Early Learning and Child Care

Education and child care resources for children and families

Find Child Care

Parent Aware

Offers free tools and resources to help families find the quality child care and early education programs their children need to succeed in school and life.

Child Care Aware of Minnesota

Online Classes for Child Care Providers and Parents

Head Start Programs

Head Start supports the comprehensive development of children from birth through age 5 to promote school readiness for young children from low-income families. Head Start services include early learning, health, and family well-being.

Early Head Start (Birth through 2 years)

Services and programming for low-income infants, toddlers, pregnant women and their families that support child development, parenting skills and self-sufficiency.

Head Start (3 through 5 years)

Services and programming that prepare low-income preschool children and their families for transition to public school kindergarten and support child development, parenting skills and self-sufficiency.

Paying for Child Care

Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP)

County program that helps families with low incomes pay for child care while they go to work, look for work or attend school.

Early Learning Scholarships

Financial support for parents to access high quality early child programs for their children up to age four with high needs.

School-based Early Learning Programs

School districts provide a range of early learning programs and services for families and children aged birth-up-to-kindergarten. The programs offer opportunities for both families and children to enhance their learning and development, achieve positive outcomes for children, and support their transition to kindergarten. The programs include: School Readiness, Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE) and Voluntary Prekindergarten/School Readiness Plus programs.