Children at daycare

Best Daycare Centers in Marshalltown, IA

Compare 11 daycare centers in Marshalltown. Average rating: 4.54/5 stars. See top 10 ranked daycares, compare by type, and find the right childcare for your family.

Marshalltown, Iowa at a glance

Daycares
11
Avg rating
4.54/5
Parent reviews
36
Top rated (4.5+)
2

Marshalltown has 11 licensed daycares with 36 parent reviews averaging 4.54/5.The highest-rated options cluster around the 50158 zip code, averaging 4.54 stars across 11 programs.Browse all options below to find the right fit for your family.

Top 10 Best Rated Daycares in Marshalltown

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.

  1. 1
    Marshalltown Parks & Rec Summer Blast
    4.18 score
    4.3(8)

    20 W State St, Marshalltown, IA · Child Daycare & Preschools · Capacity: 100 children

    Marshalltown Parks & Rec Summer Blast receives mixed reviews. Parents praise the swimming lessons, friendly staff, and facility for events. However, some parents report poor customer service experiences and concerns about staff honesty.

    Swimming lessons qualityfriendly and helpful staffnice receptionistgood facility for events
  2. 2
    Marshalltown Ymca-Ywca
    4.08 score
    4.1(20)

    705 S Center St, Marshalltown, IA · Child Daycare & Preschools · Capacity: 160 children

    The Marshalltown YMCA-YWCA is a well-maintained community facility with excellent amenities including multiple pools, modern gym equipment, and wellness features like saunas and steam rooms. Parents consistently praise the clean facilities, friendly staff, and variety of classes and activities available for all ages. However, some reviewers note the facility can be expensive and the layout is not intuitive.

    Clean facilitiesexcellent poolsmodern gym equipmentsauna and steam room

Rating Distribution

Based on 5 daycares with Google ratings in Marshalltown

4.5 - 5.0
2
4.0 - 4.4
3
3.0 - 3.9
0
Below 3
0

Daycare Types Compared

Average ratings by facility type in Marshalltown, based on parent reviews

Child Daycare & Preschools

4.42avg rating
5 daycares · 4 rated

Headstart Programs

No ratings yet
4 daycares

Before or After School Daycare

No ratings yet
1 daycares

Church Daycare

5avg rating
1 daycares · 1 rated

Best Rated Neighborhoods

Marshalltown zip codes ranked by average daycare rating

Zip CodeDaycaresAvg. RatingTop Rated
5015811
4.54
2

Facility Sizes

Capacity distribution of daycares in Marshalltown (32–196 children)

Small

up to 30 children

0

Medium

31–75 children

6

Large

76–150 children

3

Very Large

150+ children

2

Top Rated

Highest rated daycares in Marshalltown based on parent reviews

Sonshine Preschool

5(2)

700 E Olive St, Marshalltown, IA

Bobcat Academy

5(2)

1910 S Center St, Marshalltown, IA

Marshalltown Parks & Rec Summer Blast

4.3(8)

20 W State St, Marshalltown, IA

Marshalltown Parks & Rec Summer Blast receives mixed reviews. Parents praise the swimming lessons, friendly staff, and facility for events. However, some parents report poor customer service experiences and concerns about staff honesty.

Swimming lessons qualityfriendly and helpful staffnice receptionist

Elim Children'S Center

4.3(4)

302 W Church St, Marshalltown, IA

Several parents highlight the center's clean environment, spacious baby room, and reliable hours that accommodate working families. However, one parent reports a negative experience involving a lack of supervision.

excellent careclean environmentspacious baby room

Marshalltown Ymca-Ywca

4.1(20)

705 S Center St, Marshalltown, IA

The Marshalltown YMCA-YWCA is a well-maintained community facility with excellent amenities including multiple pools, modern gym equipment, and wellness features like saunas and steam rooms. Parents consistently praise the clean facilities, friendly staff, and variety of classes and activities available for all ages. However, some reviewers note the facility can be expensive and the layout is not intuitive.

Clean facilitiesexcellent poolsmodern gym equipment

Map

Daycare types in Marshalltown

Child Daycare & Preschools 5Headstart Programs 4Church Daycare 1Before or After School Daycare 1

Daycare Centers in Marshalltown, Iowa

There are 11 daycare centers in Marshalltown, 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 Marshalltown have an average rating of 4.54 out of 5 across 5 rated facilities, with 40% scoring 4.5 stars or higher. Church Daycare facilities lead with an average of 5 stars. Our analysis covers 36 parent reviews.

When choosing a daycare in Marshalltown, 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 Marshalltown

Showing 11 results

Sonshine Preschool
Church Daycare
5
Address
700 E Olive St, Marshalltown, IA
Phone
(641) 753-3082
Bobcat Academy
Child Daycare & Preschools
5
Address
1910 S Center St, Marshalltown, IA
Phone
(641) 328-1921
Marshalltown Parks & Rec Summer Blast
Child Daycare & Preschools
4.3

Marshalltown Parks & Rec Summer Blast receives mixed reviews. Parents praise the swimming lessons, friendly staff, and facility for events. However, some parents report poor customer service experiences and concerns about staff honesty.

Swimming lessons qualityfriendly and helpful staffnice receptionist
Address
20 W State St, Marshalltown, IA
Phone
(641) 754-5715
Elim Children'S Center
Child Daycare & Preschools
4.3

Several parents highlight the center's clean environment, spacious baby room, and reliable hours that accommodate working families. However, one parent reports a negative experience involving a lack of supervision.

excellent careclean environmentspacious baby room
Address
302 W Church St, Marshalltown, IA
Phone
(641) 752-8760
Marshalltown Ymca-Ywca
Child Daycare & Preschools
4.1

The Marshalltown YMCA-YWCA is a well-maintained community facility with excellent amenities including multiple pools, modern gym equipment, and wellness features like saunas and steam rooms. Parents consistently praise the clean facilities, friendly staff, and variety of classes and activities available for all ages. However, some reviewers note the facility can be expensive and the layout is not intuitive.

Clean facilitiesexcellent poolsmodern gym equipment
Address
705 S Center St, Marshalltown, IA
Phone
(641) 752-8658
Mica Head Start-St Paul'S
Headstart Programs
Address
201 E Church St, Marshalltown, IA
Phone
(641) 752-8755
Bright Beginnings
Child Daycare & Preschools
Address
713 S 12th St, Marshalltown, IA
Phone
(641) 753-7038
Mica Head Start-Hope Center
Headstart Programs
Address
2203 S 3rd Ave, Marshalltown, IA
Phone
(641) 754-1538
Mica Head Start-Fumc
Headstart Programs
Address
202 W Main St, Marshalltown, IA
Phone
(641) 754-4674
Mica Head Start-High Street
Headstart Programs
Address
206 W High St, Marshalltown, IA
Phone
(641) 753-4877
St Francis Child Care
Before or After School Daycare
Address
310 Columbus Dr, Marshalltown, IA
Phone
(641) 753-8744

Page 1 of 1· 11 results

Frequently asked questions

There are 11 all daycares in Marshalltown, Iowa. Browse our directory to compare options and find the right fit for your child.
Based on parent reviews, daycares in Marshalltown have an average Google rating of 4.54 out of 5 across 5 rated facilities. About 40% of rated daycares score 4.5 stars or higher.
When choosing a daycare in Marshalltown, consider visiting facilities in person and checking:
  • 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
Marshalltown offers several types of childcare facilities:
  • Child Daycare & Preschools — 5 facilities
  • Headstart Programs — 4 facilities
  • Church Daycare — 1 facilities
  • Before or After School Daycare — 1 facilities
Each type serves different needs — center-based facilities typically offer structured programs, while head start programs are federally funded for low-income families.
Daycare costs in Iowa typically range from $200 to $400 per week for full-time care, depending on the child's age, facility type, and location within the state. Infant care tends to be more expensive due to lower staff-to-child ratio requirements. Contact individual facilities in Marshalltown for current pricing.
Yes, daycare centers in Marshalltown must be licensed by Iowa's childcare licensing agency. Licensed facilities are required to meet standards for safety, health, staff qualifications, and staff-to-child ratios. You can verify a facility's license status through your state's licensing database.