Iowa city directory

Childcare centers in Ames, IA

Ames has 36 licensed childcare centers and homes in Iowa's licensing records. Among the 460 Iowa cities with listings, Ames ranks #15 by centers and homes on file. 30 of 36 centers and homes accept Child Care Assistance. By county, 35 are recorded in Story County and 1 in Boone County. Each listing below opens that center's own page, and shows its address, facility type and capacity where the state record has them.

Data updated Oct 1, 2026 · Source: Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (opens in a new tab) public records · Iowa childcare guide → · How we compile this →

  • 36licensed centers and homes in Ameson file in the state's licensing records
  • 64%serve infantsof 36 centers and homes reporting ages
  • 83%accept Child Care Assistanceof 36 centers and homes reporting
  • 22%open before 7 AMof 32 centers and homes reporting hours
Ages
Also

Licensed childcare centers and homes in Ames

Showing 1 to 36 of 36 · sorted largest first · 50 per page

Paying for childcare in Ames

Three programs can help Ames families with the cost of care, and each has its own application. They are run by government agencies, not by Clear Day. Where a figure below says "In Ames", it counts Ames centers and homes; where it says "Across Iowa", it counts the whole state.

Frequently asked questions about childcare in Ames

Answers use the numbers on this page.
How many childcare centers are in Ames?

Ames has 36 licensed childcare centers and homes in Iowa's licensing records. Among the 460 Iowa cities with listings, Ames ranks #15 by centers and homes on file. The records come from Iowa Department of Health and Human Services.

Which Ames centers accept Child Care Assistance?

30 of Ames's 36 centers and homes are listed as accepting Child Care Assistance. Turn on the "Accepts Child Care Assistance" filter above the list to see them. Statewide, 84% of Iowa centers in the directory are current Child Care Assistance providers (1,237 of 1,477 centers reporting). Confirm with the center and your local office before you enroll.

How families pay for care in Ames →

How do I check a Iowa daycare license?

Look the center up in Childcare Compliance and Complaint Reports, Iowa's public license lookup, and confirm the license is active. Match the address on the state record to the address on the center's page here, then read whatever inspection or compliance information the state posts.

Open Childcare Compliance and Complaint Reports (opens in a new tab)

How we compile the data →

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Other cities in Iowa

Des Moines387 centersDavenport143 centersCedar Rapids136 centersWaterloo98 centersSioux City94 centersCouncil Bluffs72 centersIowa City70 centersWest Des Moines64 centersDubuque62 centersUrbandale44 centersBurlington43 centersBettendorf40 centersMarion40 centersCedar Falls36 centersAltoona34 centersFort Dodge34 centersNorth Liberty34 centersWaukee31 centersJohnston29 centersCoralville28 centers
View all cities in Iowa

How this page is built. Listings, capacities and license types come from Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (opens in a new tab) public records; the Data updated date shows the last import. The notice below covers accuracy and how to verify a license.

This information is sourced from public records and may be incomplete or out of date. For the most current and accurate details, please verify directly with Iowa Department of Health and Human Services or contact the center directly. Clear Day does not rate, rank or endorse any center.

Data updated Oct 1, 2026 · Source: Iowa Department of Health and Human Services public records · Iowa license lookup (opens in a new tab) · How we compile this →