Child Care Centers, Family Child Care & Preschools in Howard County

Howard County, Iowa is home to 13 state-licensed care providers across 5 cities. Use the care-type sections below to compare licensing records, inspections, staff-to-child ratios, and program details.

Browse the Iowa directory or jump to a city:

Cresco, IA 9 providers Elma, IA 1 providers Lime Springs, IA 2 providers Protivin, IA 1 providers Riceville, IA 2 providers

Child Care Centers in Howard County

5 providers in Howard County: Elma, Cresco, Riceville, Lime Springs

Child Care Center Elma Early Childhood Center Elma, IA 50628 Child Care Center Kessel Kids Child Care & Learning Center Cresco, IA 52136 Child Care Center Little Cats' Daycare Riceville, IA 50466 Child Care Center Notre Dame Catholic School Playgroup Cresco, IA 52136 Child Care Center Spring Ahead Learning Center Lime Springs, IA 52155

Family Child Care Homes in Howard County

8 providers in Howard County: Protivin, Lime Springs, Cresco, Riceville

Family Child Care Home Alyssa Lau Protivin, IA 52163 Family Child Care Home Amy Leverson Lime Springs, IA 52155 Family Child Care Home Ann Miller Cresco, IA 52136 Family Child Care Home Danielle Kessel Cresco, IA 52136 Family Child Care Home Deborah Oulman Riceville, IA 50466 Family Child Care Home Jennifer Wiley Cresco, IA 52136 Family Child Care Home Lori Born Cresco, IA 52136 Family Child Care Home Rebecca Scheidel Cresco, IA 52136

Head Start Programs in Howard County

2 providers in Howard County: Cresco

Head Start Program Cresco Cresco, IA 52136 Capacity 15 Head Start Program NEICAC-Cresco Head Start Cresco, IA 52136

Choosing care in Howard County

The strongest comparisons weigh several signals together - licensing record, ratios and group sizes, caregiver experience, and the particular hours and services a family needs. No single measure captures all of that, and nothing replaces a visit.

When you are choosing care in Howard County, visit in person if you can, ask about current openings and waitlists, and get tuition, hours, and holiday schedules in writing. Also ask how the program handles sick days, late pickups, and concerns that come up during the day.

Frequently asked questions

How many state-licensed care providers does Howard County have?

According to current licensing data, Howard County, Iowa has 13 licensed providers: 5 child care centers, 8 family child care homes, and 0 preschools.

Which cities in Howard County have care providers?

Based on the current data, Cresco, Elma, Lime Springs, Protivin, Riceville have care providers listed. Open a city page for local listings.

Data sources

Data source: ChildCare.gov state licensing resources, the state licensing agency data, and Head Start Service Locations (HHS/ACF). Data as of 2026-10-07. This page is informational and is not professional advice.

Required disclosures

For general information only. This website shares public data and general information about child care providers. It does not offer professional advice, and it cannot replace a visit to a provider, a review of public licensing records, or a conversation with the people you trust.

Independent and unaffiliated. DaycareFacilities.org is a private, independently run directory. It is not affiliated with, nor endorsed or operated by, any government agency, child care licensing authority, or child care provider. Government agencies have not reviewed or endorsed this site.

Confirm details before acting. Provider records come from public datasets and may lag or contain errors. Always verify current licensing status, hours, availability, capacity, and costs directly with the provider and with your state or territory licensing agency.

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