Little Discoveries Preschool
Little Discoveries Preschool is a licensed child care center in Chico, CA, licensed for up to 40 children and serving preschool-age children. It has held its California license since 2016. Since February 2021, state licensing staff have inspected it 4 times and investigated 2 complaints, 2 of them substantiated. The state issued 7 citations, 3 of them Type A (the most serious), most often for caregiver conduct (2 of 7). 2 citations came in the last 12 months. Measured by weighted citations per inspection, it is #41 of 47 centers in Chico and has more citations per inspection than 90% of California licensed centers.
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 in 1 out 4 staff files which poses a potential health, safety or personal rights risk to persons in care.
Based on observation, the licensee did not comply with the section cited above, which poses a potential health, safety or personal rights risk to persons in care.
(a) The licensee shall ensure that each child is accorded the following personal rights: (3) To be free from corporal or unusual punishment, infliction of pain, humiliation, intimidation, ridicule, coercion, threat, mental abuse or other actions of a punitive nature... This requirement was not met as evidence by: 1 S1 was counciled by owner/director on 2/7/25 regarding appropriate interactions with children and resources available. Staff meeting will be held by 5/15/25. Meeting agenda and staff sign in sheet to be sent to CCL by 5/15/25. Based on observation and interviews, the licensee did not comply with the section cited above in 1 out of 1 staff which poses an immediate safety or personal rights risk to children in care. 8
(a) Certified external water samplers shall be used to conduct the Child Care Center water collection 1 Licensee conducted lead testing which came back with no exceedances. Based on record review,LPA reviewed that lead testing was completed 1/5/23 but facility did not use a certified external water sampler. 8
Based on observation and interviews, the licensee did not comply with the section cited above towards C1, which poses an immediate health, safety, or personal rights risk to children in care. 8 erica.laird@dss.ca.gov
(a)The licensee shall provide care and supervision as necessary to meet the children's needs.(1) No child(ren) shall be left without the supervision of a teacher at any time, except as specified in Sections 101216.2(e)(1) and 101230(c)(1). Supervision shall include visual observation. 1 Facility director issued idividual staff meetings and staff were issued write-ups on 2/17/23. All employess are required to do their counts outloud and communicate numbers at all time. Director to submit plan of action ensuring door chime remains on at all times. Plan of action to be submitted to CCL by 3/3/23. This was not met as evidence by: based on interviews and record review, C1 was unsupervised for 2-5 minutes on the playground while class was transitioning from outside. tHis poses an immediate health, safety, or personal rights risk to persons in care. 8
Based on interviews and record review, on 2/21/22 around 5/25 pm C1 was not under visual observation by S1 for…..minutes when C1 was left on the playground.
Complaint investigations
Staff handled day care child in a rough manner
Staff yelled at day care children
Staff humiliated a child in care
How often are complaints about daycares in California substantiated? See the county-by-county report →
About this center
Other licenses at this address
Common questions
Does Little Discoveries Preschool take infants?
Not under this license, which covers preschool-age children. An infant center is licensed separately at the same address (listed below).
Has Little Discoveries Preschool had any serious violations?
California issued 3 Type A citations since 2021, its most serious category. The most recent was on Apr 22, 2025, for personal rights. Each citation is listed in full above.
Have there been complaints about Little Discoveries Preschool?
California investigated 2 complaints since 2021 and substantiated 2. Allegations are shown only for substantiated complaints.
How does Little Discoveries Preschool compare with other daycares in Chico?
It is #41 of 47 centers in Chico by weighted citations per inspection, and has more citations per inspection than 90% of California licensed centers with enough inspection history to compare.
When was Little Discoveries Preschool last inspected?
Dec 12, 2025. The state issued at least one citation during that visit.
How much does Little Discoveries Preschool cost?
California does not publish individual centers’ prices, so ask Little Discoveries Preschool for its current tuition. For comparison, the median full-time price at licensed centers in Butte County, which includes Chico, was $695 a month for preschoolers (about $880 today) in the state’s 2021 Regional Market Rate Survey.
Who runs Little Discoveries Preschool?
The licensee is Ronda Gambone, and the administrator listed with the state is Miranda Calhoun.
Licensed centers nearby
4 Creative Lane, Chico · under 0.1 mi away · 8 spotsMore citations than mostE Center Hs Pgms - Mariposa
2603 Mariposa Ave, Chico · 0.5 mi away · 40 spotsToo few inspections to compareLittle Lions Preschool
1560 Manzanita Ave, Chico · 0.9 mi away · 151 spotsMore citations than mostE Center Hs Pgms - Moss Center
746 Moss Ave., Chico · 0.9 mi away · 45 spotsAbout typicalStorybook Schoolhouse
794 E 3rd Ave, Chico · 1.0 mi away · 128 spotsToo few inspections to compareSmart Start Preschool (Inf)
1565 East Avenue, Chico · 1.0 mi away · 19 spotsNo 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 045407012 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.