Childcare Near Minot Air Force Base: A Guide for Military Families

Finding childcare you can trust is one of the first things on the list when you're stationed at Minot Air Force Base — and often one of the hardest, especially with a PCS clock ticking. This is a quick, honest guide to childcare near Minot AFB: where to look, how to help pay for it, and what to ask before you enroll.

Where The Learning Tree fits

The Learning Tree is a family-owned daycare and preschool at 800 University Ave W in Minot — just minutes from the base. We've served Minot families since 2015 and hold a perfect 5.0 rating on Google. We care for children from 6 weeks to 12 years, so siblings can be in one place, and we're open Monday–Friday, 7 AM to 6 PM.

Help paying for care: CCAP and Air Force fee assistance

Two programs can significantly lower your out-of-pocket cost:

- CCAP (Child Care Assistance Program) — North Dakota's child care subsidy for eligible families. We proudly accept CCAP. - Air Force fee assistance — the Air Force helps offset the cost of quality off-base childcare when on-base care isn't available. Learn more through Air Force Child Care Assistance.

Many military families use one or both. Curious how much daycare actually runs here? See our guide to daycare costs in Minot, then reach out and we'll walk you through what applies to your family.

What to look for near the base

- Licensed and safe — ask about state licensing, teacher-to-child ratios, and staff training (CPR & First Aid, background checks). - Flexible with military life — PCS moves, TDYs, and shift work happen. Look for a center that communicates clearly and works with your schedule. - Real learning, not just supervision — our preschool for 3s and 4s is play-based with genuine kindergarten readiness, and this year it includes fun Spanish enrichment at no extra cost. - Close to base — every minute counts on a duty morning, and we're right in town.

Questions worth asking on a tour

Do you accept CCAP and Air Force fee assistance? What are your hours? What's the teacher-to-child ratio? Is there a waitlist, or are spots open now? Tour during a normal day so you can see how teachers actually interact with the children — the feeling you get matters as much as any brochure.

Come see us

The best way to know if we're the right fit is a visit. Learn about our preschool, book a tour, or call us at (701) 818-4515 — we'd love to meet your family. Welcome to Minot!