Finding the right care and education for your child is key to their early development. In this guide, we’ve highlighted top childcare and preschool options in the Toledo area, helping you choose the best fit for your family.

Toledo Christian’s Eagle’s Nest

(PRESCHOOL & PRE-KINDERGARTEN)
4023 Beverly Dr., Toledo
toledochristian.com

What is your school’s goal/mission?
Toledo Christian Schools is celebrating 50 years as a member of the Toledo community. From our humble beginnings in downtown Toledo to today, we have been committed to providing our students with the best in Christian education while creating a life-long community for our families, alumni, and friends of TC. We believe strongly in partnering with Christian families to provide a college-preparatory Bible-centered educational program to educate, disciple and prepare students to follow Christ and impact culture.

Is your curriculum play-based, academic-based or something different?
Our curriculum uses a comprehensive approach that balances direct instruction, play-based activities and student-directed choice:

• Teacher-directed: Teachers guide children through a structured curriculum.
• Formal instruction: Teachers introduce children to early literacy, fine motor training and writing, number sense and math concepts and guided nature exploration.
• Play time: Children have many opportunities throughout the day for intentional play experiences that help develop creativity, critical thinking and social awareness.
• Hands-on experiences: Children “learn by doing” with carefully chosen materials and activities.
• Early learning standards: Our program adheres to early learning standards that focus on cognitive, language and literacy development.

Does the center offer half days and/or full days? Is lunch provided on full days?
We offer both! Children can come for 5 full days, 5 half days or 3 half + 2 full days. All of our schedules are 5-day. Lunch is part of the daily schedule for both half and full-days. Children can bring a packed lunch or purchase a school lunch from our on-site kitchen.

What sets your center apart from others?
A few things that set us apart are Biblical integration and the incorporation of a Christian worldview from the earliest years, our focus on training good habits and virtue formation, and our beautiful indoor gross-motor playspace.

If you could describe your school in 5 words or less, what would they be?
Play, learn and grow together.

RELATED: Childcare & Preschool Guide

Educare Academy

Various locations
Educareacademy.com

Is your curriculum play-based, academic-based or something different?
We use Creative Curriculum, which is play-based.

What age groups do you serve?
We serve infants through school age.

What training/certifications and experience do the teachers hold?
All Lead Teachers have at least a CDA credential or an associate’s degree and hold certifications in FA/CPR, child abuse prevention, communicable disease, as well as professional development hours, completed yearly.

What kind of support does your school offer for children with disabilities?
Educare Academy believes every child should thrive. We recognize that every child is different, and we make equity a priority by welcoming children of all backgrounds, cultures, experiences, identities and abilities. Our classrooms are filled with discovery, where every child is provided similar opportunities, where differences are embraced, and where all children can feel they belong and are included.

What is your school’s goal/mission?
At Educare Academy, our philosophy is to meet each individual child’s needs while fostering their growth. We use the whole-child approach to teaching which supports and nurtures all areas of children’s development and learning – from social-emotional and cognitive skills to literacy, math and science understanding. Our goal is to develop healthy and well-rounded children who are equipped with the skills they need for life.

Children’s Discovery Center

Various locations
419-867-8570
childrensdiscoverycenters.com

Does the center offer half days and/ or full days? Is lunch provided on full days? Infants are full-time only. Toddlers-PreK are full-time and part-time, and 1⁄2 days are offered. Morning snack, lunch and afternoon snack are provided daily for full-time and part- time children.

Does the center have early drop off and/or late pick up available for working parents?
Our operational hours are intended to provide flexibility for working parents, with standard hours being 6:45am-6pm, Monday – Friday

What age groups do you serve?
6 weeks to 5 years of age After-school program: kindergarten – 11 years of age

What accreditation(s) does your school hold?
Step Up to Quality five star-rated

What is your school’s goal/mission?
Children’s Discovery Center, a premier early care and education provider, respects the child, encourages learning through exploration and supports the family within a creative, nurturing and Christian environment.

What sets your center apart from others?
At Children’s Discovery Center, our distinctiveness lies in our unwavering dedication to the renowned Reggio Emilia educational philosophy. Our team comprises caring and skilled professionals, including certified teachers, who create enriching classroom environments for children. We prioritize ongoing staff training and foster a collaborative learning environment led by both teachers and children. Internationally recognized for our innovative approach and classroom designs, our leadership travels widely to coach other early childhood education centers in successfully implementing similar methods within their communities.

Toledo Public School

Various Locations
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 and 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 from Ohio Department of Children and Youth. . 

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.

What age groups do you serve?
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 locations throughout the district. Students are placed at or near their homeschool. 

How do I enroll my child? The first step is visit tps.org and complete the TPS enrollment form.  Space is limited. You can call 419-671-9100 or email [email protected] 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 & 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. 

I HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT MY CHILD’S DEVELOPMENT. 

WE ARE HERE TO HELP. 

• 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.  

Complete the TPS online enrollment form.  You can call 419.671.9100 or email [email protected] with any questions.

How would you describe the teaching style at your school?

THINGS EVERY PARENT SHOULD KNOW ABOUT PLAY: 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 — is developmentally appropriate and hand on learning 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.

More information…

Visit tps.org/departments/early_childhood for further information including listing of locations and contact information for the department.