The effects of the transition from home-based childcare to childcare centers on children's health and development in Colombia.

•We estimated the effects of the offer to transfer from home-based childcare to childcare centers in Colombia.•The evaluation design is based on a cluster-randomized control trial in 14 cities.•We report positive effects on children’s nutritional status and negative effects on cognitive development.•We find that the offer to transfer increased the probability of center attendance and decreased the probability of home-based childcare enrollment.•We report that indicators of infrastructure quality are better in centers than in home-based nurseries but the opposite occurs with indicators of the quality of routines and activities.