Early LearningAcademy
Shaded playground beside the ABC Early Learning Academy building in Ennis
Palmer families

Daycare Near Palmer, TX: 15 Minutes South on I-45

ABC Early Learning Academy is a licensed daycare and preschool at 1700 Cedar Run Road in Ennis, about 15 minutes south of Palmer on I-45. We care for children 6 weeks to 12 years, Monday through Friday from 6:00 AM to 7:00 PM, with hot breakfast, hot lunch, and snack cooked on-site.

Exit 251B

What is the drive from Palmer to our Ennis center?

About 10.7 miles and roughly 15 minutes without traffic; check your map app for live times.

  1. 1From downtown Palmer, follow E Jefferson Street (FM 813) to I-45.
  2. 2Head south on I-45 for about 7 miles toward Ennis.
  3. 3Take Exit 251B, TX 34 toward Kaufman and Italy, onto E Ennis Avenue.
  4. 4Follow Clay Street (Spur 437) and W Lampasas Street to the center near Medical Center Drive.

Heads up: TxDOT lists intersection improvements at I-45 and SH 34 (Ennis Avenue), scheduled from August 2025 to August 2026 in its Ellis County construction update. Check TxDOT for current status and allow a few extra minutes near the exit.

Does driving south first make sense for a Dallas commute?

Be honest with yourself about the math. Palmer sits between Ennis and Dallas, so a stop at ABC adds a trip south before you turn back north. From Palmer, downtown Dallas is about 27 miles and 32 minutes up I-45 without traffic. The Census Bureau's American Community Survey puts Palmer's average commute at about 32.9 minutes (2020 to 2024 estimate; small-town figures carry wide margins of error).

You work in Ennis

Your child is minutes from your job all day, not half a county away.

You need the 7 PM close

We are open until 7:00 PM, so a slow drive home on I-45 doesn't mean a missed pickup. Why we stay open until 7 PM.

You want one stop for siblings

Infants through 12-year-olds share one drop-off. See programs by age.

A railroad town, a short drive from Ennis

According to the Handbook of Texas, Palmer grew up after the Houston and Texas Central Railway arrived in 1872, took its name from D. S. Palmer, a Houston doctor who held railroad stock, and incorporated in 1890. The 2020 Census counted 2,393 residents. Palmer children attend Palmer ISD.

What Palmer families get at ABC

  • • Hot breakfast, hot lunch, and afternoon snack cooked in our own kitchen, included.
  • • Published weekly tuition, 50% off your first week when you refer a new student.
  • • CCS Child Care Scholarships: enrollment help available; ask us about current CCS status. We sit with you to apply.
  • • School transportation near our Ennis center, confirmed at enrollment. How our school runs work.
  • • Texas HHSC license #1840100, 16,550 sq ft, indoor gym, 2.7 fenced acres.

Palmer parent questions

How far is ABC Early Learning Academy from Palmer?

About 10.7 miles, roughly 15 minutes without traffic. From downtown Palmer take I-45 south, use Exit 251B for TX 34 toward Kaufman and Italy, then follow Ennis Avenue and Lampasas Street to our center at 1700 Cedar Run Road. Check your map app for live times before the first morning.

Can ABC take my child to school in Palmer ISD?

Our school runs serve schools near our Ennis center, and every route is confirmed at enrollment. Palmer ISD schools are in a different district, so please call before counting on a ride. Many Palmer families still use us for infant, toddler, and preschool care, plus full days during school breaks.

More in the parent FAQ.

Schedule a tour

Tours run weekdays 9:30 AM to noon or 2:00 to 4:00 PM.

Is your child in care today? *

Sources (retrieved September 16, 2026)