Wadsworth, OH · Medina · Based on public reviews & parent communities

Finding the right childcare
in Wadsworth, Ohio

Wadsworth is the birthplace of the famous Blue Tip match, which was manufactured here by the Ohio Match Company starting in the late 19th century—at its height, the Wadsworth plant was the world's largest match factory, producing over 300 million matches daily. Founded in 1814 and named after Revolutionary War hero General Elijah Wadsworth, the city celebrates its distinctive industrial heritage each year with the Blue Tip Festival, a community event that honors the strike-anywhere matches that once defined the local economy. We analyzed all 10 Ohio-licensed childcare centers in Wadsworth, scoring each across 11 real dimensions from parent reviews and public records. No marketing copy — just what real families reported. We scored each Ohio-licensed childcare center across 11 real dimensions — safety, curriculum, arts & music, infant care, kindergarten readiness and more. Scores drawn from major public review platforms and parent communities — not center marketing.

10Centers reviewed
11Dimensions scored
1,000+Reviews analyzed
24,600City population
Sort by
🔍
Score key
9–10 exceptional
7–8 strong
4–6 average or below

1
Trease Road Child Care Center
405 Trease Rd, Wadsworth, OH 44281
Licensed Child Care Center
SUTQ: Gold
7.7/ 10
Safety
7
Curriculum
8
Art/Music
7
Infant care
0
K-ready
8
Teachers
8
Compassion
8
Mgmt
8
Culture
8
Class sizes
8
Extracurriculars
7

Strengths

  • Ohio Step Up To Quality rated: Gold (5-star since 2015) — Medina County's first star-rated center
  • Accepts publicly funded child care (PFCC) vouchers — accessible to subsidy-eligible families
  • All lead teachers hold college coursework and experience in early childhood education
  • Lower-than-required staff-to-child ratios: Toddler 1 at 1:6, Toddler 2 at 1:7, Preschool at 1:10
  • Creative curriculum with teacher-developed individualized lesson plans and child assessments
  • Hot lunches prepared on site daily
  • Large outdoor play area
  • Affordable tuition rates — center was founded by community women to provide accessible quality care
  • Low staff turnover — center self-reports, consistent with Gold SUTQ retention standards
  • Community-rooted: founded in 1982 by First Mennonite Church women to serve local families

Considerations

  • Serves ages 18 months through 10 years — no infant program (youngest accepted is 18 months)
2
Caw/M Wadsworth Preschool Head Start
146 High St., Wadsworth, OH 44281
Head Start · Licensed Child Care Center
SUTQ: Gold
7.3/ 10
Safety
7
Curriculum
8
Art/Music
7
Infant care
5
K-ready
8
Teachers
8
Compassion
8
Mgmt
8
Culture
8
Class sizes
6
Extracurriculars
7

Strengths

  • Ohio Step Up To Quality rated: Gold (5-star) — highest possible state quality certification
  • Federal Head Start program: comprehensive two-generational approach to school readiness
  • Serves children ages 3-5 with no cost to income-eligible families
  • Part of CAWM network serving 373 Head Start children — established organizational infrastructure
  • Bilingual resources: application and parent handbooks available in English and Spanish
  • Home-based option with weekly family visitor visits complements center-based care

Considerations

  • Part-day, part-year schedule (3.5-hour sessions, late August through mid-May) — does not cover full working day for most families
  • Income eligibility requirements limit enrollment to qualifying families
3
The Fox'S Den Childcare Wadsworth
157 Wadsworth Road, Wadsworth, OH 44281
Licensed Child Care Center
SUTQ: Bronze
6.6/ 10
Safety
7
Curriculum
7
Art/Music
7
Infant care
6
K-ready
7
Teachers
6
Compassion
7
Mgmt
6
Culture
7
Class sizes
6
Extracurriculars
7

Strengths

  • Ohio Step Up To Quality rated: Bronze — recognized quality program
  • Accepts publicly funded child care (PFCC) vouchers — accessible to subsidy-eligible families
  • "Best of the Best" award winner 4 consecutive years (2020-2023) — Akron Beacon Journal, Medina Gazette, and Wayne County publications
  • Science-based STEAM curriculum with specialized learning centers for science, art, literacy, and math
  • Play-based learning philosophy with music, art, science, and technology enrichments included in tuition
  • Brightwheel parent app for daily communication and progress updates
  • Full security system: cameras, restricted access, CPR-trained staff, daily sanitization and professional weekly deep cleaning
  • Serves infants through school-age with summer camp — single-center continuity from 6 weeks to 12 years
  • Founded by an 8-year licensed foster parent — child-welfare roots in leadership

Considerations

  • Multiple inspection records show Partially Compliant findings (2022-2025) with complaint investigations in 2022 and 2023, though all issues noted as fully addressed
4
Kids Country Wadsworth
876 West Dr, Wadsworth, OH 44281
Licensed Child Care Center
SUTQ: Gold
6.5/ 10
Safety
5
Curriculum
8
Art/Music
5
Infant care
5
K-ready
6
Teachers
8
Compassion
8
Mgmt
8
Culture
6
Class sizes
0
Extracurriculars
6

Strengths

  • Ohio Step Up To Quality rated: Gold — recognized quality program
  • 100% Facebook recommendation rate from 13 reviewed families
  • BrightPath network — outdoor nature-based learning and daily app updates
  • Parents praise staff, activities, and transparent family communication
  • Accepts publicly funded child care (PFCC) vouchers

Considerations

    5
    Academy Of Young Minds East
    685 Briarthorn Crescent Dr, Wadsworth, OH 44281
    ★ 4 (18 Google)    ·  Licensed Child Care Center
    SUTQ: Bronze
    6.4/ 10
    Safety
    6
    Curriculum
    7
    Art/Music
    6
    Infant care
    6
    K-ready
    7
    Teachers
    7
    Compassion
    7
    Mgmt
    6
    Culture
    7
    Class sizes
    5
    Extracurriculars
    6

    Strengths

    • Ohio Step Up To Quality rated: Bronze — recognized quality program
    • Accepts publicly funded child care (PFCC) vouchers — accessible to subsidy-eligible families
    • Consistently praised staff: parents describe teachers as "the most loving" and "kind, polite and professional"
    • Children arrive happy and leave smiling — multiple parents note visible child happiness at pickup
    • Strong academic outcomes: children learned to write names, trace letters, and built confidence before kindergarten
    • Nutritional breakfast and lunch provided daily
    • Clean, well-organized facility with security cameras noted by reviewers

    Considerations

    • Capacity of 150 children — large center may feel less intimate for some families
    • One older review (2015) alleged overcrowding and high staff turnover in the toddler room; unverifiable whether still current
    • Multiple recent inspection records show Partially Compliant findings (2024-2025), though issues were addressed
    6
    Kindercare Learning Center #919
    135 Smokerise Dr., Wadsworth, OH 44281
    Licensed Child Care Center
    SUTQ: Gold
    6.3/ 10
    Safety
    5
    Curriculum
    8
    Art/Music
    5
    Infant care
    5
    K-ready
    6
    Teachers
    8
    Compassion
    6
    Mgmt
    8
    Culture
    6
    Class sizes
    0
    Extracurriculars
    6

    Strengths

    • Ohio Step Up To Quality rated: Gold — recognized quality program
    • NAEYC-accredited KinderCare — structured curriculum with strong national standards
    • Care from 6 weeks to 12 years in the Wadsworth community
    • Accepts publicly funded child care (PFCC) vouchers

    Considerations

      7
      Academy Of Young Minds, Inc.
      311 Weatherstone Drive, Wadsworth, OH 44281
      ★ 4 (10 Google)    ·  Licensed Child Care Center
      SUTQ: Bronze
      6.2/ 10
      Safety
      6
      Curriculum
      7
      Art/Music
      6
      Infant care
      5
      K-ready
      7
      Teachers
      7
      Compassion
      7
      Mgmt
      6
      Culture
      6
      Class sizes
      5
      Extracurriculars
      6

      Strengths

      • Ohio Step Up To Quality rated: Bronze — recognized quality program
      • Accepts publicly funded child care (PFCC) vouchers — accessible to subsidy-eligible families
      • Staff dedication praised: "The staff's dedication to children is unlike any daycare in the area"
      • Enriching curriculum with art, computer lab, dance, dramatic play, reading, math, science, and foreign language
      • Children reported to excel academically and socially — one parent noted child advanced 8 months in 8 months of enrollment
      • Facility described as clean and always welcoming

      Considerations

      • One older review raised concern about gentleness during infant diaper changes — not confirmed as ongoing issue
      • Responsive director mentioned but management consistency questioned in one historical review
      8
      The Grizzly Club Preschool
      215 High St, Wadsworth, OH 44281
      Licensed Child Care Center
      SUTQ: NR
      6.1/ 10
      Safety
      6
      Curriculum
      6
      Art/Music
      6
      Infant care
      0
      K-ready
      7
      Teachers
      6
      Compassion
      6
      Mgmt
      5
      Culture
      6
      Class sizes
      7
      Extracurriculars
      6

      Strengths

      • Ohio-licensed childcare center — meets state regulatory standards
      • Play-based curriculum aligned with Ohio Early Learning and Development Standards — same benchmarks used by public schools
      • Established program serving children ages 3-5 since 1995 — long community presence
      • Kindergarten-readiness focused while emphasizing children still love learning and being kids
      • Regular access to outdoor activities at nearby Durling Park
      • Walk-in tours welcome, parents always welcome to visit
      • Does not accept state vouchers — uses those resources for staff training and professional development instead

      Considerations

      • Not rated through Ohio Step Up To Quality — center declines participation in state rating system
      • Does not accept publicly funded childcare (PFCC) vouchers — not accessible to subsidy-eligible families
      • Children must be fully potty-trained before enrollment — strict policy; non-compliance leads to removal
      • 2026 state inspection showed Partial Compliance, though issues addressed
      9
      Wadsworth Christian Preschool
      195 Broad, Wadsworth, OH 44281
      Licensed Child Care Center
      SUTQ: NR
      6.0/ 10
      Safety
      6
      Curriculum
      6
      Art/Music
      5
      Infant care
      0
      K-ready
      6
      Teachers
      6
      Compassion
      7
      Mgmt
      5
      Culture
      6
      Class sizes
      7
      Extracurriculars
      6

      Strengths

      • Ohio-licensed childcare center — meets state regulatory standards
      • Christian preschool serving ages 3-5 as a ministry of Wadsworth United Methodist Church
      • Bible-based kindergarten-readiness program integrating academic, social, and spiritual development
      • Affordable tuition: 2-day program at $130/month, rising to $190/month for 4-day Pre-K
      • Pre-K Enrichment afternoon program available (Tues/Thurs) for additional learning time
      • Low student-teacher ratio: 10:2 for 3-year-olds, 12:2 for 4-5 year olds
      • Short-day part-year schedule (Sept-May, 9:15-11:45am) — well-suited for families seeking gentle introduction to school

      Considerations

      • Not rated through Ohio Step Up To Quality — no independent quality benchmark available
      • Part-day, part-year only (9:15-11:45am, September-May) — not suitable for families needing full-day or year-round care
      • Does not appear to accept publicly funded childcare (PFCC) vouchers based on website
      10
      The Growing Place Preschool
      844 Hartman Rd, Wadsworth, OH 44281
      Licensed Child Care Center
      SUTQ: NR
      5.7/ 10
      Safety
      6
      Curriculum
      6
      Art/Music
      5
      Infant care
      0
      K-ready
      6
      Teachers
      6
      Compassion
      6
      Mgmt
      5
      Culture
      5
      Class sizes
      6
      Extracurriculars
      6

      Strengths

      • Ohio-licensed childcare center — meets state regulatory standards
      • Christian preschool serving children ages 3-5 as a ministry of Tabernacle E.P. Church (TEPC) since 1992
      • Mission integrates academic, social, emotional, and spiritual development in a safe and loving environment
      • Before-school care available as an additional option for working families

      Considerations

      • Not rated through Ohio Step Up To Quality — no independent quality benchmark available
      • Children must be fully toilet trained before enrollment — no accommodations for late trainers
      • 2025 state inspection showed Partial Compliance, though issues addressed
      No centers match this filter.

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      Recognition of Excellence · Wadsworth, OH · 2026
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