Preschools and Daycare Centers in Gallatin, Tennessee

Families looking for preschool or daycare in Gallatin should first decide whether they need full-day child care, part-day preschool, public pre-K, Head Start or after-school care. Tennessee’s official Child Care Locator can help families search licensed providers and review available licensing and quality information. Then contact several programs directly about openings, tuition, schedules, meals, transportation, eligibility and waitlists. Sumner County Schools, Mid-Cumberland Head Start and local providers have different enrollment rules.

Finding child care in Gallatin usually requires comparing more than a list of names. Families may be looking for infant daycare, preschool, full-day care for a 2-year-old, public pre-K for a 4-year-old, Head Start, after-school care or a program that accepts child-care assistance.

The most reliable starting point is Tennessee’s official Child Care Locator. The Tennessee Department of Human Services says families can search licensed child-care centers and homes by address, provider name or county, filter results by child-care type and view available licensing and quality information..

This Gallatin guide is organized to help parents compare care types and build a short list. It is not a ranking, and inclusion does not mean MyGallatin has independently evaluated a provider. Program descriptions, schedules and services identified as provider- or organization-supplied should be confirmed directly before enrolling.

Quick comparison of Gallatin preschool and daycare options

Option — What it may fit — Publicly listed details to confirm — Information source

Gallatin Day Care Center — Preschool-age care and school-age after-school care — The Gallatin Area Chamber listing identifies the center as a nonprofit, income-based child-care and preschool provider at 600 Small Street, with listed hours of 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. The center’s own site has described additional age and enrollment details that should be reconfirmed. — Chamber directory and provider information

Keystone Childcare Center — Infant care through preschool and pre-K — The provider lists care from 6 weeks through pre-K, a 128 Goodview Way address and weekday hours of 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. — Provider-supplied

Lightbridge Academy of Gallatin — Infant, toddler, preschool, pre-K, summer and backup care — The provider lists 2129 Nashville Pike, weekday hours of 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and programs from infancy through school age. — Provider-supplied

Primrose School of Gallatin — Infant care, preschool, pre-K, kindergarten, before- and after-school care and summer programming — The provider lists weekday hours of 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and a Green Lea Boulevard location. — Provider-supplied

Gallatin Premier Childcare — Preschool and pre-K with a STEAM-focused approach — The provider describes preschool and pre-K programming, tours and service to Gallatin and other parts of Sumner County. Current address, hours and enrollment should be confirmed. — Provider-supplied

The Learning Tree — Infant care, toddler care and preschool through kindergarten readiness — The provider describes infant care, programs from age 1 through pre-kindergarten, early opening hours and acceptance of state certificates. Current details should be confirmed. — Provider-supplied

Gallatin Church of Christ Child Care — Infant care, preschool, pre-K and elementary after-school care — The program lists care from 6 weeks through pre-K, K–5 after-school care and weekday hours of 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. — Organization-supplied

Mid-Cumberland Head Start and Early Head Start — Income-eligible early learning and family support — Mid-Cumberland describes Head Start for children ages 3–5 and Early Head Start services beginning in infancy. Eligibility, locations, schedules and openings must be confirmed. — Organization-supplied

The table is a starting point rather than a complete provider directory. Tennessee’s state locator should be used to identify additional center-based and home-based options in Gallatin and Sumner County.

How daycare, preschool, public pre-K and Head Start differ

The words daycare, preschool and pre-K are often used interchangeably, but they can describe different services.

Daycare or child care

Daycare generally refers to supervision and education provided during working hours. A center may serve infants, toddlers, preschoolers and school-age children, but age ranges, schedules and pickup policies vary.

Ask whether the program provides full-day care, whether it accepts infants, how it handles naps and meals, and whether it remains open during school holidays. A program that fits a 4-year-old may not offer infant care or extended-day coverage.

Preschool

Preschool typically emphasizes early learning, social development, communication, motor skills and classroom routines before kindergarten. Some preschools are full-day child-care centers; others are part-day programs with a school-year calendar.

When comparing programs, ask how much of the day is devoted to child care versus structured instruction. Also ask whether the classroom follows a published curriculum and how teachers share developmental information with families.

Public pre-K through Sumner County Schools

Sumner County Schools’ Early Learning Department says its programs support language, cognitive, social-emotional, physical, early literacy and early numeracy development. The district says it has nearly 30 classrooms across multiple school sites and serves approximately 400 students each year.

The district’s current information says families must receive approval from the Early Learning Department before completing Skyward registration. It also says pre-K placement is not strictly based on a child’s zoned school, although the district tries to place students at their zoned school when a class is available. Families living in Sumner County may apply to any of the district’s pre-K programs and should be prepared to provide two proofs of residence.

Public pre-K is not automatically the same as full-day child care. Sumner County Schools says class schedules follow the district calendar and school start times unless otherwise specified. Families should ask about the instructional day, transportation, before- and after-school care, school breaks and any tuition-based seats.

Head Start and Early Head Start

Mid-Cumberland Community Action Agency provides Head Start services for children ages 3 to 5 and Early Head Start services beginning in infancy through age 4, according to its program information. The agency describes a whole-family approach that includes education, family support, nutrition and developmental services.

The agency lists Gallatin locations and application information for the 2026–2027 program year. Families should contact Mid-Cumberland directly to determine eligibility, required documents, transportation details, classroom schedule and current availability.

Local preschool and daycare options in Gallatin

Gallatin Day Care Center

Gallatin Day Care Center is identified by the Gallatin Area Chamber of Commerce as a nonprofit, income-based child-care and preschool provider. The Chamber listing gives the center’s address as 600 Small Street in Gallatin, lists hours of 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. and provides a phone number and website link.

The provider’s website has described care for young children and school-age after-school services, but families should confirm the current age range, enrollment process, tuition formula, enrollment priority and payment-assistance process directly before relying on those details.

May suit families who need: a provider advertising nonprofit, income-based child care and preschool services. Current eligibility, availability and fees require direct confirmation.

Keystone Childcare Center

Keystone lists programs for infants, toddlers, preschoolers and pre-K. Its website identifies the infant program as serving children from 6 weeks to 12 months, the toddler program as serving ages 1 to 2, preschool as serving ages 3 to 4 and pre-K as serving ages 4 to 5.

The center describes a play-based approach, Christian character development and multiple playground areas. It lists 128 Goodview Way, weekday hours of 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and care from 6 weeks through pre-K. Families should confirm current classroom availability, religious-program expectations, meals, tuition and enrollment requirements.

May suit families who need: one provider advertising infant-through-pre-K age coverage and a stated Christian values component.

Lightbridge Academy of Gallatin

Lightbridge Academy lists infant, toddler, preschool, pre-K, summer camp and backup-care programs. Its Gallatin page identifies 2129 Nashville Pike and weekday hours of 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The provider’s website included a fall 2026 enrollment statement when reviewed. That is time-sensitive, so families should confirm whether enrollment remains open, whether a waitlist applies and which programs have space.

May suit families who need: a center advertising infant-through-school-age programs, summer care or backup-care options.

Primrose School of Gallatin

Primrose School of Gallatin lists infant, toddler, early preschool, preschool, pre-K, kindergarten, before- and after-school care and summer programming. The provider describes its approach as purposeful play and nurturing guidance through its Balanced Learning curriculum.

The school lists weekday hours of 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and a Green Lea Boulevard location. Parents should ask about current tuition, registration fees, school-age transportation, calendar days and the distinction between kindergarten programming and child care.

May suit families who need: extended weekday hours and several early-learning, kindergarten and school-age program categories.

Gallatin Premier Childcare

Gallatin Premier Childcare describes itself as a STEAM-focused early-childhood center and preschool. Its preschool and pre-K information emphasizes hands-on learning, early literacy, math, problem-solving, communication, social-emotional development and kindergarten readiness.

The provider also describes family communication through a parent app and says it offers tours. These are provider-supplied descriptions, not independent evaluations. Families should confirm teacher qualifications, current program hours, meal policies, age cutoffs, tuition and whether the center participates in state assistance.

May suit families who need: a preschool or pre-K program that advertises STEAM activities and parent communication through an app.

The Learning Tree

The Learning Tree describes an infant program and child care for children from age 1 through pre-kindergarten. Its website says the center has operated in Gallatin since 2003, uses The Creative Curriculum and offers English- and Spanish-speaking support.

The provider’s page also says it opens at 5:30 a.m. and accepts state certificates. Both details should be confirmed directly before enrollment because hours and subsidy participation can change. Ask about current closing time, classroom ratios, meals, outdoor play, developmental updates and the process for using a child-care certificate.

May suit families who need: early morning care, infant services or a provider advertising bilingual support.

Gallatin Church of Christ Child Care

Gallatin Church of Christ says its child-care ministry offers preschool and elementary after-school programming. The organization lists care from 6 weeks through pre-K, after-school care for kindergarten through fifth grade and weekday hours of 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

The program describes itself as a ministry with Christian values while also stating that it accepts children of all faiths and socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds. Families should ask how the faith-based component appears in the daily program and confirm current age groups, fees, calendar and enrollment process.

May suit families who need: infant-through-pre-K care or an after-school program connected to a church ministry.

How to check licensing, quality information and financial assistance

Use Tennessee’s Child Care Locator

Tennessee’s Child Care Locator is designed to help families search for regulated child-care centers and homes by county, address or provider. The state says the map includes current listings of child-care agencies licensed through TDHS and school-administered child-care options licensed through the Tennessee Department of Education. Results can be filtered by location or child-care type, and users can view ratings for agencies licensed through TDHS.

Before scheduling tours, search each provider in the state system and compare the official record with the provider’s website. If the name, address or operating status does not match, contact the provider and TDHS before relying on the listing.

Review quality information and the provider license

Tennessee DHS says licensed providers must follow health, safety and teacher-child-ratio guidelines, and that staff at licensed child-care agencies must undergo background checks. DHS also directs parents to review a provider’s license and report-card or quality information.

The state’s parent guidance recommends looking for positive relationships, developmentally appropriate curriculum, regular communication about a child’s development, health and safety practices, knowledgeable teachers, family engagement and suitable materials. It also encourages parents to visit providers, ask questions and make visits after enrollment.

Ask about Child Care Payment Assistance

Tennessee’s Child Care Payment Assistance Program can provide financial support for eligible families. The One DHS Customer Portal allows Tennesseans to apply for Child Care Payment Assistance, upload and submit documents, update household information, check case status and review notifications.

TDHS says the Child Care Certificate Program is also known as the Child Care Payment Assistance Program and directs families seeking assistance to the program’s application resources. The department lists the One DHS Contact Center at 1-833-772-8347 for questions.

Payment assistance does not mean every provider accepts every subsidy category. Ask the provider whether it participates, whether a family co-pay applies, which documents are needed and whether assistance can be used for the schedule you need.

Questions to ask before enrolling

Take this checklist to every tour or phone call:

• What ages does the program currently accept, and what is the child’s age cutoff?
• Is care full-day, part-day, school-year, year-round or limited to certain weekdays?
• What are the current tuition, registration, supply, meal and late-pickup fees?
• Is there an application fee or waitlist deposit?
• Does the program accept Tennessee Child Care Payment Assistance?
• What are the teacher-child ratios in the infant, toddler and preschool rooms?
• How are naps, diapering, toilet learning, bottles and special diets handled?
• What curriculum or developmental goals guide the preschool and pre-K classrooms?
• How does the provider communicate meals, naps, injuries, milestones and classroom activities?
• What happens when a child is sick, a teacher is absent or the center closes unexpectedly?
• Are meals and snacks included, and can parents review menus?
• Is transportation available for school-age children or public pre-K?
• How many paid holidays, teacher-training days and weather closures occur each year?
• What documents are required, including immunization, health, birth or residency records?
• Can the family visit the classroom before completing enrollment?

A practical Gallatin child-care search checklist

1. Define the schedule. Write down the earliest drop-off, latest pickup, work calendar, school breaks and backup-care needs.
2. Identify the care type. Decide whether you need infant care, toddler care, preschool, public pre-K, Head Start, after-school care or a combination.
3. Build a short list. Use the state locator, Sumner County Schools and Mid-Cumberland Head Start resources before relying on search-engine rankings or social-media posts.
4. Call before touring. Ask whether the provider accepts your child’s age group and whether it has a current opening.
5. Tour more than one option. Compare classrooms, outdoor areas, arrival procedures, staff interaction, cleanliness and family communication.
6. Check the paperwork. Review the license, quality information, parent handbook, fee schedule, illness policy, emergency procedures and payment terms.
7. Confirm the calendar. A center that opens early may still close for holidays, staff training, weather or planned maintenance.
8. Keep a backup plan. Ask about substitute care, backup care, family alternatives and the provider’s process if your child’s classroom temporarily closes.

Final next steps for Gallatin families

For most families, the fastest path is to begin with Tennessee’s Child Care Locator, then compare three to five providers that match the needed age range and schedule. Families seeking public options should separately review Sumner County Schools’ Early Learning and Pre-K information and Mid-Cumberland’s Head Start application process.

Do not wait until the week before care is needed to begin. Infant classrooms, public pre-K seats, Head Start placements and school-age programs may follow different enrollment calendars. Call each provider directly, document the answers and ask for current written fees and policies before paying a deposit.

This guide is intended as general local information, not legal, medical, educational-placement or financial advice. Program availability, eligibility, prices, hours and policies can change. Verify them with the responsible provider or agency before making a child-care decision.

Last verified: August 16, 2026.