Best Daycare Centers in Fort Dodge, IA
Compare 13 daycare centers in Fort Dodge. Average rating: 4.21/5 stars. See top 10 ranked daycares, compare by type, and find the right childcare for your family.
Fort Dodge, Iowa at a glance
- Daycares
- 13
- Avg rating
- 4.21/5
- Parent reviews
- 21
- Top rated (4.5+)
- 3
Fort Dodge has 13 licensed daycares with 21 parent reviews averaging 4.21/5.The largest concentration is in 50501 with 13 programs.Start with our top-10 ranked list below or filter by philosophy.
Top 10 Best Rated Daycares in Fort Dodge
Ranked using a weighted score that combines Google rating with the number of parent reviews — daycares with more reviews rank higher than those with a high rating but few reviews. Last updated: March 2026.
- 1Little Lambs Preschool-Gslc4.37 score4.6(8)
1436 21st Ave N, Fort Dodge, IA · Church Daycare · Capacity: 19 children
Little Lambs Preschool-GSLC is a religious facility in Fort Dodge, Iowa with an average rating of 4.6/5. Parents consistently praise the welcoming community atmosphere and well-organized events, particularly highlighting their free Halloween activities including pumpkin carving, trunk-or-treating, and family-friendly festivities.
Welcoming and friendly communitywell-organized eventsfree activities for familiesgood facilities
Rating Distribution
Based on 7 daycares with Google ratings in Fort Dodge
Daycare Types Compared
Average ratings by facility type in Fort Dodge, based on parent reviews
Best Rated Neighborhoods
Fort Dodge zip codes ranked by average daycare rating
| Zip Code | Daycares | Avg. Rating | Top Rated | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50501 | 13 | 4.21 | 3 |
Facility Sizes
Capacity distribution of daycares in Fort Dodge (19–281 children)
Small
up to 30 children
3
Medium
31–75 children
3
Large
76–150 children
4
Very Large
150+ children
3
Top Rated
Highest rated daycares in Fort Dodge based on parent reviews
Little Lambs Preschool-Gslc
1436 21st Ave N, Fort Dodge, IA
Little Lambs Preschool-GSLC is a religious facility in Fort Dodge, Iowa with an average rating of 4.6/5. Parents consistently praise the welcoming community atmosphere and well-organized events, particularly highlighting their free Halloween activities including pumpkin carving, trunk-or-treating, and family-friendly festivities.
Calvary Family Center Day Care
1318 10th Ave Sw, Fort Dodge, IA
One parent describes the staff as wonderful and highlights the great care provided at Calvary Family Center Day Care.
Afes Youth Center
712 3rd St Nw, Fort Dodge, IA
Dodger Preschool
1611 Williams Dr, Fort Dodge, IA
Childcare Discovery Center
2329 1st Ave S, Fort Dodge, IA
Several parents highlight the center's warm, family-like atmosphere and excellent staff, noting that children arrive excited and leave happy and calm. However, a single review reports severe supervision failures involving unexplained injuries to a child.
Community Early Childhood Center
1315 S 24th St, Fort Dodge, IA
Map
Daycare types in Fort Dodge
Browse by type in Fort Dodge
Daycare Centers in Fort Dodge, Iowa
There are 13 daycare centers in Fort Dodge, Iowa. Below you'll find a complete directory to help you compare and choose the right daycare for your child.
Based on Google reviews, daycares in Fort Dodge have an average rating of 4.21 out of 5 across 7 rated facilities, with 43% scoring 4.5 stars or higher. Church Daycare facilities lead with an average of 4.8 stars. Our analysis covers 21 parent reviews.
When choosing a daycare in Fort Dodge, consider visiting facilities in person, checking their licensing status, and asking about staff-to-child ratios, daily routines, and safety policies.
All Daycare Centers in Fort Dodge
Showing 13 results
One parent describes the staff as wonderful and highlights the great care provided at Calvary Family Center Day Care.
- Address
- 1318 10th Ave Sw, Fort Dodge, IA
- Phone
- (209) 585-9738
- Address
- 1611 Williams Dr, Fort Dodge, IA
- Phone
- (515) 955-6060
Little Lambs Preschool-GSLC is a religious facility in Fort Dodge, Iowa with an average rating of 4.6/5. Parents consistently praise the welcoming community atmosphere and well-organized events, particularly highlighting their free Halloween activities including pumpkin carving, trunk-or-treating, and family-friendly festivities.
- Address
- 1436 21st Ave N, Fort Dodge, IA
- Phone
- (515) 573-3174
- Address
- 712 3rd St Nw, Fort Dodge, IA
- Phone
- (515) 955-2969
Several parents highlight the center's warm, family-like atmosphere and excellent staff, noting that children arrive excited and leave happy and calm. However, a single review reports severe supervision failures involving unexplained injuries to a child.
- Address
- 2329 1st Ave S, Fort Dodge, IA
- Phone
- (515) 576-6771
- Address
- 1315 S 24th St, Fort Dodge, IA
- Phone
- (515) 573-5461
While some parents express strong satisfaction with the center, noting that their children love attending since infancy, other reviewers report severe concerns regarding cleanliness and management. Specific complaints include allegations of cockroach infestations in the kitchen and cribs, as well as general statements that the facility is not clean.
- Address
- 109 S 8th St, Fort Dodge, IA
- Phone
- (515) 576-5437
- Address
- 2406 9 1/2 Ave S, Fort Dodge, IA
- Phone
- (515) 573-3011
- Address
- 2321 6th Ave N, Fort Dodge, IA
- Phone
- (515) 576-5182
- Address
- 1217 4th Ave S, Fort Dodge, IA
- Phone
- (515) 955-7208
- Address
- 1111 5th Ave N, Fort Dodge, IA
- Phone
- (515) 955-3618
- Address
- 3611 Maple Dr, Fort Dodge, IA
- Phone
- (515) 573-2453
- Address
- 945 S 18th St, Fort Dodge, IA
- Phone
- (515) 574-5863
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Frequently asked questions
- Licensing status with Iowa's regulatory agency
- Staff-to-child ratios (requirements vary by age group in Iowa)
- Safety measures and cleanliness
- Daily routines and educational curriculum
- Parent reviews and ratings
- Location and hours that fit your schedule
- Child Daycare & Preschools — 6 facilities
- Headstart Programs — 1 facilities
- Church Daycare — 2 facilities
- Before or After School Daycare — 4 facilities