Small Hands Big Dreams Learning Centers - Kirtland Inc. is a Gold Step Up To Quality-rated childcare provider at 9823 Chillicothe Road in Kirtland, Ohio, serving infants through school-age children across six age groups. Operating from 6:30 AM to 6:00 PM Monday through Friday, the center combines personalized care—staff know every child by name—with exceptional transparency through daily photo updates and live classroom streams accessible to parents via app. All-inclusive services (diapers, food, formula, sunscreen) and strong health practices, including no televisions in infant and toddler rooms with daily sanitization and fresh food service, support child development across its programs. Parents consistently report children arrive at kindergarten academically, emotionally, and socially ready, backed by a 100% recommendation rate among 35 Facebook reviews—among the highest ratings for the area—and complemented by innovative features like Zono sanitizing technology for toys and an outdoor playground.
Safety7.0
Curriculum8.0
Art / Music7.0
Infant care7.0
Kindergarten readiness7.0
Teacher quality9.0
Compassion8.0
Management9.0
Culture8.0
Extracurriculars8.0
Programs & curriculum
Programs & activities: Programs for infants through school-age children across six age groups: Infant (6 weeks-18 months), Toddler (18-36 months), Preschool (3-4 years), Pre-K (4-5 years), Before & After School (5-12 years), and Summer Camp (5-12 years).
What sets it apart: Gold Step Up To Quality rating with two prestigious awards. Hours 6:30 AM - 6:00 PM Monday-Friday. All-inclusive services: diapers, food, formula, and sunscreen provided. Outdoor playground with climbing and swinging activities. Live video streaming (multiple 5-minute streams daily). Zono sanitizing cabinet technology for toys and books.
Recognition of Excellence — Website Badge
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#1 in Kirtland
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<strong style="display:block;font-size:15px;color:#1A1A18;margin-bottom:5px;">#1 in Kirtland</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 Kirtland. This is the highest recognition we award in the city.</span>
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Top 100 in Ohio
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<strong style="display:block;font-size:15px;color:#1A1A18;margin-bottom:5px;">Top 100 in Ohio</strong>
<span style="font-size:13px;color:#4A4A46;line-height:1.5;">Among the top 100 childcare centers statewide — a distinction earned by fewer than 1% of licensed centers across Ohio.</span>
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Best for Safety
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<a href="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/ohio/major-cities/kirtland/small-hands-big-dreams-learning-centers-kirtland-inc/" 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;">
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<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 Kirtland. Our safety dimension weighs inspection history, deficiency records, and parent-reported safety culture across reviews.</span>
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Best Teachers
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<a href="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/ohio/major-cities/kirtland/small-hands-big-dreams-learning-centers-kirtland-inc/" 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;">
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<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 Kirtland. This dimension weighs staff tenure, qualifications, warmth reported in parent reviews, and consistency of care across classrooms.</span>
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Best Curriculum
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<a href="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/ohio/major-cities/kirtland/small-hands-big-dreams-learning-centers-kirtland-inc/" 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;">
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<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 Kirtland. This dimension evaluates structured learning, developmental programming, and how well daily activities prepare children for each stage.</span>
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Most Compassionate
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<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 Kirtland. This dimension captures how families describe staff empathy, how concerns are handled, and the emotional environment of the center.</span>
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Updated · July 2026
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.
