Local service guide
Childcare in Boise: Choosing Care and Planning Costs
To arrange childcare in Boise, start with your child’s age, required hours and pickup route, then compare providers using a written fee schedule and a visit. Check licensing with Idaho’s Department of Health and Welfare: the city stopped licensing childcare on July 1, 2025. For school-age children, compare school-based care before arranging separate transportation or a sitter. [1] [2]
Choose care around your actual schedule
Write down the earliest drop-off, latest pickup, days needed and proposed start date before contacting providers. Include commute time and a backup pickup person. Ask each provider to confirm an opening for your child’s age and those exact hours before paying a deposit.
For a center or home-based program, ask who will care for your child throughout the day and who covers staff absences. For a nanny or sitter, discuss references, screening, first-aid training, transportation and backup arrangements. Put duties, hours, pay and cancellation terms in writing.
For school-age care, Boise School District’s Just For Kids offers before- and after-school care for children ages 5–12. The district lists full-day care from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on most non-school days. Check the program calendar against your work schedule and arrange coverage for any gaps. [2]
Check licensing and visit before committing
Idaho’s Department of Health and Welfare took over childcare licensing from Boise on July 1, 2025. Ask the provider for its current licensing information and confirm its status with the state. Treat an old city license as a reason to ask for updated documentation. [1]
During a visit, ask how many children each adult supervises, including during naps and staff breaks. Boise’s parent guidance also recommends checking caregiver education, turnover, discipline, handwashing and outdoor equipment. Ask the provider to explain how staff handle an upset child and communicate incidents to parents. [1]
Ask about the building’s previous use and request dates and results for radon and drinking-water testing. Idaho’s Choose Safe Places guidance identifies former industrial or chemical uses, lead and radon as concerns beyond basic licensing. If the provider found a problem, ask what action they took and whether they completed follow-up testing. [5]
Compare the full cost of your arrangement
Request a written quote for your exact schedule. Ask about registration charges, deposits, meals, supplies, late pickup, school-break care and payment during closures or your child’s absence. Record the notice required to reduce hours or leave the program. Compare providers over the same payment period.
The sources here do not establish a Boise market price for daycare, nannies or sitters. Use provider quotes for budgeting. Ask whether a quoted amount buys a reserved place, a set number of days or hours of care, and whether the provider charges separately for extra time.
If you plan to use the Idaho Child Care Program, confirm that your chosen provider has ICCP registration. DHW bases assistance on approved activity hours, household income and a state rate that varies with the child’s age, care type and provider location. Ask for a written explanation of your copayment and any charges above the program limit. [3] [4]
Check assistance before signing a contract
DHW’s application guidance lists Idaho residency, proof of identity, qualifying work or training or education, income requirements and an ICCP-registered provider among the eligibility conditions. It also requires the child to be a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident and generally under 13, with an exception for older children with special needs. [3]
The income chart below reproduces the limits DHW labels effective October 2025. Use it for an initial eligibility check, then confirm the applicable limits and your circumstances with DHW. An income figure alone does not establish eligibility or tell you how much assistance you will receive. [3] [4]
DHW lists phone and in-person applications, plus submission by mail, email or fax. For a phone interview, call 877-456-1233. Prepare identification, household income and current monthly childcare expenses, plus each child’s immigration information if applicable. Before paying a nonrefundable fee, ask the provider how they handle care while an assistance application is pending. [3]
Published ICCP monthly gross income limits by household size
Local details that affect your job
Boise’s licensing transition changes where you verify care
The city no longer issues childcare licenses and discontinued its provider map after June 30, 2025. Direct licensing checks to Idaho DHW. Boise continues to handle zoning and land use, so city property approvals and a state childcare license answer different questions. [1]
School bell times change the hours you need
Just For Kids lists morning care from 7–8:45 a.m. at early-bell schools and 7–9:15 a.m. at late-bell schools. Afternoon care runs from 3:15–6 p.m. or 3:45–6 p.m., respectively. On early-release days, it starts two hours before the usual dismissal. Confirm your child’s school schedule before booking overlapping sitter hours. [2]
Idaho offers an additional environmental screening question
Ask whether a provider holds a Choose Safe Places Certificate of Education. DHW says providers earn it through four hours of IdahoSTARS training and testing for radon or lead in drinking water, or both. Ask which tests the provider completed and request the results; the certificate does not establish that they tested for every hazard. [5]
Match your care plan to the coverage you need
| Your situation | Option to investigate | Confirm before committing |
|---|---|---|
| Care before and after elementary school | Just For Kids for ages 5–12 | Your school’s site, opening, bell schedule and 6 p.m. pickup |
| Coverage during school breaks | Just For Kids full-day care on most non-school days | Exact calendar dates and any days requiring backup care |
| Regular care for a younger child | Center or home-based program | Age-group opening, current licensing information and caregiver coverage |
| Care in your home or outside program hours | Nanny or sitter | References, screening, duties, pay and absence arrangements |
| Help paying for care | An ICCP-registered provider | Eligibility, copayment and charges above the assistance limit |
Your hiring checklist
- Prepare your child’s age, start date, weekly schedule and pickup arrangements.
- Confirm an opening for the exact age group and hours before paying a deposit.
- Request current licensing information and clarify which agency oversees the arrangement.
- Visit during care hours and ask about supervision, discipline and staff coverage.
- Discuss allergies, medication, emergency contacts and authorized pickup adults.
- Request an itemized fee schedule and closure, absence and cancellation policies.
- If seeking assistance, confirm provider participation and your expected out-of-pocket charges.
- Agree on backup care and a plan for your child’s first days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Boise still license childcare providers?
No. Boise says Idaho’s Department of Health and Welfare began processing childcare license applications and regulating licensing requirements on July 1, 2025. Ask for current state documentation when checking a provider. [1]
Can Just For Kids cover an early-release day?
The district says after-school care begins two hours earlier on early-release days. Confirm enrollment, your site and the specific date. The program also lists full-day care on most non-school days, which leaves some dates to check. [2]
Will ICCP pay the entire childcare bill?
DHW says ICCP pays a portion of childcare costs. Most parents pay a copayment and any amount above the program limit. Ask the provider to separate those amounts when explaining your expected bill. [4]
What should I ask about a provider’s environmental testing?
Request the dates, results and follow-up actions for radon and lead-in-water testing. Ask about former building uses and nearby chemical handling. Idaho’s Choose Safe Places guidance recommends daycare radon testing every two years and offers free kits to daycares. [5]
Sources and scope
This guide combines the sources below with practical planning guidance. Figures apply to the stated geography and period; request a written quote for your property.