Academy of Play · Child Care Center, El Cajon
Academy of Play is a licensed child care center in El Cajon, CA, licensed for up to 94 children and serving children in more than one age group. It has held its California license since 2024. Since February 2021, state licensing staff have inspected it once. The state issued 2 citations, none of them Type A. None of them came in the last 12 months. It has too few inspections so far for a statewide comparison.
Inspection record
Every state visit
What inspectors cited most
Citations, newest first
Based on record review, the licensee did not comply with the section cited above. Staff Mariana Garcia's fingerprint clearance is not associated to the facility. Mrs. Garcia's official first day on site was 5/27/2025. This deficiency poses a potential health, safety or personal rights risk to persons in care.
Based on record review, the licensee did not comply with the section cited above. Staff Alejandra Zatarain in the infant room did not have the required 3 units in infant/toddler care. This deficiency poses a potential health, safety or personal rights risk to persons in care.
About this center
Other licenses at this address
Common questions
Has Academy of Play had any serious violations?
No Type A citations since 2021. It has 2 Type B citations, listed above.
When was Academy of Play last inspected?
May 28, 2025. The state issued at least one citation during that visit.
How much does Academy of Play cost?
California does not publish individual centers’ prices, so ask Academy of Play for its current tuition. For comparison, the median full-time price at licensed centers in San Diego County, which includes El Cajon, was $1,462 a month for infants (about $1,840 today), $1,013 a month for preschoolers (about $1,280 today) and $800 a month for school-age children (about $1,010 today) in the state’s 2021 Regional Market Rate Survey.
Who runs Academy of Play?
The licensee is Academy Of Play LLC, and the administrator listed with the state is Vianney Barraza.
Licensed centers nearby
1030 Naranca Avenue, El Cajon · 0.3 mi away · 23 spots More citations than most Children's Choice- Greenfield
1150 Greenfield Drive, El Cajon · 0.5 mi away · 145 spots Too few inspections to compare Cajon Valley State Preschool - Magnolia Elementary
650 Greenfield Drive, El Cajon · 0.6 mi away · 23 spots No citations Children's Choice Academy - El Cajon
1164 N Second Street, El Cajon · 0.7 mi away · 70 spots Too few inspections to compare Children's Choice Learning Connection
1268 & 1276 North 2nd Street, El Cajon · 0.8 mi away · 55 spots Among the most cited Bostonia Global Charter
1390 East Broadway, El Cajon · 0.9 mi away · 24 spots No citations
Citations are quoted from California Department of Social Services inspection and complaint reports. Type A citations are the state’s most serious category (an immediate risk to children’s health, safety or personal rights); Type B citations are a potential risk. A citation is a finding about one rule, not a judgment about a center overall. Complaint allegations appear here only when the state substantiated them.
To read the full state reports, search facility number 376105153 on the California Care Facility Search. Data refreshed Oct 3, 2026.
Comparing centers? See how to choose a daycare: 30 questions to ask and a printable checklist.