Welcome to Bluff's Little Thinkers
Learning Today, Leading Tomorrow.
Located just off of I-29 in Sergeant Bluff, IA, our newly renovated 4,000-square-foot facility includes five age-appropriate classrooms, a sensory room for children with special and unique needs, and a brand-new age-appropriate playground.
Our Story
Bluff’s Little Thinkers Educational Childcare Center is a licensed childcare facility in Sergeant Bluff, Iowa. Bluff’s Little Thinkers, also known as BLT, opened its doors in October 2013.
Our Mission
To provide a stimulating early childhood environment and educational experience which promotes each child’s social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development. Our goal is to support every child’s desire to become a lifelong learner.
Our Philosophy
We take pride in providing care for children from 6 weeks to 5 years of age. We focus on the child's development as a whole, the child within their family, and the community.
Our Facility
BLT is conveniently located on 1st Street directly across from the local Primary School building in Sergeant Bluff, Iowa! Our facility was extensively renovated from 2021 to 2022 to create a child-focused environment that encourages our children to grow, develop and be their best. Our facility includes five beautiful classrooms, over 6,000 square feet of playground for children as young as 6 months, and a sensory room for children with special and unique needs.
Newly Renovated Classrooms
Bluff’s Little Thinkers is an early childhood education program providing a safe and nurturing environment while promoting the physical, social, emotional, and cognitive development of young children. To achieve this, we provide high-quality, age-appropriate items within our classrooms and environment. Teachers engage with children and use learning strategies tailored to the age and development of each child to help them thrive. In 2021, classrooms were extensively renovated with all new flooring, furnishings, rugs, and many other learning environment additions.
New Playground Equipment
Our outdoor gross motor area was extensively renovated and expanded in 2021. We added high-quality custom-designed equipment and fall surfacing geared towards children 6 months to 5 years of age. Our playground helps children develop gross motor skills, fine motor skills, balance, spatial awareness, and coordination. We strive to provide ample outside time to all children daily, allowing them to receive physical exercise as well as unstructured playtime that is essential for the development of self-regulation skills.
State-of-the-art Sensory Room
Our sensory room is a high-quality, therapeutic, safe space where our children can retreat to get a break from overstimulation. This space helps calm and desensitize our children, allowing them time to refocus, prepare to learn, and successfully interact with their peers and teachers. The sensory room is equipped with a wide range of specialized equipment such as a marble wall to provide a visual and hands-on soothing experience, a vibrating platform to provide a relaxing, calming vibration to soothe the body during sensory overload, as well as projectors, bubble tubes, and more. Students with autism, sensory processing disorder, ADHD, and other disorders have access to the sensory room as needed to help calm and regulate their emotions to be successful in our inclusive rich environment.
Why BLT
We strongly believe there are thousands of reasons to make us part of your family, but here are a few:
Commitment to Excellence
At BLT, we are committed to providing high-quality environments for all children in our care. We achieve this by investing in the center to make it a welcoming and nurturing space. We go above and beyond to meet the needs of all of the children and families that we serve. It is our priority to provide EXCELLENT care and to always have open communication with families providing a sense of home.
Security
Safety and security are a top priority at BLT. Our center has five silent alarm buttons strategically placed within our facility. When activated, police and fire are dispatched in case of any emergency. We also have a secured entrance with tinted windows, outdoor cameras, a fire system complete with pull stations, and an AED machine for pediatric and adult patients. All BLT staff stay up to date in mandatory reporter, CPR, first aid, and universal precautions.
Facility
BLT has designed a facility conducive to any child’s unique and/or special needs and abilities. Our facility is newly equipped with renovated classrooms, privacy fencing, roofing, HVAC, safety and security advancements, gross motor equipment, resurfaced playgrounds, technology additions, and a state-of-the-art sensory room.
Staff
The staff and administration of BLT stay up to date on the latest curriculum and strategies available. BLT staff take part in regular training as mandated by the state of Iowa and as recommended by our administrative team. All classrooms utilize lesson plans and developmentally appropriate screenings to identify each child’s individual needs and level of development to best facilitate their learning experience.
Enroll Today!
Our Prices
Part-Time
Full-Time
- * Part-time is considered up to 20 hours per week, anything over 20 hours is considered Full-time.
- * To hold your child’s spot, all payments and fees must be paid whether or not your child has attended. This includes sick days, holidays, weather closures, etc. One week of vacation is given each year to each family, but it does not roll over. We must receive a two-week notice before vacation time is used.
- * BLT will review fees annually, and families will receive a two-week notice, in writing, of any price adjustments.
FAQ
You've got questions? We've got answers!
BLT is currently open 6:30 am-5:30 pm Monday-Friday. We provide our holiday closure schedule one year in advance. In case of inclement weather, BLT follows the local Sergeant Bluff-Luton School District for closures and delays.
BLT utilizes a childcare management software system called Playground. Families have access to an app containing a daily news feed that keeps them up to date on all classroom happenings. Playground also allows families the ability to private chat with administrators. Playground utilizes a calendar feature where you can find all holiday closures, notifications of special events, and other important dates that families need to be aware of. We also utilize this system for invoice payments. Families can view all invoices (current and past) and access any recorded payments at the click of a button on their smartphones. Families also clock their children in and out daily in the lobby via a personal pin code. We prioritize our families being up to date on all happenings within our center and feeling included in all classroom events.
Here at BLT, your meals are included in your weekly tuition cost. We serve breakfast, A.M. snack, lunch, and P.M. snack. We participate in the Child and Adult Care Food Program, ensuring that your child receives well-balanced, nutritious meals. Lunches are catered daily by Aggies, our local catering company, while all other meals are handled by our staff. During the summer months, we take full advantage of our local farmers' market by purchasing produce and meat from local vendors. Doing this allows us to support them and give our children access to locally-grown foods that are as healthy as they are delicious.
Here at BLT, we provide access to a Statewide Voluntary Preschool Program classroom. We partner with the Sergeant Bluff-Luton School District to provide this service to our families. Our partnership allows our families to have access to a certified school district teacher during preschool hours while also allowing them to have surround care outside of those hours. Preschool hours are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 8:15 A.M. -11:00 A.M. Children must turn 4 years of age on or before September 15th of the enrolling school year.
Contact Us
Questions, suggestions? We'd love to hear from you!