However, they warn that the next 12 months could see children's centres and neighbourhood nurseries struggling to survive.
Courteney Donaldson, Christie's director and head of childcare, said, 'These type of nurseries are likely to be more susceptible to pressures, including local demographic and economic challenges, local authority spending cuts and changes to tax credits, predominately due to the disadvantaged areas in which these nurseries are located.'
The impact of the Government's spending cuts, the increase in VAT and the rise in utility bills will also pile on the pressure, leading to more nurseries closing.
Other nurseries that could close are those that have relied heavily on subsidies and grants in the past, and those that have borrowed too much and cannot make debt repayments, as well as settings that are mainly used by public sector employees.
Although transactions were low during 2010, Christie's said that there was no shortage of demand, with nurseries that did come on the market being snapped up quickly by buyers.
Deals handled by Christie's last year include the Rainbow group of three nurseries in Fife, sold to first-time operators Craig and Ian Skinner with an asking price of £2.2m, and the sale of the Bright New Minds group to Treetops Nurseries.
Ms Donaldson said she believed that 2011 would see further consolidation between national and regional day nursery groups.
She also predicted that new deal structures could emerge, with nursery sellers retaining small stakes in their businesses.
Banks are also likely to become less sympathetic towards nurseries that break agreements with them over the level of their borrowing and are more likely to look for buyers for under-performing nursery businesses.