Ranked #1 overall across all 11 quality dimensions among every licensed childcare center in Delaware. This is the highest recognition we award in the city.
Best for Safety
Earned the highest safety score in Delaware. Our safety dimension weighs inspection history, deficiency records, and parent-reported safety culture across reviews.
Best Teachers
Earned the highest teacher quality score in Delaware. This dimension weighs staff tenure, qualifications, warmth reported in parent reviews, and consistency of care across classrooms.
Best Curriculum
Earned the highest curriculum score in Delaware. This dimension evaluates structured learning, developmental programming, and how well daily activities prepare children for each stage.
Most Compassionate
Earned the highest compassion score in Delaware. This dimension captures how families describe staff empathy, how concerns are handled, and the emotional environment of the center.
Best K-Ready
Earned the highest kindergarten-readiness score in Delaware. This dimension reflects pre-literacy, pre-math, and school-readiness preparation reported by parents and visible in the curriculum.
Full Ranking Detail
childcare
Ohio Wesleyan University Early Childhood Center at 37 Park Avenue in Delaware serves children ages 3–5 with a child-centered learning approach that earned a 98% recommendation rate across 23 parent reviews on Facebook. As a university laboratory school staffed by experienced early childhood educators and supported by Ohio Wesleyan undergraduate assistants, the center maintains an exceptionally small maximum class size of 10 students per group, enabling individualized attention within a guided exploration model emphasizing art, dramatic play, science, math, and block-building activities. The center does not yet participate in Ohio's state quality rating system (SUTQ), and its focus on preschool-age children only means it offers no infant or toddler care—families seeking those services will need to look elsewhere.
Safety7.0
Curriculum8.0
Art / Music8.0
Infant care5.0
Kindergarten readiness8.0
Teacher quality9.0
Compassion8.0
Management7.0
Culture8.0
Extracurriculars8.0
Programs & curriculum
Curriculum & approach: Child-centered learning approach. The day begins with guided exploration where children choose activities such as art, dramatic play, science, math games, and block building, followed by focus groups for continuing projects, journaling, and stories.
Programs & activities: Studio art, dramatic play, science experiments, math games, block building, quiet reading, journal writing, storytelling, music and dance, outdoor learning, snack and community time.
What sets it apart: Serves 3-, 4-, and 5-year-olds. Experienced professional teachers with maximum class size of 10 and capacity capped at 30 children across up to three concurrent classes. Functions as both a community preschool and a laboratory in early childhood education for Ohio Wesleyan University undergraduates. Spring tuition ranges roughly $1,219-$1,984 per semester depending on schedule.
Recognition of Excellence — Website Badge
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#1 in Delaware
<!-- Recognition of Excellence: Ohio Wesleyan University Early Childhood Center -->
<a href="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/ohio/columbus/delaware/ohio-wesleyan-university-early-childhood-center/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" style="display:flex;align-items:flex-start;gap:16px;padding:18px;background:#FFFBF0;border:1px solid #EDD97A;border-radius:10px;max-width:420px;text-decoration:none;color:inherit;font-family:-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,'Segoe UI',Roboto,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;">
<img src="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/badges/rank-1-city.jpg" alt="#1 in Delaware - Ohio Wesleyan University Early Childhood Center - Delaware, OH" width="80" height="80" style="border-radius:8px;flex-shrink:0;" loading="lazy">
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<strong style="display:block;font-size:15px;color:#1A1A18;margin-bottom:5px;">#1 in Delaware</strong>
<span style="font-size:13px;color:#4A4A46;line-height:1.5;">Ranked #1 overall across all 11 quality dimensions among every licensed childcare center in Delaware. This is the highest recognition we award in the city.</span>
</span>
</a>
Best for Safety
<!-- Recognition of Excellence: Ohio Wesleyan University Early Childhood Center -->
<a href="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/ohio/columbus/delaware/ohio-wesleyan-university-early-childhood-center/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" style="display:flex;align-items:flex-start;gap:16px;padding:18px;background:#FFFBF0;border:1px solid #EDD97A;border-radius:10px;max-width:420px;text-decoration:none;color:inherit;font-family:-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,'Segoe UI',Roboto,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;">
<img src="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/badges/dim-safety.jpg" alt="Best for Safety - Ohio Wesleyan University Early Childhood Center - Delaware, OH" width="80" height="80" style="border-radius:8px;flex-shrink:0;" loading="lazy">
<span>
<strong style="display:block;font-size:15px;color:#1A1A18;margin-bottom:5px;">Best for Safety</strong>
<span style="font-size:13px;color:#4A4A46;line-height:1.5;">Earned the highest safety score in Delaware. Our safety dimension weighs inspection history, deficiency records, and parent-reported safety culture across reviews.</span>
</span>
</a>
Best Teachers
<!-- Recognition of Excellence: Ohio Wesleyan University Early Childhood Center -->
<a href="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/ohio/columbus/delaware/ohio-wesleyan-university-early-childhood-center/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" style="display:flex;align-items:flex-start;gap:16px;padding:18px;background:#FFFBF0;border:1px solid #EDD97A;border-radius:10px;max-width:420px;text-decoration:none;color:inherit;font-family:-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,'Segoe UI',Roboto,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;">
<img src="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/badges/dim-teacherq.jpg" alt="Best Teachers - Ohio Wesleyan University Early Childhood Center - Delaware, OH" width="80" height="80" style="border-radius:8px;flex-shrink:0;" loading="lazy">
<span>
<strong style="display:block;font-size:15px;color:#1A1A18;margin-bottom:5px;">Best Teachers</strong>
<span style="font-size:13px;color:#4A4A46;line-height:1.5;">Earned the highest teacher quality score in Delaware. This dimension weighs staff tenure, qualifications, warmth reported in parent reviews, and consistency of care across classrooms.</span>
</span>
</a>
Best Curriculum
<!-- Recognition of Excellence: Ohio Wesleyan University Early Childhood Center -->
<a href="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/ohio/columbus/delaware/ohio-wesleyan-university-early-childhood-center/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" style="display:flex;align-items:flex-start;gap:16px;padding:18px;background:#FFFBF0;border:1px solid #EDD97A;border-radius:10px;max-width:420px;text-decoration:none;color:inherit;font-family:-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,'Segoe UI',Roboto,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;">
<img src="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/badges/dim-curriculum.jpg" alt="Best Curriculum - Ohio Wesleyan University Early Childhood Center - Delaware, OH" width="80" height="80" style="border-radius:8px;flex-shrink:0;" loading="lazy">
<span>
<strong style="display:block;font-size:15px;color:#1A1A18;margin-bottom:5px;">Best Curriculum</strong>
<span style="font-size:13px;color:#4A4A46;line-height:1.5;">Earned the highest curriculum score in Delaware. This dimension evaluates structured learning, developmental programming, and how well daily activities prepare children for each stage.</span>
</span>
</a>
Most Compassionate
<!-- Recognition of Excellence: Ohio Wesleyan University Early Childhood Center -->
<a href="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/ohio/columbus/delaware/ohio-wesleyan-university-early-childhood-center/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" style="display:flex;align-items:flex-start;gap:16px;padding:18px;background:#FFFBF0;border:1px solid #EDD97A;border-radius:10px;max-width:420px;text-decoration:none;color:inherit;font-family:-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,'Segoe UI',Roboto,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;">
<img src="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/badges/dim-compassion.jpg" alt="Most Compassionate - Ohio Wesleyan University Early Childhood Center - Delaware, OH" width="80" height="80" style="border-radius:8px;flex-shrink:0;" loading="lazy">
<span>
<strong style="display:block;font-size:15px;color:#1A1A18;margin-bottom:5px;">Most Compassionate</strong>
<span style="font-size:13px;color:#4A4A46;line-height:1.5;">Earned the highest compassion score in Delaware. This dimension captures how families describe staff empathy, how concerns are handled, and the emotional environment of the center.</span>
</span>
</a>
Best K-Ready
<!-- Recognition of Excellence: Ohio Wesleyan University Early Childhood Center -->
<a href="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/ohio/columbus/delaware/ohio-wesleyan-university-early-childhood-center/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" style="display:flex;align-items:flex-start;gap:16px;padding:18px;background:#FFFBF0;border:1px solid #EDD97A;border-radius:10px;max-width:420px;text-decoration:none;color:inherit;font-family:-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,'Segoe UI',Roboto,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;">
<img src="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/badges/dim-kinder.jpg" alt="Best K-Ready - Ohio Wesleyan University Early Childhood Center - Delaware, OH" width="80" height="80" style="border-radius:8px;flex-shrink:0;" loading="lazy">
<span>
<strong style="display:block;font-size:15px;color:#1A1A18;margin-bottom:5px;">Best K-Ready</strong>
<span style="font-size:13px;color:#4A4A46;line-height:1.5;">Earned the highest kindergarten-readiness score in Delaware. This dimension reflects pre-literacy, pre-math, and school-readiness preparation reported by parents and visible in the curriculum.</span>
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This recognition is awarded independently by Creative Minds Montessori based on publicly available parent reviews and public records. Centers do not pay for or request these rankings. Scores reflect editorial synthesis of verified parent experience — not center marketing materials. Rankings are updated periodically as new reviews are analyzed.
