1
7.4/ 10
Safety7
Curriculum8
Art/Music7
Infant care0
K-ready8
Teachers8
Compassion8
Mgmt7
Culture7
Class sizes0
Extracurriculars7
Strengths
- Ohio Step Up To Quality: Gold (5-Star) rating at all SCCAA Head Start locations
- Federally funded Head Start program — free for income-eligible families; no enrollment fees
- Serves preschool-age children (3–5 years); focus on kindergarten readiness and whole-child development
- Teaching staff hold associate's or bachelor's degrees per federal Head Start requirements
- Comprehensive services: education, health (dental, medical, mental health), nutrition, parent involvement, and social services
- Serves children with special needs
- Part-day and full-day class options available; full-day for qualifying families
- Capacity 93 children at Massillon William Malloy site (1134 Walnut Rd SE)
Considerations
- Income-eligibility required — not available to all families
- Inspection records show 2022 annual inspection with non-compliance not addressed; most recent 2025 inspection Fully Compliant
- Hours 6:30 AM–6:30 PM listed but Head Start classes typically run part-day — confirm full-day availability directly
Safety7
Curriculum8
Art/Music7
Infant care7
K-ready7
Teachers8
Compassion8
Mgmt7
Culture8
Class sizes0
Extracurriculars7
Strengths
- Ohio Step Up To Quality: Gold rating — highest voluntary quality designation in Ohio
- Christian-rooted mission (ministry of First Baptist Church of Massillon) founded 2003 — 20+ years serving the community
- Serves infants (6 weeks) through school-age (12 years) — broad age range for working families
- Hands-on, developmentally appropriate learning where children explore at their own pace; supports mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual growth
- Active community engagement: St. Jude Trike-a-Thon, Operation Christmas Child, Red Nose Day hunger campaign, Grandparent Breakfast — strong sense of community culture
- Accepts publicly funded child care (PFCC) vouchers
- Currently enrolling Infant One Classroom — responsive to infant demand
Considerations
- Faith-based environment (Christian) — may not be the right fit for all families
- Website does not list staff qualifications, hours, or tuition details — families must contact center directly for operational specifics
Safety7
Curriculum8
Art/Music7
Infant care8
K-ready7
Teachers8
Compassion7
Mgmt7
Culture7
Class sizes0
Extracurriculars7
Strengths
- Gold SUTQ rating — Ohio's highest quality tier
- Church-affiliated nursery school (Epworth UMC) with named, consistent teaching staff across all rooms: Megan Harris/Kaylee Haddad (Infants), Jocelyn Will-March (Preschool A), Robin Shaw/Jen Howard (Preschool B)
- Educational philosophy grounded in Piaget and Erikson developmental theory — supports children's physical, emotional, social, and cognitive development sequentially
- Full age range: Infant, Toddler A, Toddler B, Preschool A, Preschool B — birth through school age; capacity 75; M-F 6:00 AM–5:30 PM
- Director Theresa Lemon leads center; stable named staff suggests lower turnover than average
Considerations
- April 2025 complaint inspection and August 2025 annual inspection both resulted in Partial Compliance findings (both fully resolved); worth asking center for specifics on what was cited
- Inspection pattern of recurring partial compliance findings across 2022–2025 — corrected each time but warrants follow-up questions
Safety7
Curriculum8
Art/Music7
Infant care7
K-ready8
Teachers8
Compassion7
Mgmt7
Culture7
Class sizes0
Extracurriculars7
Strengths
- Ohio Step Up To Quality: Gold (5-Star) rating — highest voluntary quality designation in Ohio
- Established 1989 — over 35 years serving the Massillon/Perry area
- Uses Creative Curriculum aligned with Ohio's Early Learning and Development Standards
- Serves infants through school-age; two locations (Lincoln Way E and Wales Ave NW)
- One Yelp reviewer: "Amazing staff and directors. The children are well taken care of and treated with respect by each and every teacher." — Miss Inta and Miss Paula praised by name
- Accepts publicly funded child care (PFCC) vouchers
- Open Monday–Friday 6:30 AM–5:00 PM
Considerations
- Inspection record shows complaint investigation in Oct 2025 (partially compliant, fully resolved Jan 2026) and multiple annual partially-compliant findings — parents should ask about specifics
- Very limited public reviews — only 1 Yelp review found; difficult to broadly gauge parent experience
- Website was not accessible at time of research — parents may have difficulty finding program details online
Safety7
Curriculum8
Art/Music7
Infant care0
K-ready7
Teachers8
Compassion7
Mgmt7
Culture7
Class sizes0
Extracurriculars7
Strengths
- Ohio Step Up To Quality: Gold rating — highest voluntary quality designation in Ohio
- YMCA of Western Stark County; located at 131 Tremont Ave SE — serves Massillon City School students at East and West Elementary sites
- Before school open as early as 6:00 AM; after school until 6:00 PM — broad coverage for working families
- Programs include physical activities, arts and crafts, sports, games, and homework help
- School Days Off/Snow Days programming available (6 AM–6 PM) — reduces unplanned care gaps
- Summer Day Camp with swimming, field trips, and themed programming
- Financial assistance available; accepts Ohio DJFS child care assistance
Considerations
- School-age program only (K–6) — no infant or toddler care at this site
- Inspection record shows partially compliant findings in multiple years (2022, 2024); 2024 issues fully resolved but pattern warrants monitoring
Safety7
Curriculum8
Art/Music7
Infant care0
K-ready7
Teachers8
Compassion7
Mgmt7
Culture7
Class sizes0
Extracurriculars7
Strengths
- Ohio Step Up To Quality: Gold rating — highest voluntary quality designation in Ohio; operated by YMCA of Central Stark County
- Before and after school care for K-6th grade at Amherst Elementary site within Perry Local School District
- Before school open as early as 6:30 AM; after school until 6:00 PM
- Activities include physical activities, arts and crafts, homework help, sports, and games
- Financial assistance available; accepts Ohio DJFS child care assistance
- School Days Out/Snow Day programming available at Paul & Carol David YMCA main facility
Considerations
- School-age program only (K–6) — does not serve infants or preschoolers
- Inspection records at main David YMCA site show partially compliant findings in 2022 and 2024 (all fully resolved)
- Contact limited to main YMCA number (330) 830-6275 — no site-specific contact listed
Safety7
Curriculum8
Art/Music7
Infant care0
K-ready7
Teachers8
Compassion7
Mgmt7
Culture7
Class sizes0
Extracurriculars7
Strengths
- Ohio Step Up To Quality: Gold rating — operated by YMCA of Central Stark County
- Before and after school care for K-6th grade at Sauder Elementary site within Perry Local School District
- Before school open as early as 6:30 AM; after school until 6:00 PM
- Activities include physical activities, arts and crafts, homework help, sports, and games
- Financial assistance available; accepts Ohio DJFS child care assistance
Considerations
- School-age program only (K–6) — does not serve infants or preschoolers
- Site-specific details limited — contact main David YMCA at (330) 830-6275 for enrollment information
Safety7
Curriculum8
Art/Music7
Infant care0
K-ready7
Teachers8
Compassion7
Mgmt7
Culture7
Class sizes0
Extracurriculars7
Strengths
- Ohio Step Up To Quality: Gold rating — operated by YMCA of Central Stark County
- Before and after school care for K-6th grade at Strausser Elementary site within Perry Local School District
- Before school open as early as 6:30 AM; after school until 6:00 PM
- Activities include physical activities, arts and crafts, homework help, sports, and games
- Financial assistance available; accepts Ohio DJFS child care assistance
Considerations
- School-age program only (K–6) — does not serve infants or preschoolers
- Site-specific details limited — contact main David YMCA at (330) 830-6275 for enrollment information
Safety7
Curriculum8
Art/Music7
Infant care0
K-ready7
Teachers8
Compassion7
Mgmt7
Culture7
Class sizes0
Extracurriculars7
Strengths
- Ohio Step Up To Quality: Gold rating — operated by YMCA of Central Stark County
- Before and after school care at Southway Elementary within Perry Local School District
- YMCA of Central Stark County is the largest child care provider in Stark County
- Before school open as early as 6:30 AM; after school until 6:00 PM; School Days Out programming available
- Activities include physical activities, arts and crafts, homework help, sports, and games
- Financial assistance available; accepts Ohio DJFS child care assistance
- Emphasizes confidence-building, life skills, and outdoor play and learning
Considerations
- School-age program only (K–6) — does not serve infants or preschoolers
- Inspection records at main David YMCA site show partially compliant findings in multiple years (all resolved)
Safety7
Curriculum7
Art/Music7
Infant care7
K-ready7
Teachers8
Compassion8
Mgmt7
Culture7
Class sizes0
Extracurriculars7
Strengths
- Silver SUTQ rating — Ohio's recognized quality tier (3-star)
- Director/Owner Casey holds a master's degree in Early Childhood Education and Early Childhood Special Education with 19 years of childcare experience — above-average director credentials
- Serves ages 6 weeks to 12 years; participates in subsidized childcare program
- Parent review: "Casey's Play Care is wonderful! I couldn't ask for a better place to send my babies. All of the teachers are very kind to everyone and Casey herself is attentive and understanding."
- Small owner-operated center with direct leadership involvement from a highly credentialed director
Considerations
- Very limited public review volume — one review found; insufficient data to assess consistency across families
- No Yelp or Google review listing found; low public visibility for a prospective parent doing independent research
Safety7
Curriculum8
Art/Music7
Infant care0
K-ready7
Teachers8
Compassion7
Mgmt6
Culture7
Class sizes0
Extracurriculars7
Strengths
- Ohio Step Up To Quality: Gold rating — operated by YMCA of Western Stark County
- Before and after school care at Watson Elementary within Perry Local School District
- Before school open as early as 6:30 AM; after school until 6:00 PM
- Activities include physical activities, arts and crafts, homework help, sports, and games
- Financial assistance available through YMCA Annual Campaign; accepts Ohio DJFS child care assistance
- School Days Off/Snow Days programming available (6 AM–6 PM)
Considerations
- School-age program only (K–6) — does not serve infants or preschoolers
- Massillon Family YMCA (main site) inspection record shows partially compliant findings in 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025, including a Dec 2025 finding noted as "not addressed" as of Feb 2026 — monitoring warranted
Safety6
Curriculum8
Art/Music7
Infant care0
K-ready7
Teachers8
Compassion7
Mgmt6
Culture7
Class sizes0
Extracurriculars7
Strengths
- Established 2006; preschool-specialist center focused exclusively on ages 3–5 with three distinct class levels: Three Year Old, Four Year Old, and Pre-Kindergarten
- Anti-bias, play-based curriculum organized around interest learning centers; covers math, science, language arts, social studies, cooking, and art
- Teaching staff with collectively over 75 years of early childhood education experience — strong indicator of staff retention and expertise
- Small class sizes praised by parents: "We have benefited greatly from the small class sizes not only academically but also because we have been able to really get to know the families there."
- Parent testimonial: "My child has received the best start for elementary school. The teachers are very dedicated to what they do. The staff really have the children's best interests at heart."
- Builds positive self-esteem, independence, curiosity, and social relationships as core program goals
Considerations
- Not Step Up to Quality rated (NR) — has not completed Ohio's voluntary quality improvement program
- Serves only ages 3–5; no infant, toddler, or school-age care — not suitable for families needing full-day or multi-age care
- Part-time schedule options only (2–5 days/week depending on class); no confirmed full-day program for working parents
- Only one testimonial found; insufficient independent review volume to assess consistency
Safety5
Curriculum8
Art/Music5
Infant care5
K-ready6
Teachers8
Compassion6
Mgmt8
Culture6
Class sizes0
Extracurriculars6
Strengths
- Ohio Step Up To Quality rated: Gold — recognized quality program
- Established 1987 — longstanding trusted childcare in the Massillon community
- Serves infants through school age; participates in subsidy childcare program
- Accepts publicly funded child care (PFCC) vouchers
Considerations
Safety5
Curriculum8
Art/Music5
Infant care5
K-ready6
Teachers8
Compassion6
Mgmt8
Culture6
Class sizes0
Extracurriculars6
Strengths
- Ohio Step Up To Quality rated: Gold — recognized quality program
- Hot meals provided; free childcare available for qualifying families
- Caring staff focused on physical, intellectual, social, and emotional development
- Accepts publicly funded child care (PFCC) vouchers
Considerations
Safety5
Curriculum8
Art/Music5
Infant care5
K-ready6
Teachers8
Compassion6
Mgmt8
Culture6
Class sizes0
Extracurriculars6
Strengths
- Ohio Step Up To Quality rated: Gold — recognized quality program
- 100% parent recommendation reported by reviewed families
- Personalized education approach to unlock each child's unique potential
- Accepts publicly funded child care (PFCC) vouchers
Considerations
Safety5
Curriculum8
Art/Music5
Infant care5
K-ready5
Teachers8
Compassion6
Mgmt9
Culture6
Class sizes0
Extracurriculars6
Strengths
- Ohio Step Up To Quality rated: Gold (5-Star) — highest quality designation
- Serving children and families in Jackson Township since 1978
- Ministry of RiverTree Christian Church — faith-based preschool through pre-K
- Structured toddler through pre-kindergarten classrooms
Considerations
Safety6
Curriculum6
Art/Music5
Infant care6
K-ready6
Teachers6
Compassion7
Mgmt6
Culture7
Class sizes0
Extracurriculars6
Strengths
- Ohio Step Up To Quality: Bronze rating
- In operation for approximately 47 years — long-standing community presence in Perry Heights area (3542 12th St NW)
- 1 Yelp review (5 stars): "I have nothing but wonderful things to say about PHCC. Great family-like atmosphere, learning through play, clean environment and very reliable."
- Participates in subsidized child care programs (PFCC vouchers accepted)
- Serves infants through school-age children, including after-school care
Considerations
- Very limited public review base — only 1 Yelp review found; insufficient to broadly gauge parent experience
- No website — parents cannot review programs, staff, or curriculum before visiting
- Bronze SUTQ rating — not at the highest quality tiers
- BBB does not have sufficient information to issue a rating — not BBB accredited
Safety6
Curriculum7
Art/Music6
Infant care7
K-ready6
Teachers6
Compassion6
Mgmt5
Culture5
Class sizes0
Extracurriculars6
Strengths
- Serves ages 6 weeks to 11 years — broad age range including infants; Monday–Friday 6:00 AM–6:30 PM
- Curriculum aligned with Ohio Early Learning Content Standards; play-based, multi-sensory approach supporting cognitive, motor, social/emotional, and adaptive development
- Two Massillon-area locations (Perry: Lincoln Way E; Jackson: Wales Ave NW) — bussing provided to Jackson Local and Perry Local schools
- Parent communication app allowing real-time activity tracking, nap/meal logs, photos and videos
- Owner Ashley brings early childhood education and psychology background; 9,000+ sq ft Jackson facility with 9 classrooms
- Accepts publicly funded childcare (PFCC) vouchers
Considerations
- Not Step Up to Quality rated (NR) — has not completed Ohio's voluntary quality improvement program
- Employee reviews on Indeed raise concerns about owner management/business skills, scheduling issues, and staff accountability
- Not BBB accredited
Safety6
Curriculum6
Art/Music6
Infant care6
K-ready6
Teachers6
Compassion6
Mgmt6
Culture6
Class sizes0
Extracurriculars6
Strengths
- Bronze SUTQ rating — Ohio's entry-level quality recognition
- Serves ages 6 weeks to 12 years; broad age range including infants; M–F 6:30 AM–6:30 PM
- Accepts publicly funded childcare (PFCC) vouchers
- Employee review (July 2024): "Great place to work — the children are great, coworkers are great, and the owners are wonderful. Rated well with step up to quality and ensure safety of the children."
Considerations
- Bronze is Ohio's lowest SUTQ tier; has not demonstrated the quality benchmarks required for Silver or Gold rating
- Center website (kidscastlechildcare.com) redirected to a Florida center — program details for this Massillon location unavailable online
Safety6
Curriculum6
Art/Music6
Infant care0
K-ready6
Teachers6
Compassion6
Mgmt6
Culture6
Class sizes0
Extracurriculars6
Strengths
- YMCA of Western Stark County summer day camp at Perry High School — state-licensed program run by qualified teachers
- Wide variety of activities: swimming, field trips, arts and crafts, themed programming, sports and games
- Before/after school care also offered at Massillon City School elementary sites (East and West Elementary), open 6:00 AM–6:00 PM
- Financial assistance available through YMCA Annual Campaign — no child turned away due to inability to pay
- Accepts Ohio DJFS child care assistance (PFCC vouchers)
Considerations
- Not Step Up To Quality rated (NR) — has not completed Ohio's voluntary quality improvement program
- School-age program only (K–6) — does not serve infants or preschoolers
- Summer camp location at Perry High School is seasonal only — not a year-round site
Safety6
Curriculum6
Art/Music6
Infant care0
K-ready6
Teachers6
Compassion6
Mgmt6
Culture6
Class sizes0
Extracurriculars6
Strengths
- YMCA of Central Stark County main facility at 7389 Caritas Circle NW, Massillon — hub for before/after school childcare across Perry Local School District sites
- Serves up to 72 school-age children; Monday–Friday 6:45 AM–6:00 PM
- Accepts publicly funded child care (PFCC) vouchers; accepts Ohio DJFS assistance
- Most recent inspection (Nov 2025) rated Fully Compliant
Considerations
- Not Step Up To Quality rated (NR) — this listing has not completed Ohio's voluntary quality improvement program
- School-age program only (K–6) — no infant or toddler care at this site
- Inspection records show partially compliant findings in 2022 and 2024 (all fully resolved by follow-up dates)
Safety6
Curriculum7
Art/Music6
Infant care6
K-ready6
Teachers6
Compassion6
Mgmt5
Culture5
Class sizes0
Extracurriculars6
Strengths
- Serves ages 6 weeks to 11 years — broad age range including infants; Monday–Friday 6:00 AM–6:30 PM
- Curriculum aligned with Ohio Early Learning Content Standards; play-based, multi-sensory approach supporting cognitive, motor, social/emotional, and adaptive development
- 9,000+ sq ft Jackson Township facility with 9 classrooms; bussing to Jackson Local and Perry Local schools
- Parent communication app for real-time activity tracking, nap/meal logs, photos and videos
- Owner brings early childhood education and psychology background
Considerations
- Not Step Up to Quality rated (NR) — has not completed Ohio's voluntary quality improvement program
- Employee reviews on Indeed raise concerns about owner management/business skills, scheduling issues, and staff accountability
- Not BBB accredited
Safety6
Curriculum6
Art/Music6
Infant care0
K-ready6
Teachers6
Compassion6
Mgmt5
Culture5
Class sizes0
Extracurriculars6
Strengths
- Operated under the Paul & Carol David YMCA brand — established community organization
- Summer day camp programming designed around variety: activities, learning opportunities, art projects, field trips, and special themes/events
- State-licensed program run by qualified teachers and experienced staff per YMCA standards
- Subsidized childcare program participant
Considerations
- Not Step Up to Quality rated (NR) — has not completed Ohio's voluntary quality improvement program
- License status listed as "Not Renewed" on childcarecenter.us — prospective families should verify current operating and licensing status directly with the center
- Summer only; not a year-round childcare option
Safety6
Curriculum6
Art/Music6
Infant care6
K-ready6
Teachers6
Compassion6
Mgmt4
Culture5
Class sizes0
Extracurriculars5
Strengths
- Longstanding licensed center — active since 1991; capacity 82; serves infants through school age
- Accepts publicly funded childcare (PFCC) vouchers
- Parent review notes: "The teachers are great employees" — direct classroom staff praised despite management concerns
Considerations
- Bronze is Ohio's lowest SUTQ tier; has not demonstrated quality benchmarks required for Silver or Gold rating
- A 2019 reviewer on Yelp described the owner as unprofessional and said a payment dispute took place within view of children and parents, prompting that reviewer to discontinue services.
- All four state inspections between 2023–2025 (including one complaint inspection in March 2024) resulted in Partial Compliance findings — a persistent pattern, though each was resolved
- No website found; very limited public information available for prospective families to research the program
Safety6
Curriculum6
Art/Music5
Infant care6
K-ready5
Teachers6
Compassion6
Mgmt5
Culture5
Class sizes0
Extracurriculars6
Strengths
- Ohio Step Up To Quality: Bronze rating — has met initial quality benchmarks
- Accepts publicly funded child care (PFCC) vouchers — accessible to subsidy-eligible families
- Sibling location to Little Sprouts Child Development Center (main site on North Ave NE), which serves infants through school-age 6:30 AM–5:30 PM
Considerations
- No website — parents cannot review programs, staff, or curriculum before visiting
- Bronze SUTQ rating — not at the highest quality tiers (Gold/5-Star)
Safety5
Curriculum6
Art/Music5
Infant care6
K-ready5
Teachers6
Compassion6
Mgmt5
Culture4
Class sizes0
Extracurriculars5
Strengths
- Ohio Step Up To Quality: Bronze rating — has met initial quality benchmarks
- Accepts publicly funded child care (PFCC) vouchers; overnight care and field trip transportation available
- Implements Creative Curriculum methodology
- Black-owned and women-owned business
- Broad hours: Monday–Friday 6:00 AM–6:30 PM
Considerations
- One parent review on ChildcareCenter.us (Sept 2022) raises concerns about trustworthiness and provider responsiveness — review received significant "helpful" votes (65 of 136)
- Most recent inspection (Nov 2022) rated Partially Compliant with non-compliance issues noted as not addressed
- No website — parents cannot review programs, staff, or curriculum before visiting
- Bronze SUTQ rating — not at the highest quality tiers
No centers match this filter.