Sioux Falls Parents Catch Childcare Break Thanks to Gimme-a-Break

Here's some welcome news to all the parents left scrambling to find childcare services in the Sioux Empire following the news that three of the four Apple Tree Childcare Centers in the city plan to close their doors at the end of February.

Word came out on Tuesday, (February 20) that "Gimme-A-Break" on South Shirley Avenue plans to expand its childcare to help provide more affordable options for families who are now struggling to find a provider.

Dakota News Now is reporting that the Gimme-A-Break childcare center in Sioux Falls plans to offer childcare for ages two through five, with the hope of growing the childcare facility even further in the future. But as of right now, they want to take their time and ensure they are providing the same quality of business they offer at their Tea Trailblazers facility.

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Amanda McGregor, owner of Tea Trailblazers, and Gimme-A-Break in Sioux Falls told Dakota News Now, “I’ve seen other daycares in town that have expanded too fast and they couldn’t keep up and I don’t think that’s fair for the families, the kids, the rates, the staffing model goes against all of our visions and missions.”

According to Dakota News Now, it makes McGregor happy knowing that Gimme-A-Break can help out some Sioux Empire families left searching for daycare options by providing them with a daycare center right down the road that can take in younger children between the ages of two and five.

Billed as your Child's Home Away From Home, Gimme-A-Break works to empower growth and learning. They offer full-time, part-time, and drop-in care.

Learn all about what Gimme-A-Break has to offer here.

Source: Dakota News Now

15 Free Things to Do with Kids in Sioux Falls

"What are we gonna do with these kids?" A question every parent askes, especially in the summer. And it's always better if what you do with the kids is free.

Sioux Falls is a small city full of big fun for all ages, and a lot of it is free. We have world-class parks, museums, live music and so much more. Here's a handy list of 15 free things for you and the kids to do in Sioux Falls.

Gallery Credit: Ben Kuhns

The 10 Largest Occupations in South Dakota

Where do people in South Dakota work?

If you were a South Dakotan a hundred years ago, chances are you had a job related to farming or ranching. If you weren't doing the farming, you were selling things to the farmers, fixing things for the farmers, or buying things from the farmers.

In the 2020s, things are very different.

Most of us in the SD work in health care or the service industry in one way or another. In fact, there are more nurses in South Dakota than the entire population of the state capital, Pierre.

Today far more people work at a store or restaurant than have probably ever even been on a farm. Time passes and things change, always. Fifty years from now who knows what jobs South Dakotans will be doing

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, these are the top 10 largest occupations in South Dakota (as of 2022).

Gallery Credit: Ben Kuhns