Provides a full service early childhood education center.

Provides year-round learning for children ages 0-3. Educare provides year-round learning for children ages 0-5.

Provide eligible preschool children with a comprehensive program that focuses on early childhood education and development, health, nutrition, and parent involvement. Head Start has preschool options for 3 and 4 year old children. Many locations partner with local schools to provide full day service, transportation, and easier transitions to Kindergarten.

Early Head Start, birth to 3 years old, have similar comprehensive services as Head Start.

Provides early childhood education and summer camp opportunities for children. Y-Tots Preschool has morning and afternoon classes for children ages 3-4. Lovett Child development center offers full time and part time childcare for children ages 2-Pre-K. Before school and after school adventure club provides childcare and activities for school-aged children. Summer day camp is offered full time and part time for school aged children.

Offers free preschool for the local community.

Preschool with full- and part-time (2 or 3 days a week) schedules available.

Assists low-income children and families thorugh a continuum of care which includes academic tutoring, daycare services, emotional support, educational readiness, and computer techonology training services. All children enrolled in programs are assisgned and individualized educational plan (IEP) developed by teachers, parents, and other members of the school governing body.

Students enrolled in before and after school care benefit from the following services:
- Assistance with character development
- Assistance with creative expression
- Assistance with social skills development
- Assistance with physical and motor skills development

Family resource program to support parents in educating and nurturing their children. The program provides parents with opportunities to move toward self-sufficiency by working with other community organizations. Health and mental health services are also provided to participants.

Program helps parents better understand their child's stages of development with individualized visits in the home. The weekly visits are 90 minutes in length and are designed to meet the needs of each family. Staff will assist families in planning activities that encourage the child's growth. Social activities will be held twice monthly to provide the opportunity to interact with your child and other families.

Offers child care, preschool, before/after school, school days out, and summer programs, as well as Early Head Start.

All children six weeks to 12 years old are eligible, depending on space available; financial assistance is available to those who qualify through. Language support is available for those whose first language is not English.

Provides education and support for families with young children in Tama County. Points are earned for attendance at educational programs and healthy behaviors such as: reading to the baby, taking the child to a doctor's appointment, attending Lamaze classes, signing up for WIC, attending a dental exam during pregnancy. Points are redeemed for needed supplies such as diapers and wipes, car seats, baby supplies.

Head Start and Early Head Start are comprehensive child development programs that serve children from birth to age five, pregnant women and their families. The programs are child-focused and have the overall goal of increasing the school readiness of young children in low-income families.

Both programs provide a range of individualized services in the areas of education, medical, dental and mental health, nutrition and social service to children and their families. Parent involvement is encouraged and support is offered for children with disabilities.

Local school contacts in Audubon, Calhoun, Carroll, Dallas, Greene, Guthrie and Sac Counties are listed below:

-- Audubon, Carroll, Coon Rapids: (712) 830-9442

-- Adel, Waukee: (515) 987-7428 or (712) 830-1327

-- Guthrie Center, Jefferson, Panora: (712) 830-6990

-- Rockwell City, Lytton, Sac City, Schaller, Crestland, Southern Cal: (712) 830-1326

-- Perry: (515) 238-2194

Preschool and Head Start program.

Service coordination and home visitation program.

Developmental testing, speech and language pathologist, occupational and physical therapists, and vision and hearing consultants.

Parent support groups.

Head Start gives children, ages 3 and 4, the opportunity to grow and learn in a high quality early childhood setting. Head Start offers half-day, full-day, and homebased options.

Early Head Start ensures that children (0-3 years of age) and their families receive the academic, social, mental, health, and nutritional education they need.

Head Start prepares children for Kindergarten and beyond. Also meets the nutritional, health, social and mental health needs of children and their families.

Offers children to participate in various activities and staged play to explore with a balance of language, sensory, fine and gross motor, art, math, music, cognitive and social-emotional concepts.