Daycares in Ames, IA

All 36 licensed child care facilities in Ames, ranked by their real state inspection record — not ads. Every rating below comes from official licensing and violation data.

36licensed daycares
4.3average safety rating
94%with a clean record
2with violations on record
#DaycareRatingViolations (2 yr)Capacity
1ACPC-Edwards820 Miller Ave4.3None
2ACPC-Fellows1235 20th St4.3None
3ACPC-Main Center920 Carroll Ave4.3None
4ACPC-Meeker300 20th St4.3None
5ACPC-Mitchell3521 Jewel Dr4.3None
6ACPC-Northminster Site1416 20th St4.3None
7ACPC-Sawyer4316 Ontario St4.3None
8Adventures Preschool2622 Lincoln Way4.3None
9Amanda Olsen3812 Ontario St4.3None
10Ames Christian School925 S 16th St4.3None
11Anam Ken409 Beedle Dr4.3None
12Cassie Nance2810 Pinehurst Cir4.3None
13ChildServe Ames Day Programs1915 Philadelphia St4.3None
14ChildServe Child Care - Ames1915 Philadelphia St4.3None
15Christy Parker2347 210th St4.3None
16Formative Years Growing and Learning Center4510 Todd Dr4.3None
17ISU Child Development Lab School2222 Osborn Dr Ste 0351, Palmer Bldg4.3None
18Jessica Lawson-Clipper and Jermaine Clipper2009 Burnett Ave4.3None
19Joni King2003 Hunziker Dr4.3None
20Julianne Faas5002 Clemens Blvd4.3None
21Kim Farrar715 Northwestern Ave4.3None
22Kimberly Sitzman5416 Thackeray Dr4.3None
23LilyPad Learning Center, Ames Research Park3500 UNIVERSITY BLVD STE 1024.3None
24Little Peoples Childcare & Exploratory306 N Franklin Ave4.3None
25Melanie Reed831 Wilson Ave4.3None
26Natalie Short904 Arkansas Ave4.3None
27Play and Learn Children's Center301 Alexander Ave, A4.3None
28Prairie Flower Children's Center1517 Northwestern Ave4.3None
29Rachel Weiss124 Hartford Dr4.3None
30SPARKS Ames2807 Duff Ave4.3None
31St Paul Lutheran Preschool610 15th St4.3None
32The Little Hive Field School1032 Ridgewood Ave4.3None
33University Community Childcare Inc2623 Bruner Dr4.3None
34Vet Med Child Care Center1520 Christensen Dr4.3None
35Edythe Williams812 Arizona Ave4.3None
36Foundations Learning Center3425 Turing St4.01

Ranked by DaycareAlert's violations-based safety rating (recency-weighted state inspection findings), then by fewest recent violations. "Violations (2 yr)" counts citations in the last two years so cities and facilities are comparable regardless of how far back a state's records go. Data comes directly from state licensing agencies — always open a facility's full record before deciding.