One important decision a parent can make for a child is concerning their educational journey. We rounded up some great local child care centers and preschool options to help you make the best choice for your little ones. 

Gan Yeladim Preschool

6365 Sylvania Ave., Sylvania
419-885-4461
jewishtoledo.org

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What is your school’s philosophy on child care and/or education?

Gan Yeladim Preschool unites children, teachers, family and community in a positive and constructive early childhood experience. Our Jewish values drive the curriculum, environment and school culture. We model and encourage kindness, respect, compassion, confidence and responsibility. Judaism teaches that the formative years of early childhood are vitally important. A child is viewed as a seed that we nurture with the utmost care, since the seed’s very experience will shape and color the quality of its matured self. 

Judaism underscores the uniqueness of every child with the Hebrew axiom “chanoch l’naar al pi darko,” teaching us to train children according to their individual paths. We recognize that each child has his or her unique needs, interests and passions. Our children are viewed as collaborators: they are competent, curious, inquisitive, unique and creative. Gan Yeladim Preschool believes in an experiential and intentional approach to teaching and learning. This approach fosters children’s intellectual development, as they are encouraged to explore their environment and express themselves through words, movement, drawing, painting, playing and other natural modes of expression. We promote an environment where children can develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills for a successful and meaningful life.

What accreditation(s) does your school hold? 

We are currently working on our NAEYC accreditation.

What age groups do you serve? 

18 months to five years.

What days/hours are you open?

Monday-Friday, 8:30am-5:30pm.

How many students attend your school and what is the teacher/student ratio?

Up to 30 students attend. The ratio is 1:5 for toddlers and 1:9 for three and four year olds. 

How would you describe the teaching style at your school?

Play-based. Children are naturally wired to do the very thing that will help them learn and grow. According to NAEYC, “The impulse to play comes from a natural desire to understand the world.”  

What makes your school unique?

Low teacher-to-student ratios, individualized instruction and we are family oriented.

If you could describe your school in 5 words or less, what would they be?

Nurturing, quality, engaging, joyful and relationship-building. 

Children’s Discovery Center

childrensdiscoverycenters.com

Which teaching style would you say is your school’s main focus?

We follow the Reggio Emilia Model approach to learning.

What accreditation(s) does your school hold?

Step-Up-to-Quality, a star-rated system to assess quality and education.

What age groups do you serve?

From birth to age 10.

Hours of operation:

Monday-Friday 6:45am-6pm.

What are some of the most popular activities you do with your students?

Hands-on activities with real-life artifacts. Children use their senses to explore. It is the teacher’s job to listen and present activities to the children that help them answer their questions. We don’t want to give them the answer; instead, we want to provide them with opportunities to discover the answer on their own.

They explore through wire, weaving, clay, problem-solving, experimentation, hypothesizing, etc. Children get exposure to social studies, science, art, music and math, but it is all in a fun way since it is a topic that they want to explore further.

What methods do you use to communicate with parents?

Parent conferences two times per year and the Procare app to provide daily schedule information and pictures. Face-to-face and phone conversations are best.

What makes your school unique?

Our environment and teaching approach. Our environment is often described as the “third teacher” in the classroom.

If you could describe your school in 5 words or less, what would they be?

Creative, nurturing, Christian environment, and educational.

Educare

educareacademy.com

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What do you believe is the most important reason for kids to enroll in school before grade school?

Early childhood education successfully sets students up for lifelong learning. Getting started with learning early helps children establish self-confidence and healthy growth, which makes for a smooth transition to grade school!

What would you say is your school’s motto?

Playing is learning! We believe play is a vital element in a child’s learning experience. 

What age groups do you serve?

6 weeks to 12 years old.  

Hours of Operation:

We are open 5 days a week at all of our 10 locations in the Toledo area. All centers open at 6am and most close at 6 pm. Call our centers directly for specific hours. 

How do you encourage play at your facilities?

Our centers are designed for play-based learning. Our inspiring indoor and outdoor spaces provide a dynamic setting for children to learn how to build their interpersonal skills through play.

What is your summer program like?

Our summer programs are the perfect combination of physical activity and learning opportunities. Students will conduct science experiments, participate in book clubs, have water-play fun and more. 

What makes your school unique?

Our teachers! In addition to their warmth and sensitivity to the needs of young children, our teachers and assistants are carefully chosen for their experience and training in the fields of early childhood education and child development.

If you could describe your school in 5 words or less, what would they be?

Nurturing, educational, play-based, and fun-loving!

Toledo Public Schools

1609 N. Summit St.
419-671-0001
tps.org

What is your school’s philosophy on child care and/or education?

TPS Early Childhood Program Mission

The TPS Early Childhood Program recognizes the importance of early childhood experiences on school success and offers a wide spectrum of services and program options for children and their families. Our work with young children focuses on supporting their self-confidence, social competence, physical health, and academic preparation. We believe that a child’s family, the strongest influence on the child’s development, must be direct participants in the program.

TPS Early Childhood Program Philosophy

The preschool program is based on the understanding that children learn through experimenting, exploring, and interacting with their environment. We provide children with a rich variety of materials to encourage them to touch, smell, taste, hear, and see to thereby learn. 

TPS Early Childhood Program Goals

The written program goals provide a basis for daily operations, which support the needs, interests, and abilities of each child through quiet and active play while:

• Developing positive parent-child-staff relationships.
• Facilitating the growth and development of your child’s emotional, social, intellectual, and physical development.
• Assisting you in the education and development of your child.
• Stimulating children to become problem solvers.
• Assisting children in developing positive social relationships with a diverse group of children.
• Continuing to develop program systems that will help us achieve positive outcomes for our students, their families, and program staff.
• Supporting teachers and other program staff in their roles as service providers and collaborative team members.
• Providing high quality, individualized experiences for all students that are aligned with Ohio’s Early Learning and Development Standards.
• Effectively using evidence-based, culturally sensitive and developmentally appropriate curriculum and assessments to plan learning experiences and monitor student progress.
• Practicing thoughtful collection and use of valid, reliable, and meaningful data to inform programming decisions at both the classroom and program levels.
• Building strong, collaborative relationships with students’ families and community partners.

What accreditation(s) does your school hold? 

All TPS ECE programs meet the 5 Star Step-Up-to-Quality requirements set forth by the Ohio Department of Education. . 

Why should I enroll my child?

Our dedicated staff is focused on ensuring your child is successful when he or she enters kindergarten; that starts with enrolling in a proven early childhood education program. Our highly qualified staff is student-centered in their approach to education. All teachers have earned at least a four-year degree and our classroom assistants have an associate degree in early childhood education.

Who should attend?

Children 3-5 years old who reside in the Toledo Public School District are eligible to attend the TPS Early Childhood Program.

Where are the programs located?

The TPS Early Childhood Program has preschool-only sites at Crossgates School and Mayfair School and classrooms at over two dozen TPS schools and the East Toledo Family Center.

How can parents enroll their child?

The first step is visit tps.org and complete the TPS enrollment form.  You will then receive follow up information. Space is limited. You can call 419-671-9100 or email ec@tps.com with any questions.

What makes your school unique?

TPS Early Childhood Program believes in supporting the whole child which includes support services such as school nurses and health specialists, behavioral specialists, specialized staff for speech, physical, and occupational therapy, and family support partners. 

What days/hours are you open?

The TPS Early Childhood Programs offers a variety of options to meet the needs of all students including full-day and part-day sessions Monday – Thursday following the TPS District calendar and building hours. 

How many students attend your school and what is the teacher/student ratio?

Toledo Public Schools has over 1,200 students in the Early Childhood Program.  Space is limited due to licensing capacity and preschool is not mandatory by the state for general preschool students. 

Call us at 419-671-9100 or email ec@tps.com for help with online enrollment, or if you have questions about the following:

• Development. 
• Speech, emotional/behavioral skills, social skills, learning, or physical development. 
• Ability to eat, drink, toilet, and dress independently. 
• Medical issues that may impact his or her education. 
• Disabilities that may impact him or her in a school setting.  

How would you describe the teaching style at your school?

Creative Curriculum is a play-based and whole-child approach to education, one where children have opportunities to develop not only math and literacy skills but also social \–emotional, physical, and cognitive skills. It is developmentally appropriate and hands-on learning that better prepares children for life well beyond their time in a classroom. 

• Playing is learning. 
• Play benefits your child’s development. 
• Play provides children with an opportunity to develop relationships with other children and adults while enhancing communication skills. 
• Play allows children to express their feelings and relieves stress. 
• Play promotes curiosity and challenges children to develop problem-solving skills.

If you could describe your school in 5 words or less, what would they be?

School readiness starts in early childhood.

For more information, visit TPS.org/Departments/Early Childhood for further information, including listing of locations and contact information for the department.