Child Care Assistance Portal integration is now live!

Free child care management software for Iowa providers + technology grants!

Iowa HHS is partnering with Playground to provide all Iowa childcare programs with:

Free childcare management software thru June 30, 2025
Up to $1,000+ in technology grant funding for new devices
12 months of required financial coaching through the Child Care Collaborative of Iowa

100,000+ providers, teachers, and families

Request a free demo

Meet with our experts to see Playground's benefits proven to be invaluable in enhancing the overall quality of child care programs

In partnership with

Playground is the only app directors need to run a center or home-based childcare

Playground is childcare management software that manages billing, attendance, registration, communication, paperwork, reporting and more for Iowa childcare programs.

Book demo

How is Playground different?

These are some of the most popular reasons why providers choose Playground

Live human support

60 second average chat response time

Live human support

60 second average chat response time

Live human support

30 second average chat response time

Digital documents

Families & staff can fill out any paperwork online through Playground

Digital documents

Families & staff can fill out any paperwork online through Playground

Digital documents

Personal specialist you can call or email

New features weekly

Playground releases new updates and innovations every single week for free

New features weekly

Data transfer from your old system

New features weekly

We'll transfer your data from your old system

Join 100,000+ owners, directors, teachers, and families already on Playground

Your dream, all-in-one childcare management system

Powerful, not overwhelming

Playground has every feature you need to effortlessly run an early childhood program — from child management to HR

Billing

Payment plans for child care

Billing

Payment plans for child care

Billing

Payment plans for child care

Enrollment

Simple registration for child care

Enrollment

Simple registration for child care

Enrollment

Simple registration for child care

Attendance

Paperwork

Take your center paperless

Paperwork

Take your center paperless

Paperwork

Take your center paperless

Communication

Keep families in the loop

Communication

Keep families in the loop

Communication

Keep families in the loop

Activities

Simple photo & video sharing

Activities

Simple photo & video sharing

Activities

Simple photo & video sharing

Food programs

CACFP compliant reporting

Food programs

CACFP compliant reporting

Food programs

CACFP compliant reporting

Subsidized care

Manage 3rd party payment

Subsidized care

Manage 3rd party payment

Subsidized care

Manage 3rd party payment

Child Care Websites

Fully branded & SEO-optimized

Child Care Websites

Fully branded & SEO-optimized

Child Care Websites

Fully branded & SEO-optimized

Curriculum & lesson plans

Track student development

Curriculum & lesson plans

Track student development

Curriculum & lesson plans

Track student development

Book demo

Calvary Chapel Christian Preschool
"Playground is the most customer-friendly system we've used. It’s like an extension of our program."
Denisse Cardenas
Temple Isaiah Preschool
"Playground helped us put together a plan so that our parents and teachers felt prepared when we started."
Dr. Tamar Andrews
Gan Montessori
"I wish someone would've told me about Playground sooner. Stop your search now and just sign up. You'll thank me later!”
Moshe Teldon
Goldberg Montessori
"The immunizations tracker eliminates all pencil and paper for us. I get back 10 hours every month — this is a game-changer!"
Robyn Burck
Westside Neighborhood School
"Once parents started using the app, everyone was thrilled on how easy and intuitive it was."
Enjolie Gray

Temple Isaiah Preschool

"Playground helped us put together a plan so that our parents and teachers felt prepared when we started."

Tamar Andrews

Temple Isaiah Preschool

"Playground helped us put together a plan so that our parents and teachers felt prepared when we started."

Tamar Andrews

Calvary Chapel Christian Preschool

"Playground is the most customer-friendly system we've used. It’s like an extension of our program."

Denisse Cardenas

Calvary Chapel Christian Preschool

"Playground is the most customer-friendly system we've used. It’s like an extension of our program."

Denisse Cardenas

Goldberg Montessori

"The immunizations tracker eliminates all pencil and paper for us. I get back 10 hours every month — this is a game-changer!"

Robyn Burck

Goldberg Montessori

"The immunizations tracker eliminates all pencil and paper for us. I get back 10 hours every month — this is a game-changer!"

Robyn Burck

Temple Isaiah Preschool

"Playground helped us put together a plan so that our parents and teachers felt prepared when we started."

Tamar Andrews

Temple Isaiah Preschool

"Playground helped us put together a plan so that our parents and teachers felt prepared when we started."

Tamar Andrews

Calvary Chapel Christian Preschool

"Playground is the most customer-friendly system we've used. It’s like an extension of our program."

Denisse Cardeneas

Calvary Chapel Christian Preschool

"Playground is the most customer-friendly system we've used. It’s like an extension of our program."

Denisse Cardeneas

Goldberg Montessori

"The immunizations tracker eliminates all pencil and paper for us. I get back 10 hours every month — this is a game-changer!"

Robyn Burck

Goldberg Montessori

"The immunizations tracker eliminates all pencil and paper for us. I get back 10 hours every month — this is a game-changer!"

Robyn Burck

Hear from more centers using Playground

We add new features.

Every single week. For free.

Here's our latest product updates

Workers' Comp, 2FA, & Multiple Choice Custom Fields

Jul 22, 2024

Guardian Roles, Camber AI, & Teacher Access

Jul 15, 2024

Provider Paperwork, Deposits Support, & Schedule Sending Newsletters

Jul 8, 2024

Dashboards, Provider Paperwork, & Draggable Fields

Jul 1, 2024

View our full changelog

Frequently asked questions

What is this Early Childhood Iowa program?

What are the qualifications for the Early Childhood Iowa program?

Is this Early Childhood Iowa program really free?

What if I don’t have time to learn how to use Playground?

What if I need help with the program?

I’m worried that the technology will be too complex for my program.

How does Playground grow enrollment at my center?

Painless onboarding

We'll help you get started in under 15 minutes

1:1 help

Personal specialist you can call or email

1:1 help

Personal specialist you can call or email

1:1 help

Personal specialist you can call or email

Live human support

30 second average chat response time

Live human support

30 second average chat response time

Live human support

30 second average chat response time

Free data migration

We'll transfer your old childcare management app

Free data migration

Data transfer from your old system

Free data migration

We'll transfer your data from your old system

Free training

Family and staff training webinars

Free training

Family and staff training webinars

Free training

Virtual family and staff training webinars

Help Center

Virtual family and staff training webinars

Help Center

Virtual family and staff training webinars

Help Center

250+ guides, best practices, and videos

Request features

Public roadmap for new features you can suggest

Request features

Public roadmap for new features you can suggest

Request features

Public roadmap for new features you can suggest

The best way for Iowa providers to run their childcare centers and family childcares

Make more money, simplify your life, and delight your families by switching to Playground's childcare management software

Making excellent child care accessible to all

Privacy

HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices

Sitemap

Making excellent child care accessible to all

Privacy

HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices

Sitemap

Making excellent child care accessible to all

Privacy

HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices

Sitemap

Child Care Assistance Portal integration is now live!

Child Care Assistance Portal integration is now live!

Child Care Assistance Portal integration is now live!

Free child care management software for Iowa providers + technology grants!

Iowa HHS is partnering with Playground to provide all Iowa childcare programs with:

Iowa HHS is partnering with Playground to provide all Iowa childcare programs with:

Free childcare management software thru June 30, 2025

Up to $1,000+ in technology grant funding for new devices

12 months of required financial coaching through the Child Care Collaborative of Iowa

Request a free demo

In partnership with

Playground is the only app directors need to run a center or home-based childcare

Playground is childcare management software that manages billing, attendance, registration, communication, paperwork, reporting and more for Iowa childcare programs.

How is Playground different?

Your dream, all-in-one childcare management system

Powerful, not overwhelming

Playground has every feature you need to effortlessly run an early childhood program — from child management to HR

Billing

Billing

Billing

Enrollment

Enrollment

Enrollment

Attendance

Attendance

Attendance

Paperwork

Paperwork

Paperwork

Communication

Communication

Communication

Activities

Activities

Activities

Food programs

Food programs

Food programs

Subsidized care

Subsidized care

Subsidized care

Child Care Websites

Child Care Websites

Child Care Websites

Curriculum & lesson plans

Curriculum & lesson plans

Curriculum & lesson plans

We add new features.

Every single week. For free.

Workers' Comp, 2FA, & Multiple Choice Custom Fields

Guardian Roles, Camber AI, & Teacher Access

Provider Paperwork, Deposits Support, & Schedule Sending Newsletters

Dashboards, Provider Paperwork, & Draggable Fields

Frequently asked questions

Painless onboarding

We'll help you get started in under 15 minutes

We'll help you get started in under 15 minutes

We'll help you get started in under 15 minutes

The best way for Iowa providers to run their childcare centers and family childcares

Make more money, simplify your life, and delight your families by switching to Playground's childcare management software