The primary aim of the present study was to examine full-day patterns of cortisol production among toddlers on days when they were at home and on days when they attended child care. Secondarily, child characteristics were assessed for potential associations with cortisol production on child care days. Forty-two children, ages 16 to 24 months, were included in the study. Salivary cortisol samples were obtained at wake-up, mid-morning, mid-afternoon, and bedtime for children on days they were at home and days that they attended full-day care. Measures of parent-child attachment, child temperament and behavior problems were also collected. Children showed different patterns of cortisol production on child care days compared with days at home, F(3, 40) = 7.20, p < .001, with significantly higher afternoon values at child care compared with home, F(1, 82) = 10.81, p < .01. As a group, children showed no significant difference in production at bedtime on child care vs. home days, F(1, 82) = 1.13, p > .05, suggesting that they return to baseline levels of cortisol production by the end of the day after care. Finally, cortisol associations with parent-child attachment and temperament appeared for children on child care days. Overall, the findings suggest that the effects of child care on rises in cortisol are limited to the child care setting.