Preschools & Child Care in Richland County

Trenholm Road United Methodist Preschool has full time programming for children ages 6 weeks to 4 years. They also have an afterschool program for grades 5K through 5th grade.

Private Montessori school for Pre-K through 12th grade

Lake Carolina Early Learning Center offers preschool programs for children ages 6 weeks to 5 years

• Programs for infants-4K
• Before & After School Programs, including pick up from local schools.
• Summer Camps

Locations in West Columbia, Lexington, and Irmo:

3912 Leaphart Rd, West Columbia
110 Hadleigh Drive, Lexington
101 North Royal Tower Drive, Irmo

• Full-Day preschool and childcare for infants (8 weeks) through 4K
• After-school program for 5K-8th grade (year-round or school year only)
• Full-Day Summer Camp for 5K-8th grade

Summer Discover Camp: Program is a full day from 7 am until 6:30 pm. Kids are divided by grade level and participate in extra mini camps (with no additional charge) like Art, Soccer Shots, Literacy Legends, Sports Superstars, and Clay Sculpting.

Shandon Weekday School also offers an after school program from 2:30 pm to 6 pm during the school year and from 7:30 am to 6 pm during the summer. To find the bus your child will ride visit their website.

Montessori Early Learning Center is a private school with an education curriculum based on Montessori-style learning.
The facility has 6 primary, multi-aged classrooms. The facility has observation mirrors installed in every classroom door for parent use at any time without an appointment.

Half-Day Preschool in Columbia for ages 1-4 at Spring Valley Baptist Church. The half-day, play-based program is from 9 am to noon, weekdays.

Holland Avenue Baptist Church offers a half-day preschool program for children 6 weeks old through kindergarten.

The Incarnation Lutheran Child Development Center has preschool programming for children who are 8 weeks old through 4 years old. There’s also an After School Program where students are picked up by the church bus and brought back to the center.

Welcoming infants as young as six weeks up to Pre‑K (around age 5).

They utilize a “Links to Learning” curriculum in a play‑based yet intentional environment for elementary preparation.
The academy is in Northeast Columbia near Fort Jackson.

They also offer summer camp options.

Dates: May – August 2026 
Ages: Rising Kindergarten – 5th grade  
Price: $215
Full day available

St. Martin’s-in-the-Fields Preschool: Play-based early childhood program with low-ratio classrooms and full-day care; serves ages 8 weeks–4 years

Ben Lippen Schools: A Christ-centered school
Highly rated with academic, arts, specialized programs, and athletics
Ages: PreK -12th grade
Tuition and Financial Aid information is available
Tuition rates are between $10k and $18k depending on grade level

Ben Lippen has three campuses in the Columbia, SC area.

• Monticello Road Campus: Pre-K3 through 12th Grade
  7401 Monticello Road, Columbia
• Northeast Campus: Pre-K4 through 4th Grade
  3513 Hard Scrabble Road, Columbia
• St. Andrews Road Campus: Pre-K3 through 4th Grade
  500 St. Andrews Road, Columbia

Harmony School: A secular private school offering
Blended curriculum inspired by Waldorf, Montessori, and Inquiry-based learning.
Ages pre-K – Elementary school
After-school care is available
Tuition rates: School Day runs 8:30 AM–2:30 pm (drop-off from 7:30 am), with Preschool (2.5 years–PreK) at $700/month and Elementary (K–5th) at $750/month

Their preschool is offered for ages 30 months to 5 years.

Kathwood Baptist offers a preschool program for children 6 weeks through 4 years old. There are full-time and part-time options.

Programs for infants – preschoolers, including kindergarten prep, located at the Columbia Federal Center.

Living Springs Lutheran Church Child Development Center has full-day classes for infants through 5 year olds.

CFL is an Independent Early Childhood Program offering care for children 12 months to 4 years of age in their Child Development Program.

CFL also offers kindergarten through 5th grade in their academy program.
Curriculum: Standards-aligned CFL curriculum with STEAM plus Spanish & Mandarin.

Heyward Street Methodist Preschool offers partial-day programming for 2, 3, and 4 year olds. Hours are 8:30 am – 2:30 pm or 8:30 am – 4:30 pm.

Cadence Academy Preschool offers childcare programs, summer camps, and an after school program called “The Clubhouse.” The program schedule can be found on their website.

Childcare Programs for:

• Infants (6 weeks-1 year)
• Toddlers (1-2 years old)
• Early Learners (2-3 years old)
• Preschool (3-4 years old)
• Pre-K (4-5 years old)
• School-Age (5-12 years old)

Locations in Harbison, SC, Lexington, SC and Northeast Columbia, SC:

450 Columbiana Drive, Columbia
5307 Sunset Boulevard, Lexington
1130 Sparkleberry Lane Extension, Columbia

After School Program at Cadence Academy: Includes homework help and free transportation from schools local to each Cadence Academy location

Summer Camp: Full-day summer camp for ages 5 to 12 that offer fun and activities to prepare kids for the next school year.

Grace Christian School: Christ-centered, traditional education.
Academics, athletics, fine arts, and spiritual development programs.
Ages: PreK – 12th grade.
Grace Christian School also has an Early Learning Center for infants (6 weeks old) – 2 years old.
Tuition: ~ $5.5K-$7K for Kindergarten – 5th grade annually
~$8K – $8.5K for Middle/High School annually
Scholarships are available

Full-Day preschool and daycare for ages 6 weeks – Pre-K designed to prepare kids for kindergarten.

Spring Valley Presbyterian Church Preschool offers 2, 3, and 5 days a week programming for children ages 2-4. Preschool days are half days, but there’s an extended care option, too.

Trinity Learning Center in Columbia, SC offers full day preschool programming for infants through 4-year-olds. They also offer an after school program from 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm for children ages Kindergarten through 5th grade.

La Petite Academy offers childcare for infants to Kindergarteners. They also offer after school care and summer camps. Transportation to after school is available by contacting your schools director on the website. They have three locations in Columbia.

Dates: May – August
Ages: 3 – 12
Price:
Full day available

Heathwood Hall Episcopal School is a highly rated Episcopal private school
Rigorous academics, character development, and a supportive community are part of the curriculum
Ages: 2 – 12th grade.
Tuition: ~$18K-$24K for elementary – high school; ~$12.5K for ages 2-4
Financial Aid is available in addition to several scholarships

The campus is situated on 122 acres of wooded wetlands and has incorporated natural “outdoor” education into its curriculum.

One of Columbia’s longest running preschools in the Ravenwood area, Little People’s Learning Center is open from 6:30 am-6 pm for Monday through Friday care.
Offers care for ages 6 weeks – 8 years of age.

Preschool and kindergarten in Columbia, SC for ages 2-5. Programs are partial day, and there are options for attendance 3-5 days per week.

Serving children from six weeks old through Kindergarten. Rooted in a Christ-centered philosophy, our program emphasizes whole-child development.
Preschool is part time, from 9 am – 12 pm and follow a school year schedule.

Saint Joseph Catholic School offers a traditional education with cutting-edge teaching techniques combined with Catholic teachings based on the Diocese of Charleston.
Grades: 4K- 6th grade
In addition, they offer enrichment courses such as art, music, physical education, guidance, technology, and Spanish