Child Care Center
✓ Licensed
The Little Prospector
Apache Junction, AZ
· Pinal County
1802 SOUTH IRONWOOD DRIVE,
Apache Junction, AZ 85220
Quick Facts
Capacity
176 children
Age Range
Ones; Twos; Three to Five; School-Age
Type of Care
{3/4/5-year-old Care, Full-Day Care, Infant Care, One-year-old Care, Part Day Care, School-Age Child Care, Two-year-old Care}
Subsidized Program
Does not participate
Food Program
Does not participate
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Contact Information
📞 (480) 983-6685
Licensed Child Care Center
Active License
License Number
CDC-5713
License Issued
Sep 1, 2025
Active Through
Aug 31, 2026
Issued By
Arizona Department of Health Services
Accreditation
DES
District Office
ADHS Division of Licensing Services
Reviews
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About the Provider
The Little Prospector was established by educator Lucy Young in 1993. Lucy holds a Masters degree in Early Childhood Education. Her daughters Aaron and Danielle also have been a part of The Little Prospector family the past 17 years, both holding degrees in Business and Child Development. They are the director's of this facility, as well as, part owners. The Little Prospector is a state licensed facility. We participate in the Child Care Food Program, as well as, Quality First. We are also DES certified. We have created our childcare to focus on Kindergarten readiness. We have preschool from 9- 11:30 everyday for all ages. We offer part-time and full-time tuition rates to cater to all our family schedules and each child's needs. Our staff has been with us on an average of 7 years and show their dedication to children everyday with their commitment to The Little Prospector family. We value people, the children in our care, their parents, and our employees. We strive each day to earn your trust, and we pledge to provide top quality childhood education and care.
Hours of Operation
- Days of Operation Monday–Friday
Inspection/Report History
Where possible, ChildcareCenter provides inspection reports as a service to families. This information is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed. We encourage families to contact the daycare provider directly with any questions or concerns. Reports can also be verified with your local daycare licensing office.
| Inspection # | Inspection Date | Inspection Type | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| INSP-0136304 | 2025-07-18 | Compliance (Annual) | Complete |
| Initial Comments: The following deficiencies were observed at the time of the Compliance Inspection conducted on 7/18/2025 and are subject to changes pending programmatic review. Please submit the Plan of Corrections via the LMS portal within 10 days of receipt of the Statement of Deficiencies. The Emergency Disaster Contact form was completed at the time of the inspection. The Empower Self-Evaluation was emailed to the director. The Notice Of Inspection Rights was provided to the licensee at the time of the inspection. The fingerprint clearance cards for 6 of 6 staff members were verified to be valid through the DPS website at the time of the inspection. During the exit interview, the following items were discussed but are not limited to: *Ensure lesson plans are posted and current. *Ensure activity areas are free of hazards. *Ensure crib sheets are tight-fitting. *Ensure water is accessible. *Ensure cleaning equipment is inaccessible to enrolled children. *Ensure the statement of services is updated. *Ensure medication is in the original container. | |||
| INSP-0046165 | 2024-07-19 | Complaint,Compliance (Annual) | Complete |
| Initial Comments: The following deficiencies were observed at the time of the Compliance inspection and Complaint investigation #00087469 conducted on 7/19/2024, subject to changes pending programmatic review. The investigation was completed on 7/19/2024. Compliance Officer #1 is Stephanie Jake. Compliance Officer #2 is Archana Navin. The Plan of Corrections will not be accepted at this time. The Emergency Disaster Contact form was completed at the time of the inspection. The Empower Self-Evaluation link was provided. Please complete within 10 days upon receipt of the Statement of Deficiencies. The fingerprint clearance cards for 6 of 6 staff members were verified to be valid through the DPS website at the time of the inspection. Ratios observed were: Infants: 2:4 1-year-old children: 2:11 2-year-old children: 2:7 3-year-old children: 2:13 4-year-old children: 2:7 School-age children: 1:13 There were 3 staff members interviewed during this investigation. Documents reviewed: Staff files Upon completion of the complaint investigation, it was determined from observation, staff interview, and documentation that 1 of 1 allegation lacked sufficient evidence to be substantiated. The additional following citations were unrelated to the Complaint. During the exit interview, the following items were discussed but are not limited to: *Ensure cleaning equipment is inaccessible to enrolled children. *Ensure trash receptacles that contain food waste are covered with a lid. *Ensure that children are supervised at all times. *Ensure that hand sanitizer is inaccessible to enrolled children. *Ensure that equipment is maintained in a clean condition. (chairs) *Ensure lesson plans contain the required components. *Ensure water is accessible to enrolled children. | |||
| INSP-0030036 | 2023-07-28 | Compliance (Annual) | Complete |
| Initial Comments: The following deficiencies were observed at the time of the Compliance Inspection conducted on 7/28/2023 and are subject to changes pending programmatic review. Please submit the Plan of Corrections via the LMS portal within 10 days of receipt of the Statement of Deficiencies. The Emergency Disaster Contact form was completed at the time of the inspection. The Empower Self-Evaluation was completed at the time of the inspection. The DES Contact form was completed at the time of the inspection. The fingerprint clearance cards for 6 of 6 staff members were verified to be valid through the DPS website at the time of the inspection. During the exit interview, the following items were discussed but are not limited to: *Ensure that cleaning equipment is inaccessible to enrolled children. *Ensure that the activity areas are free of hazards. *Ensure that enrolled children's personal products are labelled. *Ensure that electrical cords are inaccessible. Compliance Officer #1 is Stephanie Jake. Compliance Officer #2 is David Ramos. | |||
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