Kids First Childcare Capacity

Share Kids First Childcare Capacity on Facebook Share Kids First Childcare Capacity on Twitter Share Kids First Childcare Capacity on Linkedin Email Kids First Childcare Capacity link

Thank you so much for contributing to this page. This feedback page is now closed. Your feedback is being brought to Aspen City Council on June 7, 2021 work session. You can see the results from the 115 people who took the survey in the Documents section to your right.

If you have further comments, you can always email Kids First Director, shirley.ritter@cityofaspen.com.


Kids First serves the community as an early childhood resource center that supports quality, affordable childcare choices in Aspen and Pitkin County. It is funded by a portion of a dedicated sales tax in Aspen. Learn more in this brochure or on the Kids First website.

Childcare Capacity

Childcare capacity refers to the available spots for childcare services in Pitkin County, which includes home-based and childcare center availability. For years in Aspen, the demand for early childcare has been greater than the availability. The City of Aspen and Kids First are committed to increasing access to quality early childhood education and continue to work on solutions to this problem, both short-term and long-term.

Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment data shows that in 2018 a total of 137 babies were born to people living in Pitkin County; in 2019 there were 141 babies born. Aspen Valley Hospital recently reported a 15.3% increase in babies born in 2020 over 2019.

Assuming not all parents of the babies born last year want care, there is still a huge gap between babies born and only 32 infant childcare spaces. This is just one of the issues parents and caregivers face. In addition, parents and caregivers may need childcare beyond typical childcare hours, or in other locations. All of these issues are ones Kids First wants to understand better from parents, caregivers, and future parents.


Please Share Your Voice

Please share your opinion by filling out the survey below on the "Survey" tab and also share your ideas for solutions under the "Ideas" tab.

We look forward to hearing from you.


Thank you so much for contributing to this page. This feedback page is now closed. Your feedback is being brought to Aspen City Council on June 7, 2021 work session. You can see the results from the 115 people who took the survey in the Documents section to your right.

If you have further comments, you can always email Kids First Director, shirley.ritter@cityofaspen.com.


Kids First serves the community as an early childhood resource center that supports quality, affordable childcare choices in Aspen and Pitkin County. It is funded by a portion of a dedicated sales tax in Aspen. Learn more in this brochure or on the Kids First website.

Childcare Capacity

Childcare capacity refers to the available spots for childcare services in Pitkin County, which includes home-based and childcare center availability. For years in Aspen, the demand for early childcare has been greater than the availability. The City of Aspen and Kids First are committed to increasing access to quality early childhood education and continue to work on solutions to this problem, both short-term and long-term.

Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment data shows that in 2018 a total of 137 babies were born to people living in Pitkin County; in 2019 there were 141 babies born. Aspen Valley Hospital recently reported a 15.3% increase in babies born in 2020 over 2019.

Assuming not all parents of the babies born last year want care, there is still a huge gap between babies born and only 32 infant childcare spaces. This is just one of the issues parents and caregivers face. In addition, parents and caregivers may need childcare beyond typical childcare hours, or in other locations. All of these issues are ones Kids First wants to understand better from parents, caregivers, and future parents.


Please Share Your Voice

Please share your opinion by filling out the survey below on the "Survey" tab and also share your ideas for solutions under the "Ideas" tab.

We look forward to hearing from you.


Page last updated: 02 Jun 2021, 02:03 PM