Wilmington, OH · Clinton · Based on public reviews & parent communities

Finding the right childcare
in Wilmington, Ohio

Wilmington is home to Wilmington College, a Quaker institution established in 1870 that shaped the city's strong educational heritage and distinct religious culture reflected in numerous Quaker meeting houses throughout the area. The city claims the birthplace of the banana split, the beloved ice cream dessert allegedly created here in 1907, celebrated annually at the Banana Split Festival. Wilmington also gained recognition as the first city in the United States to establish a Green Enterprise Zone in 2009, pioneering sustainable economic development at the municipal level. We analyzed all 6 Ohio-licensed childcare centers in Wilmington, 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.

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

1
Sonshine Christian School
909 W Locust Street, Wilmington, OH 45177
Licensed Child Care Center
SUTQ: NR
7.3/ 10
Safety
7
Curriculum
7
Art/Music
7
Infant care
0
K-ready
8
Teachers
7
Compassion
8
Mgmt
7
Culture
8
Class sizes
0
Extracurriculars
7

Strengths

  • Parent reviews praise caring, nurturing, Christ-centered atmosphere
  • Described as "very serious about the business of taking care of our kids"
  • Positive and well-rounded learning environment for preschool and kindergarten
  • Ministry of Wilmington Church of Christ — stable faith community

Considerations

  • SUTQ: NR — no state quality rating on file
  • Faith-based setting — may not suit secular families
  • Preschool and kindergarten only — no infant/toddler care
2
Erdman Center For Early Learning
789 N. Nelson Avenue, Wilmington, OH 45177
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

  • Head Start affiliated early learning center
  • Annual community events like Fishing Derby for families
  • Serving Wilmington children and families

Considerations

    3
    Timber Faith Preschool
    840 Timber Glen, Wilmington, OH 45177
    Licensed Child Care Center
    SUTQ: NR
    6.2/ 10
    Safety
    6
    Curriculum
    6
    Art/Music
    6
    Infant care
    0
    K-ready
    7
    Teachers
    6
    Compassion
    7
    Mgmt
    5
    Culture
    7
    Class sizes
    0
    Extracurriculars
    6

    Strengths

    • Faith-integrated preschool in Wilmington
    • Ohio-licensed childcare

    Considerations

    • SUTQ: NR — no state quality rating on file
    • Faith-based setting — may not suit secular families
    • No website found — limited online transparency
    4
    Wilmington Cooperative Preschool
    74 E Locust St, Wilmington, OH 45177
    Licensed Child Care Center
    SUTQ: NR
    6.2/ 10
    Safety
    6
    Curriculum
    6
    Art/Music
    6
    Infant care
    0
    K-ready
    7
    Teachers
    6
    Compassion
    7
    Mgmt
    5
    Culture
    7
    Class sizes
    0
    Extracurriculars
    6

    Strengths

    • Cooperative preschool model — parent involvement in classroom
    • Ages 3-5 preschool programming in central Wilmington location
    • Ohio-licensed childcare

    Considerations

    • SUTQ: NR — no state quality rating on file
    • Requires parent volunteering — may not suit all families
    • No website found — limited online transparency
    5
    Clinton County Early Learning Center
    1600 Alex Dr., Wilmington, OH 45177
    Licensed Child Care Center
    SUTQ: Bronze
    5.7/ 10
    Safety
    5
    Curriculum
    6
    Art/Music
    5
    Infant care
    5
    K-ready
    6
    Teachers
    6
    Compassion
    6
    Mgmt
    6
    Culture
    6
    Class sizes
    0
    Extracurriculars
    6

    Strengths

    • Only non-profit full-day center for ages 0-5 in Clinton County
    • Community-focused early learning serving Wilmington families
    • Ohio-licensed childcare center

    Considerations

      6
      Erdman Early Learning Center Site B
      717 N. Nelson Ave., Wilmington, OH 45177
      Licensed Child Care Center
      SUTQ: NR
      5.6/ 10
      Safety
      5
      Curriculum
      6
      Art/Music
      5
      Infant care
      5
      K-ready
      5
      Teachers
      6
      Compassion
      6
      Mgmt
      6
      Culture
      6
      Class sizes
      0
      Extracurriculars
      6

      Strengths

      • Head Start affiliated early learning center
      • Annual community events like Fishing Derby for families
      • Serving Wilmington children and families

      Considerations

        No centers match this filter.

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        Recognition of Excellence · Wilmington, OH · 2026
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