How to Find Child Care, Preschools & Kindergartens

The BABY & ME – Tobacco Free Program (BMTFP) is an evidence-informed health program that helps families quit smoking prenatally and incentivizes staying quit after the baby is born. Pregnant people who quit smoking or using e-cigarettes and remain tobacco-free throughout their pregnancy and after their baby is born receive monthly vouchers for free diapers and wipes for up to a year after giving birth.

Community members can schedule car seat checks or find resources for car seat education and free car seats through the Ohio Buckles Buckeyes program.

Dayton Metro Library is a place where you can come to get connected to resources, support, and build healthy community connections. Promoting wellness in all areas allows people to be better students, workers, and citizens because basic needs are being met. DML is committed to doing our part of this important work.

Every Baby Sleeps Safe seeks to reduce infant sleep-related deaths by educating parents and caregivers on the importance of practicing the ABCs of safe sleep for their babies and by providing eligible families and expecting mothers with a free pack ‘n play for their baby. Families must be a resident of Greene or Montgomery County, WIC-eligible, at least 32 weeks pregnant or a child under 1 year of age with no other safe sleep space to qualify.

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is a program that sends free, age-appropriate books to children from birth to age five.

Early Head Start serves children from 6 weeks to age 3 and income-eligible pregnant women. Children receive developmental screenings and special services they may need. Mothers-to-be get connected to prenatal care, and families learn parenting skills and how to promote their child’s early brain development. Options include Full-Day, Full-Year and Home Base.

Early literacy begins with you and includes everything children need to know about reading and writing before they become proficient readers and writers. You can support early learning by using Dayton Metro Library’s fun and creative programs, resources, and services for young children from birth through third grade.

We offer a wide array of services to help families access the resources they need. Including our Choice Food Pantry, Utility Assistance, and Case Management.

Public Health’s Fatherhood program provides support for new dads by building a community of driven, loving and supportive fathers. During our monthly meetings we have an open discussion, hitting on all of the big things we experience as DADs. We also discuss key fatherhood tips and tricks from our parenting trainings.

Omega CDC’s Food Insecurity Outreach program works with Miami Valley Meals to deliver free, prepared meals to organizations, churches, families, and individuals needing food resources.

Ohio residents of all ages can apply online for a FREE Dayton Metro Library card.

Public Health – Dayton & Montgomery County’s Clinic provides routine childhood and adult vaccinations including protection against measles, mumps, rubella, polio, tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis and more. Services are provided on a sliding fee scale. No one will be turned away based on their ability to pay.

MVCDC encourages the involvement of fathers and father figures through our Fatherhood Champions initiative.  This cohort of men join together to share resources and learn about the critical role they play in the development of their children.

The maternal family coaching team is dedicated to improving health risks, empowering pregnant women, reducing low birth weights, reducing infant and maternal mortality, eliminating disparities, and educating mothers.

Healthy Families America (HFA) is a free, voluntary home visiting program that supports pregnant women and new parents from pregnancy through their child’s third birthday. The program helps families build strong relationships, promote healthy child development, and reduce the risk of abuse and neglect.

Neighborhood Navigators connect local pregnant and newly post-partum people to the resources and services they need to support a healthy birth and baby. Neighborhood Navigators can provide resources to help with baby supplies, prenatal care, home visiting services, and more.

Our college degree support program can help you as you navigate finishing college and having a family. We help you navigate the unknowns that come with this stage of life.

We provide support for pregnant moms by connecting families to our Community Health Navigators to provide supportive services, connections and education for families with infants. We help improve the positive outcomes for families and infants.

Dayton Metro Library provides programs for all ages, including early literacy, STEM, tech, and career development programs. For young children, DML provides early literacy-rich Storytimes, Play and Learn programs that give children and caregivers the opportunity to explore new activities and build connections with each other, and Kindergarten Club to support school readiness. Offerings vary by branch.

Ready4Work focuses on individuals and families in Northwest Dayton to address the barriers that have traditionally impeded their access to ensure and maintain living wage jobs.

The Scholars of H.O.P.E. (Health. Optimistic. Prepared. Educated.) program uses afterschool time to expose students to enrichment classes, enhanced learning opportunities, and field trips to broaden their understanding of the world. It is available to Fairview Elementary and Edwin Joel Brown Middle School students and offers a safe after-school environment to support social and academic needs.

This relationship-based approach pairs each child or youth with an adult navigator to craft personalized action plans in collaboration with their families and other caring adults. Student success plans focus on the child’s needs and strengths and pinpoint supports, enrichments, and resources to overcome barriers, foster growth, and advance their goals. With a holistic perspective, Success Planning ensures every child is known, seen, and heard, establishing a positive bond with a caring adult and empowering students to take charge of their journey to success.

Summer Reading Challenge is an annual initiative to support reading and learning through the summer.  Our program is designed to foster a daily habit of reading or learning, which can support academic success!

TIP is a 6 hr., M-F trauma-informed program, meaning we focus on helping your child deal with all of their physical, social and emotional needs. Our focus is on helping your son or daughter control their mind and body and calm themselves so they can learn. Small class sizes and specially trained teachers make this a good fit for some children.

Women, Infants and Children (WIC) serves families by providing nutrition education, supplemental foods, breastfeeding education and support, and referrals to health care and other services. WIC participation is based on income eligibility.  Pregnant people, new mothers, infants and children up to age five are eligible.

The goal is for a child to read 1,000 books by the time they start kindergarten to build literacy skills and a love of reading. Sharing books aloud with a child builds a strong bond between child and caregiver! Track your books online or by using our paper tracker and collect prizes at 250, 500, 750, and 1,000 books read.