual education with workshops, active play, and library story times.

Actually, four-year-olds can join an enrichment program designed to ease the shift toward school.

We also appreciate that the mix of organised activities and free play gives children different ways to participate, communicate, and explore alongside other children.

Sadly, their waitlist placement doesn’t follow a strict first-come, first-served order. Priority categories and the age group affect who receives an opening.

Very attentive, warm, and responsible

What a gem! Our son attended this daycare from when he was 14-18 months old. The staff are incredible- very attentive, warm, and responsible. He nearly jumped into their arms every morning, and was always having a great time when we came to pick him up. The director is very kind and understanding of the needs of every family. The only reason why we left was because there was space in a CPE close to our home. If you are looking for a personal daycare experience, I highly recommend sending your child here.

— Emily Golan | Google Review

The daycare was like a second home to him

We are incredibly satisfied with the quality of services we received at Château du Bonheur daycare! Our little boy felt happy and safe there, and the daycare was like a second home to him. A huge thank you to the educators and coordinator Lamia for all their love, patience, dedication, and for the wonderful personalized support they provide to each child at the daycare. We really appreciated the team’s dynamic atmosphere, and the daycare is always very clean. Thank you so much for your kindness. I highly recommend it!

— Anita Mihaly | Google Review (Translated by Google)