Daycares in Des Moines, IA
Explore selected Des Moines-metro centers with published locations on S 51st Street and University Avenue in West Des Moines, and Copper Creek Drive in Des Moines. This shortlist spans different parts of the metro; it is not a ranking or a complete directory. Use the street addresses to compare locations before contacting a center.
Details last reviewed . This page shows 3 selected daycare listings in Des Moines, not the total number of providers in the city.
Search daycare options in Des MoinesSelected daycare listings
Openings, tuition, and age groups are unknown to Cubby for these listings. Contact each center directly to confirm.
- Center865 S 51st Street, West Des Moines, IAContact for tuitionSource checked · 2026-10-02
Openings not confirmed. Contact the center for current tuition and enrollment.
- Openings:
- Unknown, ask the center
- Tuition:
- Unknown, ask the center
- Center6670 University Ave, West Des Moines, IA 50266Contact for tuitionSource checked · 2026-10-02
Openings not confirmed. Contact the center for current tuition and enrollment.
- Openings:
- Unknown, ask the center
- Tuition:
- Unknown, ask the center
- Center1425 Copper Creek Drive, Des Moines, IA 50327Contact for tuitionSource checked · 2026-10-02
Openings not confirmed. Contact the center for current tuition and enrollment.
- Openings:
- Unknown, ask the center
- Tuition:
- Unknown, ask the center
This Des Moines-metro listing is identified on the official provider page as 1425 Copper Creek Dr, Pleasant Hill, IA 50327.
What daycare costs in Iowa
Child Care Aware of America's 2023 Iowa figures are statewide annual averages—not current quotes from these centers. Des Moines-metro tuition varies by age, schedule, and provider. Confirm tuition, fees, and included services directly with each center.
- Infant, center-based care
- $12,168/year
- Toddler, center-based care
- $11,143/year
- Infant, family child care
- $8,176/year
- Toddler, family child care
- $8,015/year
- Two children (infant + 4-year-old), center-based care
- $21,913/year
Source: Child Care Aware of America: Iowa 2023 price of care (PDF).
Choosing in Des Moines
Compare each center's address with the trips your family actually makes, including the I-235 corridor and suburbs such as West Des Moines, Urbandale, Clive, Ankeny, and Waukee. Try your route at normal drop-off and pickup times, and check whether hours fit both your work schedule and commute.
Iowa Women's Foundation has reported that Iowa lost about 40% of its child care providers over five years, leaving roughly 350,000 slots short, with about 25% of Iowans in a child care desert. These are historical statewide estimates, not a live count of open Des Moines-metro places. Start early and join multiple waitlists; ask about deposits, waitlist fees, and expected timing. Iowa Women's Foundation childcare research.
About daycare care
Daycare can support a family's regular care schedule. Ask about daily routines, staffing, meals, safe sleep practices where relevant, and how the center communicates with families.
Questions to ask
- Does the daily care schedule cover my work and travel time?
- How are meals, naps, and transitions handled?
- What happens when my child is sick or the center is closed?
- What is current tuition, and are there openings for my child's age?
Help paying for care
Check eligibility for Iowa Child Care Assistance (CCA) through Iowa HHS, and ask whether your chosen provider accepts CCA. Eligibility and family payments depend on your circumstances.
- Iowa HHS Child Care Assistance (CCA)
- Iowa Child Care Resource & Referral — toll-free 855-244-5301 for help finding care and resources.
- Iowa Child Care Connect — explore child care search resources.
Check licensing
Look up any center's license and inspection record with the state regulator before you enroll.
Iowa HHS provider search