First Steps

First Steps is a daycare in Atchison, KS, located at 1421 Main St. It serves children from birth to 12 years old across two locations: First Steps on Main and the First Steps Childhood Learning Center. The centers provide early childhood education, nutrition, and play-based learning. Operations run from 6am to 6pm.

What began in 2011 as a single small center with 30 children has grown into two locations serving over 200 children in Atchison and surrounding areas. Led by veteran directors Kathy Harris and Nina Ostertag, the team includes early childhood educators, food service providers, and support staff. The curriculum draws inspiration from child-led philosophies like Montessori and Reggio Emilia. Classrooms use learning centers where teachers guide curious explorers. Infant rooms provide a home-like environment. Toddler rooms support those learning to walk and talk. Pre-K classrooms prepare children for kindergarten.

Each day includes breakfast, lunch, and three snacks. Summer field trips go to the movie theater, parks, and pool. Both centers have up-to-date outdoor play areas. Children attending a local school for half-day Pre-K can be transported back to the center for a fee. Each child gets two weeks of vacation annually, tuition-free. The centers partner with community organizations for free health assessments. Nursing students from HCC provide free child wellness checks yearly. The waitlist is public and updated weekly. Paperwork and communications run through the Brightwheel app. Tuition rates are listed on the site.

First Steps operates with a focus on making every child feel seen, safe, and supported. The centers maintain strong relationships with nonprofit partners to provide expanded services for families in the Atchison community.

First Steps combines decades of experience in early childhood education with a community-focused approach to care in Atchison.

First Steps is situated on Main St in Atchison, Kansas, roughly 0.2 miles from Franklin Elementary School and White Clay Creek. The location is also about 0.3 miles from Lions Pool and Skyway Highway.

BizScoreAI awarded First Steps a Discoverability score of 100 out of 100, which ensures AI crawlers can find every page of the website so AI assistants can recommend the business. The Centers also received a Content score of 100 out of 100, reflecting substantial and relevant website content that search engines reward with better visibility.