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Find Trusted Child Care Providers Near Me in Santa Cruz, CA

We have 328 child care providers in Santa Cruz, CA! Compare and hire the best child care to fit your needs.

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Here are some childcare options in Santa Cruz:

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Ava H.'s Photo

Ava H.

Child Care

Santa Cruz, CA

5.0(1)
from
$24/hr
4 years experience·
Hired by 1 families in your area
Meal prep
grocery shopping
swimming supervision
As a caregiver with three years of experience, my passion for nurturing and supporting children, along with my positive babysitting experiences, inspired me to become a childcare provider. I am patient, calm, and creative, making me an ideal caregiver for young minds. My approach to childcare involves open communication with...

Cheryl F. says "What a wonderful sitter for ny daughters fragile premie. Excellent job. Totally someone you cam depend on. She was here all night so jy exhausted...

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Janice R.'s Photo

Janice R.

Quality Care Provider with 30 Years Experience

Santa Cruz, CA

5.0(1)
from
$30/hr
10 years experience·
Hired by 4 families in your area
Meal prep
craft assistance
swimming supervision
carpooling
grocery shopping
+ 1 more
I have 30 years of experience working with children in a variety of preschool settings and three long term positions as a reliable and trusted Nanny with local families. I will be available in September to assist a new family. I can mail you a resume and background letters of recommendation. I have experience with infants. I can...

Emilie L. says "Janice has taken care of our son from when he was 4 months old, up until his 1 year-old birthday, when he started daycare. She was always extremely...

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Isabella M.'s Photo

Isabella M.

Part-time Care Giver Available

Santa Cruz, CA

5.0(1)
from
$20/hr
10 years experience·
Hired by 1 families in your area
Swimming supervision
craft assistance
travel
carpooling
light cleaning
+ 1 more
Hi, I'm excited about learning more about you and your family. I live in Santa Cruz. I speak English, Portuguese and utilize sign language. I am nurturing, creative, considerate and calm. I adore children. I love to tend to the home with light house keeping while child is napping. I am also available for laundry care and simple...

Shannon H. says "Bella is the best! She started nannying for our little one when she was 7 months old. Not only did she provide the sweetest most loving care to our baby,...

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Eve M.'s Photo

Eve M.

Santa Cruz, CA

5.0(1)
from
$35/hr
10 years experience·
Hired by 6 families in your area
Swimming supervision
craft assistance
travel
carpooling
light cleaning
+ 1 more
Certified CPR/AED/ first-aid. I completed doula course and helping couple of woman with breastfeed and baby care. Also I was a cook in European restaurant. I have 20+ years experience as a private nanny/babysitter for many wonderful families, babies/ young children age ranging newborn to 7 years old. I have letters of...

Care Member says "Hire Eve. Like many other ratings say: she is worth every. Single. Penny! Eve has taken care of my, now, 3 year old for the past 2 years. When she came...

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Laura E.'s Photo

Laura E.

Experienced Babysitter, Pet Sitter, Personal Assistant And House Sitter Available Part Time

Santa Cruz, CA

4.8(1)
from
$30/hr
10 years experience·
Hired by 4 families in your area
Craft assistance
carpooling
swimming supervision
travel
I am available for the occasional evening, and am not looking for part or full time caregiving. I am an experienced caregiver, trusted driver for providing "kiddo taxi" transport, tiny house owner and student going back to school in 2020. From watching infants starting when I was 12, I have cared for all ages, toddlers up to...

Laura S. says "My twin 3 year old girls loved Laura!!! We used her a ton and even for a few overnights "

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Melissa M.'s Photo

Melissa M.

Experienced Nanny Available Mid Sep.

Santa Cruz, CA

5.0(1)
from
$20/hr
10 years experience·
Hired by 4 families in your area
Craft assistance
carpooling
swimming supervision
My specialty is newborn thru preschool and twins. Sleep training, weaning, introducing solids, and potty training. I am a playmate and mentor as well as a source of love and nurturing. I do insist upon good respectful behavior and being mindful of ourselves and the world around us. Especially when out in public. It's how we stay...

Alisha S. says "Violet worked for us for over 2 years. She was incredibly dependable, punctual, and flexible- we often asked her to stay late or cover extra days and she...

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Michaela S.'s Photo

Michaela S.

Outgoing

Santa Cruz, CA

5.0(1)
from
$17/hr
8 years experience·
Hired by 1 families in your area
Light cleaning
grocery shopping
meal prep
I started off being a babysitter in high school and ended up becoming a nanny for 9 kids. The kids age range was from 2yrs to 16yrs. I did anywhere from cleaning, running errands, helped with homework, picking up from school. Then in college I was a nanny for 2 kids ages 2 and 6 and was with them all 4 years of college. I then...

Heidi W. says "Michaela was great with our little 4 month old - so calming and loving and attentive."

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Melissa Z.'s Photo

Melissa Z.

Experienced Infant And Toddler Nanny And Mom

Santa Cruz, CA

5.0(1)
from
$28/hr
10 years experience·
Hired by 3 families in your area
Swimming supervision
craft assistance
travel
carpooling
light cleaning
+ 1 more
I have been working as a nanny for over 18 years but my experience in childcare started many years before, first as a babysitter in the evenings, over summer break, and on weekends, then later as a full time nanny. My skills as a multi-tasker and self starter include organizing, tidying, food preparation, cooking, and childcare...

Liz F. says "Melissa works for our family part-time. She is an incredible member of our team and has over 10 years of nanny experience. She has never been late and has...

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Mac C.'s Photo

Mac C.

Reliable And Fun Babysitter

Santa Cruz, CA

5.0(1)
from
$28/hr
10 years experience·
Hired by 4 families in your area
Travel
light cleaning
carpooling
meal prep
swimming supervision
Hello there! My name is Mac. I have nannied/babysat for many families over the past 15+ years. I have cared for children ranging in age from newborns to 13-year-olds. While I typically work with three to four kids at a time, I have taken care of up to 12 children on my own and am happy and prepared to work with any age and...

Viviana C. says "We hired Mac to look after our 8 month old son while we were on a week long holiday in Aptos. Mac helped us out on short notice over a few days and...

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Riley J.'s Photo

Riley J.

Riley...

Santa Cruz, CA

5.0(1)
from
$18/hr
1 year experience·
Hired by 1 families in your area
Craft assistance
carpooling
light cleaning
Hi i'm Riley! I absolutely love kids and would be so honored to have the opportunity to watch yours! I excel in crafting, cleaning and engaging with kids, if you'd like to get in contact with me please email me...

Jeremy J. says "Riley helped us out as back-up care when our typical childcare was unavailable. Was loving, engaging, and went above and beyond to make our day move...

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Jenny W.'s Photo

Jenny W.

Santa Cruz, CA

5.0(1)
from
$30/hr
10 years experience·
Hired by 1 families in your area
Craft assistance
carpooling
light cleaning
meal prep
Hi, I'm Jenny. I have 15+ years experience teaching dance, 8+ years experience in leadership positions at sleep-away summer camp, and a CA teaching credential. I would be honored to spend time with your kids! Educating, exploring, and playing with children is one of my most meaningful passions and proudest strengths as a...

Michelle W. says "Jenny is a LOVELY, sweet, and passionate human being who deeply cares about those around her. She is energetic, authentic, enthusiastic, fun-loving,...

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Taylor S.'s Photo

Taylor S.

Experienced Part-Time Babysitter/Errand Runner/House Sitter

Santa Cruz, CA

4.0(1)
from
$25/hr
4 years experience·
Hired by 1 families in your area
Swimming supervision
carpooling
Hi, my name is Taylor. I am 27 years old and currently a hair stylist. I come from a big, diverse family with a lot of children, mixed with many different races. Since the age of 10, I kept watch over my twin nieces as newborns so my sister could work. My next babysitting job was at 15. I watched 2 twin 3-year-old boys and loved...

Aren L. says "Taylor is a sweet kind and attentive babysitter for our twin identical 4 year old boys. She was able to tell the difference between them by the end of the...

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Emily K.'s Photo

Emily K.

Hi!

Santa Cruz, CA

5.0(1)
from
$23/hr
10 years experience·
Hired by 1 families in your area
Meal prep
carpooling
swimming supervision
I like working with kids because they amaze me with how smart they are! I was very nearly a preschool teacher and I absolutely love watching that age group figure out how things work and problem solve. Older kids are great to work with because they generally want to help out if there's younger kids and if not then we get to just...

Matilda W. says "Emily took great care of our 11 months old baby when we were on vacation in Santa Cruz. It felt really safe to leave him with her and we would definitely...

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Jolie M.'s Photo

Jolie M.

Compassionate, Active, And Loves To Have Fun!

Santa Cruz, CA

5.0(1)
from
$22/hr
8 years experience·
Hired by 1 families in your area
Light cleaning
craft assistance
meal prep
swimming supervision
I am a college student at UCSC with several years of experience in child care. My goal is to keep your child safe while having enriching and fun engagement! I am pet friendly, and will take care of your house as if it were my own.

Care Member says "She nannied for my two children over the summer and she was fantastic! She was a quick learner and always went above and beyond! She was punctual and...

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Reshmi S.'s Photo

Reshmi S.

Santa Cruz, CA

5.0(1)
from
$21/hr
10 years experience·
Hired by 5 families in your area
Light cleaning
carpooling
meal prep
I have work in childcare setting for 18 year. I worked with 2 months to 12-year-olds in after school programs. Prefer to work with younger children. I like them to explore things and be safe at the same time.

Vanessa M. says "Reshmi is great with babies. She helped me with my twins when they were four months old and was a real asset. She brings experience and knowledge from...

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Child care centers in Santa Cruz, CA

Common Threads Montessori's Photo

Common Threads Montessori

208 Rankin St Santa Cruz, CA

Montessori
Child care
Preschool
Common Threads Montessori based in Santa Cruz, CA strives to support the mind, body, and spirit growth of the whole child. The school uses a blend of high-quality materials including Montessori and "open-ended manipulatives" for children ages three through six years old.
See info
Secret Garden Too's Photo

Secret Garden Too

3205 Salisbary Dr Santa Cruz, CA

State license verified

Developmental (play-based)
Child care
Preschool
Preschool Infant and Toddler Program. Location is perfect for easy on and off HWY1. Right next to Dominican Hospital. Come visit. Call to schedule a tour of our 3 programs.
See info

Santa Cruz Learning Center

720 Fairmount Ave Santa Cruz, CA

In-Home daycare
Santa Cruz Learning Center is a registered child care provider in the state of California. Their center at 720 Fairmount Ave, Santa Cruz, CA emphasizes the role of proper guidance in a child's development and general well-being, that's why they utilize a child-centered approach that pays attention to individual needs of their...
See info

Campus Kids Connection Inc-Westlake

1000 High St Santa Cruz, CA

Child care
Campus Kids Connection Incorporated located in Santa Cruz, CA has a comprehensive program that maximizes your child's learning potential. The center offers programs to provide fun, safe and secure environment for children before and after school, and the center also provide a winter, spring and summer camp. They are open on...
See info

Nuevo Dia Child Development Center

135 Leibrandt Ave Santa Cruz, CA

In-Home daycare
Preschool
Child care
Nuevo Dia Child Development Center is a licensed child care company that serves families living in Santa Cruz, California. Nuevo Dia Child Development Center mainly handles preschool children between the ages of three to five years old. The company implements a structured curriculum focused on developing children’s literacy...
See info

Showing 1 - 20 of 328

  • 328 child care providers are listed on Care.com

  • The average post rate is $23.27/hr as of June 2025

  • The average star rating for rated child care providers is 4.7

Recent child care reviews from local parents in Santa Cruz, CA

Child Care Providers in Santa Cruz, CA are rated 4.7 out of 5 stars based on 166 reviews of the 328 listed child care providers

Ava H.

What a wonderful sitter for ny daughters fragile premie. Excellent job. Totally someone you cam depend on. She was here all night so jy...

- Cheryl F.

Janice R.

Janice has taken care of our son from when he was 4 months old, up until his 1 year-old birthday, when he started daycare. She was always...

- Emilie L.

Isabella M.

Bella is the best! She started nannying for our little one when she was 7 months old. Not only did she provide the sweetest most loving care...

- Shannon H.

FAQs for finding child care near you in Santa Cruz, CA

Hiring someone on Care.com to provide child care services will cost an average of $23.27 per hour as of June 2025. This rate may vary depending on the experience each child care provider has, how many kids you will need them to watch, the age of your children, and whether you need part-time or full-time child care.

Care.com currently has 301 child care providers near you in Santa Cruz, CA. You can search for caregivers by their distance from Santa Cruz, CA and by hourly pay rate. Then you can compare their experience, specific services they offer and what age groups of kids they specialize in caring for. You can also read reviews from other families in Santa Cruz, CA that have worked with the child care providers you're interested in.

You want to find a child care provider that will get along with your kids, but also follows many of the same parenting ideas you have. Structure your questions around how your kids behave in certain situations and what the provider thinks is the best action to take. And because there are plenty of activities to do in Santa Cruz, CA, you should ask questions about the fun things each child care provider would do to keep your kids happy and entertained. Finally, ask each provider about their past child care experience, references from other families in Santa Cruz, CA and if they are certified in first aid and CPR.

Different child care providers are willing to offer support in different ways. For example, some can provide after-school transportation and others can help with light housework and cleaning. The first step to finding the right type of child care is to outline what you'd like from a candidate before starting your child care search. Think about how much you are willing to pay, the level of experience you wish them to have, if you want them to have any first-aid certifications, and if you need them to handle additional duties beyond taking care of your kids. After this is completed, create an account on Care.com and answer a few questions to find child care providers near you that match your needs. You can then either post a job that can be seen by our extensive pool of caretakers, or search for child care providers on Care.com based on years of experience, hourly rate, availability, distance from your area, etc. After you have selected your candidates, you can schedule interviews, check references, request additional background checks, and hire the child care provider that best meets the needs of your family.

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