The Learning Tree Childcare Center

03/19/2026

Things are moving right along at The Learning Tree!

Our HVAC is coming together quickly, electrical work has officially started, and today we had the two new door openings cut out—such an exciting milestone!

It’s incredible to see our vision take shape more and more each day. We are so grateful for the talented local contractors working together to bring this center to life. There’s something really special about watching our community build this for our families and children.

Stay tuned for more updates!! We can’t wait to share the progress with you! 💜🌳

03/16/2026

March Madness Community Square Challenge🏀

This March, we’re inviting our community to help us reach a $20,100 goal for The Learning Tree Childcare Center through our 1–200 Square Challenge!

Here’s how it works:

Our board has 200 squares, and each square represents a donation amount. Community members, families, and businesses can claim a number (or several!) and donate the amount listed.

Sign up this week using the Sign Up Genius link

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0448A9AD22A5F5C34-62856897-number

💸 Pay easily through Venmo here https://venmo.com/u/thelearningtreechildcarecenter

Or donate in person by stopping by and seeing us at

📍 The Safe House Saloon – in Lansing, IA on March 21
📍The Buck Stops Here – in Lansing, IA on March 22

As the board fills, we move closer to our goal of opening our childcare center and serving our local communities.

A strong childcare center doesn’t just support children it supports our entire local economy. When families have reliable childcare, parents can stay in the workforce, local businesses can retain employees, and our community can continue to grow and thrive.

💜 Pick a number. Make a difference. Challenge a friend, coworker, or local business to join you!

03/14/2026

Our senior Work-Based Learning student from Eastern Allamakee Community School District, Izzy, who is also an active member of FFA, brought in her bunnies to share with the class while we were learning about winter animals and how some animals, like rabbits, adapt during the winter months. The students were so excited to see the bunnies up close, ask questions, and learn more about how they stay warm in the winter.

With it being FFA Week at EACSD, we thought it was the perfect time to share these photos and celebrate the great experiences students like Izzy bring into our classrooms.

Experiences like this highlight the importance of work-based learning for high school students, giving them the opportunity to build real-world skills, share their interests, and connect what they are learning in school to meaningful experiences in the community.

Thank you, Izzy, for helping bring our lesson to life for the preschoolers! ❄️🐇

03/09/2026

We are excited for the 2026-2027 3-Year-Old Preschool Registration happening on Tuesday, April 7th from 5:00pm-7:00pm!

We will be accepting students who will be 3 years old by September 15, 2026.

The program is two full days on Tuesdays and Thursdays at The Learning Tree Childcare Center, 695 North Street, Lansing, Iowa.

Preschool is from 8:10am-3:15pm

Before and After Care from 6:30am-6:00pm

You can pre-register at the form below. We will have an open house for your child to explore the classroom at our current location, located at the Meehan Memorial Lansing Public Library Lower Level in Lansing. on Tuesday, April 7th from 5:00pm-7:00pm!

We cannot wait to help your child Grow A Brighter Future! 💜

Pre-register here: https://forms.gle/AarosdFiUEaqSYGo8

03/06/2026

🚧 Construction Update!

HVAC work has officially started in the building! This is a big step forward as we continue working toward our goal of opening later this year.

It’s exciting to see more progress happening each week.

Thank you to everyone who continues to support this project and cheer us on! 💜

03/05/2026

Today, our 3-Year-Old Preschool Classroom had the special opportunity to take part in an Act of Kindness in celebration of Weston “Wessy Boy” Jones’ life. ❤️

Our students loved reading the Weston Fox book together, enjoying the gummy bears, and were so excited about the donation of construction paper for our classroom. Small acts of kindness like these bring so much joy to little hearts.

To help continue celebrating Wessy Boy’s life and the kindness he inspired, our preschoolers are already planning their own act of kindness to pass along to someone else.

Thank you for including our classroom in such a meaningful way. Happy Golden Birthday, Weston.💙

Wessy’s Wonder Foundation

02/27/2026

✨ Sneak Peek Inside The Learning Tree! ✨

Take a look at the progress happening inside our new childcare center! 🎥

In this video, you’ll see where our:

🌿 Infant Room (8 weeks–12 months)
🌿 Toddler & Preschool Classrooms
🌿 Before & After School Space
🌿 Shared areas

We can already see the classrooms filling with little voices and big dreams!!

We’re working hard toward our August Grand Opening — but we still need over $100,000 to get us across the finish line.

If you feel called to support this project, we would be so grateful.

Every share, like, and donation makes a difference. 💚You can donate online here: https://www.paypal.com/US/fundraiser/charity/4927302

02/24/2026

🌟Big things are happening at The Learning Tree! 🌟

In early February, we officially began the “groundbreaking” of our new childcare center in Lansing and what an exciting season it has already been! Walls have come down, plans are turning into progress, and our vision for serving children and families in Allamakee County is coming to life right before our eyes.

We are working hard with the goal of hosting our Grand Opening in August! 🌳

This week, we’ll be sharing a special sneak peek / behind-the-scenes video so you can see the transformation for yourself. You won’t want to miss it!

In the coming weeks we will also be sharing:
✔️ Details about upcoming employment opportunities
✔️ Information on available childcare slots
✔️ Updates as we move closer to opening day

As we continue building, we are still fundraising to help bring this project across the finish line. If you feel called to invest in this dream for our children and families, we would be so grateful. Every gift makes a difference — big or small.

👉 Here is the link to donate online: https://www.paypal.com/US/fundraiser/charity/4927302

Please take a moment to like and share this post to help us spread the word! Your support means everything to us. 💚

📸 Back Row: Alberto Whitlatch - TLT Board Member, Donna Thomas - EACSD Principle, Lisa Welsh - TLT Board President, Val Reinke - Executive Director of ACED, Front Row: Jackie Cooper - Executive Director of Main Street Lansing, Jenny Cole - Director of TLT, and Taylor Crane - TLT Board Member

02/07/2026

Community Learning in Action! 💌

This week our 3-year-old preschool class had the best time visiting our local post office! Not only did they learn how mail works, but they also got to experience it hands-on!! From buying a stamp and placing it on their letter, to putting the letter in the mailbox and learning that it will eventually arrive right at their own home.

Getting to see the entire process come to life made the experience extra special. Hands-on experiences like this help our preschoolers understand the world around them and build meaningful connections beyond the classroom.

We’re so grateful for our local US Postal Service office for welcoming us and helping our children learn how our towns stay connected every day! 🚚💌

12/02/2025

Today was our first day playing in the snow this year and our three-year-olds had an absolute blast…once we actually GOT outside. 😅

**Pop quiz:**

How long do you think it took to get 13 - 3 year olds fully suited up in boots, snow pants, coats, hats, and mittens?

A) 5 minutes
B ) 20 minutes
C) 35 minutes
D) Time stopped and we entered a new dimension

Drop your guesses below 😂

Either way, the smiles were worth every single mitten battle!!❄️❤️

10/29/2025

We are so incredibly grateful for our community & for the Safe House Saloon for hosting this awesome event! Special thanks to our board member Alberto Whitlatch and our fundraising committee member Allison Benzing’s husband Eric for volunteering to bartend at the event!

Great Food & Great Company!

We would like to give a huge shoutout to all of our amazing customers who showed up last night to our “Bartenders for Community” event. Because of you, we were able to raise $1,222 for The Learning Tree Childcare Center!

10/21/2025

🍕 Pizza with a Purpose!

Join us Saturday, Oct. 25th, from 4–9 PM at Safe House Saloon in Lansing for a fun night that gives back!

Safe House will donate 10% of all sales and all tips to The Learning Tree Childcare Center’s Capital Campaign — supporting our efforts to serve 104 youth (8 weeks to school age) in our future location, the unoccupied Lansing Middle School.

Come hungry, bring your family, and help us raise "dough" to help grow brighter futures! 🌱💜