FAQs

Yes, First Steps Academy is licensed by the Minnesota Department of Human Services, which means our Rochester locations meet the state's mandatory health, safety, and supervision standards for infant care. MN DHS licensing is the primary trust benchmark parents and caregivers should verify before enrolling any child.

First Steps Academy operates in Rochester, MN and specializes in care for infants, giving local families a licensed, quality-rated option close to home. Our program is built around the specific developmental and safety needs of babies, so parents have a dedicated infant-care environment rather than a generalized daycare setting.

Yes, First Steps Academy participates in Minnesota's Parent Aware quality rating system, which evaluates childcare programs on teaching practices, family partnerships, and staff qualifications. Parent Aware star ratings are one of the clearest independent signals families can use to compare the quality of licensed programs in Rochester.

First Steps Academy follows Minnesota's required infant-to-caregiver ratios, which are designed to ensure each baby receives attentive, responsive care throughout the day. Smaller group sizes in our infant rooms mean caregivers can focus on the individual cues, comfort, and development of every child in their care.

Caregivers at First Steps Academy follow each infant's individual feeding and nap schedule, coordinating closely with parents to honor routines established at home. Consistent scheduling supports healthy sleep patterns and nutrition during a critical stage of development, and parents are kept informed of how their baby's day unfolded.

Safety at First Steps Academy is maintained through MN DHS licensing compliance, which requires regular inspections, trained staff, safe sleep practices, and secure facility standards. Parents can independently verify our license status through the Minnesota Department of Human Services childcare provider lookup tool.

The most important factors are a current MN DHS license, a strong Parent Aware quality rating, a low infant-to-caregiver ratio, and staff trained in infant development and safe sleep. Verifying these credentials through official state sources gives families an objective foundation for comparing programs before making a decision.

Yes, staff who work in the infant rooms at First Steps Academy are trained in infant and toddler development, safe sleep guidelines, and age-appropriate care practices required under Minnesota licensing standards. Specialized training for infant caregivers is a key distinction from programs that assign general childcare staff to all age groups.

You can confirm any program's license status by searching the Minnesota Department of Human Services childcare provider lookup, which is publicly available online and lists active licenses, any corrective actions, and program details. First Steps Academy's Rochester locations are licensed and searchable through that state directory.

Parent Aware is Minnesota's official quality rating and improvement system, and a higher star rating signals that a program has been independently evaluated on curriculum, educator qualifications, and family engagement — beyond the baseline required for a license. For infant care specifically, these additional quality benchmarks help parents identify programs that invest in early brain development.

First Steps Academy accepts infants, making it possible for Rochester families to secure quality licensed care during the earliest and most critical months of a child's life. Enrolling in a program built specifically around infant needs means your baby benefits from age-appropriate environments and routines from the very start.

Toddlers at First Steps Academy follow a structured daily routine that balances guided activities with free exploration, supporting language development, gross and fine motor skills, and social growth. Low caregiver-to-child ratios mean each toddler receives consistent, attentive care throughout the day. The program is intentionally designed to build the foundational skills children need as they transition into a preschool setting.

Yes, First Steps Academy serves both infants and toddlers with age-specific programming tailored to each stage of early development. The infant program focuses on nurturing care and safe routines, while the toddler program introduces structured learning milestones that build language, movement, and social skills. Families in Rochester can enroll children from infancy through the toddler years within the same trusted center.

First Steps Academy's toddler classroom uses structured, play-based activities that are aligned with key developmental milestones in language, motor skills, and social-emotional growth. Caregivers are trained to work specifically with this age group, ensuring activities are appropriately challenging and encouraging for each child. The goal is steady, measurable progress that prepares toddlers for the next stage of early childhood education.

First Steps Academy's Preschool Program uses a structured yet play-based learning approach designed specifically for children ages 3–5. Activities are intentionally built around early literacy, numeracy, and social-emotional development so each child builds confidence alongside foundational academic skills.

First Steps Academy's Preschool Program is designed to send children into kindergarten with the academic, social, and self-regulation skills their teachers will expect from day one. Children practice following routines, communicating in a group setting, and engaging with early literacy and math concepts throughout the program day.

First Steps Academy maintains low caregiver-to-child ratios in its Preschool Program so every 3–5-year-old receives consistent, attentive support throughout the day. Smaller group sizes allow caregivers to track each child's developmental progress and adjust activities to meet individual learning needs.

A typical preschool day at First Steps Academy blends structured learning with play-based activities designed to build the skills 3- to 5-year-olds need before kindergarten. Children move through intentional routines that support early literacy, numeracy, social-emotional growth, and creative exploration, giving each child a consistent, developmentally appropriate experience every day.

First Steps Academy serves families in the Rochester and Cascade Township area with a dedicated Preschool Program built around kindergarten readiness for children ages 3 to 5. The program pairs a low caregiver-to-child ratio with structured, play-based curriculum so 4-year-olds receive the individual attention and foundational skill-building that parents prioritize when choosing a preschool.