Are you searching for the perfect day care, or looking to enroll your little one in a preschool program? We know it can be overwhelming – but don’t worry mama, we’ve got you covered! Below you’ll find an extensive list of day cares and preschools across Central Ohio, organized for your convenience in alphabetical order by town.
To further help you with your day care and preschool decisions, we’ve included a few helpful links at the bottom of the page.
A big thank you to our sponsors for heartily supporting this community resource, and in particular to our title sponsors, Twinkle Toes Nanny Agency™ and Smoky Row Children’s Center.
Twinkle Toes Nanny Agency™ provides families experienced, quality and hassle-free childcare. We do not believe in up-front costs or membership fees! We provide Full-Time, Part-Time, Temporary, Overnight, and Back Up Care to families with children of all ages in NW Columbus! All our of nannies are CPR certified and screened beyond industry standards! Let us help you find the perfect nanny for your family today!
Phone Number: 380-201-8404
Smoky Row Children’s Center has been providing high quality care since 1983. We provide care for children ages 2 months to 5 years. Additionally, we have a full-day Kindergarten during the school year and a summer camp for children aged 6-8 years old. Our primary goals are to help children learn how to learn and help them establish a foundation for lifelong learning. We reach these goals by implementing developmentally appropriate practices through our philosophy of learning through play, active involvement with their environment and positive interactions with their peers and teachers. Our early childhood educators are evaluated by their professional credentials as well as their warm and sensitive demeanor. All classes have team teachers who have degrees in early childhood development or a related field. Administrators have degrees in child development as well as classroom experience. We’re proud of the longevity of our teaching staff. Many have worked here ten years or more and several past students have become beloved staff members.
Location: 8615 Smoky Row Road
Phone Number: 614-766-2122
Saint Brigid of Kildare Preschool strives to ensure that each of our students are happy, confident, and engaged learners while attending our program. Our curriculum is Catholic faith-based and play-based to prepare all students to enter kindergarten with a solid
foundation of social and academic skills.
Prospective Families OPEN HOUSE 2023
Sunday, January 22, 2023 from 3-5 PM
This is the perfect time to explore our three-time Blue Ribbon School. Tour our school and see first-hand how Saint Brigid of Kildare School provides a quality Catholic education in a warm environment. There will be representatives from Saint Brigid of Kildare School’s many programs available to answer questions.
Ages: 3-5
Schedule: 2-Day Class: Mon & Wed, 8:15 am—11:15 am
These introductory preschool classes teach our newest learners socialization and engagement with peers. Students will learn about cooperation, friendship, and sharing in a Catholic faith-based environment.
3-Day Class: Tues, Thurs, Fri, 8:15 am—11:15 am
These preschool classes offer play-based experiences that foster problem solving, emerging literacy, and other kindergarten readiness skills. Students will practice cooperation, sharing, and discipleship in a Catholic-faith based environment.
5-Day Class: Mon—Fri, 12:15 pm—3:15 pm
This pre-kindergarten class is for students who have completed at least one year of preschool. Students will build upon existing academic skills and dive deeper into kindergarten readiness skills such as writing, literacy, and mathematical concepts. This class
continues to foster discipleship, cooperation, and emotional growth in a Catholic faith-based environment.
Registration Deadline: January 23, 2023
Location: 7175 Avery Road, Dublin Ohio 43017
Phone Number: 614-718-5825
For children in Columbus Academy’s Early Childhood Program – which includes our Explorers, Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten grades – their day begins with greetings, hugs and handshakes all around. Teachers and children dive into the day with multisensory activities that have the room buzzing with energy. Yet all the while, a foundation is being built and learning is taking place. Children in our classrooms feel a sense of belonging, that they are significant and that it is safe to take risks. Both children and teachers at Columbus Academy practice the principles of CARES daily: cooperation, assertion, responsibility, empathy and self-control. These skills set the foundation for academic and social success throughout a child’s life and reinforce what parents are teaching at home. Teachers at Columbus Academy know how our youngest students learn best, what skills they need to strengthen and how to tailor a teaching style to each child. Our low student-to-teacher ratio, plus our responsive classroom approach, ensure that each child receives the type of stimulation he or she needs to best learn. Rain or shine our youngest children venture out on wooded paths and trails across our 231-acre campus where they learn how to safely cross a stream, study the physics of a stone splashing in a pond and learn how to work together in an environment that’s different from their regular routine. Our Early Childhood Program is the launchpad for your child’s education as teachers and staff help children be happy, self-motivated, well-rounded and academically ahead of the game.
Ages: Explorers Program (age 3 by start of school year), Pre-Kindergarten (age 4 by start of school year) and Kindergarten (age 5 by start of school year)
Schedule:
Explorers Program
Morning: 8:05-11:30am | Afternoon: 11:30-3:15pm
• 5 mornings (required) with M-W-F afternoons (optional)
• 5 mornings (required) with 5 afternoons (optional)
*Extended Day program for Explorers includes: lunch, rest, afternoon snack and class meeting to end the school day.
Pre-Kindergarten
Morning: 8:05-11:30am | Full Day: 8:05am-3:15pm
• 5 mornings (required) with M-W-F afternoons (optional) in Semester 1
• 5 mornings (required) with 5 afternoons (optional) Semester 1
*Semester 2: All PreK students stay for Extended Day which includes: recess, lunch, rest, co-curricular/special class or activity, afternoon snack and class meeting to end the school day.
Kindergarten
Full Day: 8:05am-3:15pm
• Full 5 days/week
Application deadline by February 1, 2023
Register for a personal tour by emailing [email protected] or calling 614-509-2220. Watch our Outdoor Learning Zoom@Noon webcast at www.columbusacdemy.org/outdoorlearning.
Linworth Children’s Center has been providing high quality care since 2000. The LCC program was created to allow children to grow cognitively, socially, emotionally, physically, and spiritually. This will be done by exploring their God-given talents in an environment where children can be creative, develop problem-solving skills, explore their world, and learn Christian values.
Fall Registration Opens for New Families January 31st. Call to schedule a tour!
We provide a variety of programs that will fit your family needs.
Part Day Programs:
(Potty trained not required)
2-4 days a week…9am -12pm
2-year-old to 4 -year-old
Full Day Programs:
2 – 5 days a week… open from 7am – 6pm
Children 6 weeks to 5 years
Year-round Early Childhood Program – taught by degreed teachers
Kindergarten Bound:
Monday- Thursday—9am – 1:30pm
Pre-KB 4 by 8/1/23
KB 5 by 12/31/23
Before and After Care available as needed
Kindergarten Enrichment Friday Program available as needed
Full Day Kindergarten:
Chartered by the Ohio Department of Education
Small class size, Monday -Thursday, 9:00am – 3:00pm
Before and After Care available as needed
Kindergarten Enrichment Friday Program available as needed
Elementary Summer Camp Program:
Registration Opens March 6th
2 – 5 days a week… open from 7am – 6pm
Buy A Week Program
Finished Kindergarten – 5th grade
Field Trips, Swimming Trips, Arts and Crafts and so much more!
Location: 7070 Bent Tree Blvd. Columbus, Ohio 43235
Phone Number: 614-336-9559
One School is a non profit providing world class innovative Christian education that prepares students for the jobs of the future — accessible to all families. Our mission is to ignite the power of every child to change the world. Preparing your child for their future is the most important thing we do at One School. We serve Toddlers (18 months) – 8th grade. Our toddler and preschool program is 5 days a week, 7:30 – 5:30. We aim to have all our preschoolers ready for Kindergarten when they are eligible. Registration begins January 1, 2023 and will close when classes are full. For information visit our website or email [email protected]
Location: 817 N. Hamilton Rd., Gahanna, OH 43230
Phone Number: 614-471-9270
WonderKids Club focuses on preschool prep in a 3 hours off The Little Gym experience with instructor-led immersive play, center activities, arts and crafts projects, story time, and creative play!
Our curriculum is focused on kindergarten readiness all in a positive reinforcement atmosphere. 2 hours of academics and 50 minutes inside the gym.
Offered this summer starting June 6-August 10
Tuesday & Wednesdays 12:45p-3:45p
Starting August 21st, 2023, Offered:
– Monday, Tuesday & Friday 9:00am-12:00pm
– come 1 or 3 days
– monthly commitment
– Priority to Wonderkids who sign up for 3 days
For 3-5 year olds. Must be potty trained. No pull ups.
Class size is limited to 14 Wonderkids.
Reach out for more information! www.tlgpolarisoh.com; [email protected]
Location: 8645 Sancus Blvd COlumnbus 43240
Phone Number: 614-430-3355 or Text: 614-826-6597
Bexley
Columbus
Dublin
Grove City
Hilliard
Lewis Center
Powell
Upper Arlington
Westerville
Worthington
Additional Resources
Step Up to Quality: Step Up To Quality (SUTQ) is a five–star quality rating and improvement system administered by the Ohio Department of Education and the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.
Action for Children: Action for Children is the local child care resource and referral agency for Central Ohio; serving Columbus and Franklin County, as well as Delaware, Fairfield, Licking, Madison, Pickaway, and Union Counties.
National Association for the Education of Young Children: The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is a professional membership organization that works to promote high-quality early learning for all young children, birth through age 8, by connecting early childhood practice, policy, and research. We advance a diverse, dynamic early childhood profession and support all who care for, educate, and work on behalf of young children.