Complete with an indoor playground and preschool offerings, the new $1.2 million childcare center in Slater is a professional dream come true for Lizz Umland.
The owner of Stepping Stones Childcare celebrated the ribbon-cutting ceremony in June, a goal of hers since she first started working in childcare.
Located at 505 First Ave. N., Stepping Stones caters to children from eight weeks old to age 10, including an all-day preschool program for kids ages 3 and 4.
Indoor playground is unique asset for Stepping Stones Childcare
The facility offers continuity of care for its kids and features an indoor playground.
“We’re one of the only centers in the area with access to a commercial indoor playground,” Umland said. “Between the rain and the heat in the summer, the kids get to move their bodies every day for large motor, which is super important in their world.”
The continuity of care in Stepping Stones’ infant and toddler rooms helps give children a firm foundation.
Children are in an infant room from eight weeks up to 12 months old. Then, they transition to a classroom for toddlers from 12 months to 24 months, with the same teachers accompanying them until the two-year mark.
“They’re only changing rooms one time in their first two years of life,” Umland said. “That’s continuity of care, and it’s not something that a lot of centers offer, but it is so important for an infant to create a bond with an adult, and having less transition time in their first couple years of life really allows them to do that.”
With a capacity for 158 children, Stepping Stones is currently accepting new kids and is also hiring more teachers.
The facility is in a pair of renovated side-by-side buildings. Work started in October 2024 and doors opened on June 2.
Umland founded Stepping Stones as an in-home daycare. She is operating the only state-registered childcare center in Slater.
Childcare project garnered city and county support
The project was funded by a $170,000 committment from Story County and the City of Slater, who viewed the center as an important community asset.
“Stepping Stones is a next-level benefit to our residents and to surrounding residents,” Slater Mayor Taylor Christensen said. “It’s a convenience factor that our community has long missed and desired.”
Catering to a vibrant small-town community
Slater has a population of roughly 1,600 residents and attracts a large number of weekend visitors to enjoy the local amenities, including the two bike trails that run through town, such as the High Trestle Trail.
“We have an awesome community, and this takes us to another level,” Christensen said. “We’re not just a community that you come to and come through, we now offer everything you would need as an employer or as a resident.”
Ronna Faaborg covers business and the arts for the Ames Tribune. Reach her at rfaaborg@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Ames Tribune: A new $1.2M childcare center has opened in Slater, filling a vital need. What to know
Reporting by Ronna Faaborg, Ames Tribune / Ames Tribune
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