Salem, OH · Columbiana · Based on public reviews & parent communities

Finding the right childcare
in Salem, Ohio

Founded by Quakers in 1806, Salem became a center of abolitionist activism and operated as a station on the Underground Railroad. In April 1850, the city hosted Ohio's first Women's Rights Convention, drawing about five hundred attendees and becoming the first such convention to be organized on a statewide basis—a landmark event where all convention officers were women and women delegates controlled the proceedings. We analyzed all 7 Ohio-licensed childcare centers in Salem, 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.

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

1
Small Wonders Discovery & Learning Center
511 East Pershing, Salem, OH 44460
Licensed Child Care Center
SUTQ: Gold
8.0/ 10
Safety
8
Curriculum
8
Art/Music
7
Infant care
8
K-ready
7
Teachers
8
Compassion
9
Mgmt
8
Culture
8
Class sizes
0
Extracurriculars
9

Strengths

  • Parents say staff go above and beyond; teachers take individual interest in each child
  • Special needs and medically complex infants welcomed — parents of premature babies praised staff warmth
  • Daily Spanish, yoga, gardening, dance, and art included in tuition
  • SUTQ Gold rated, BBB A+ rated, 30-review 5.0 SoTellUs rating
  • All-inclusive tuition covers home-cooked meals, diapers, wipes, infant formula, and sunscreen

Considerations

  • SoTellUs reviews are solicited by the center — pool may not include dissatisfied families
  • Named staff in positive reviews are at other locations; Salem-specific experience less documented
2
The Early Bird Learning Center
357 Cunningham Rd, Salem, OH 44460
Licensed Child Care Center
SUTQ: Gold
7.3/ 10
Safety
7
Curriculum
8
Art/Music
6
Infant care
6
K-ready
9
Teachers
8
Compassion
7
Mgmt
8
Culture
7
Class sizes
0
Extracurriculars
7

Strengths

  • SUTQ Gold rated; reviews say director and teachers are extremely invested in each child
  • Educational-based program with strong kindergarten readiness focus
  • Multi-location operation (Salem, Boardman, Canfield) since 2011 with both half-day and full-day options

Considerations

  • Only 5 public reviews across all platforms — very limited review record
  • Contact email is yahoo.com — minor professional transparency gap
3
Salem Head Start Center
1712 S. Lincoln Ave, Salem, OH 44460
Head Start · Licensed Child Care Center
SUTQ: Gold
6.9/ 10
Safety
7
Curriculum
8
Art/Music
6
Infant care
6
K-ready
7
Teachers
8
Compassion
7
Mgmt
7
Culture
7
Class sizes
0
Extracurriculars
6

Strengths

  • SUTQ Gold (5-star) rated Head Start — highest quality tier awarded by Ohio Department of Education
  • Federal Head Start program operated by CAA of Columbiana County — rigorous federal curriculum and nutrition standards
  • Free program for income-eligible families ages 3-5; comprehensive wraparound services including health, dental, and family support
  • Established community resource serving Salem and Columbiana County families

Considerations

  • Income eligibility requirement — not open to all families regardless of childcare need
  • Hours 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM do not cover a full working day without supplemental care
  • Part-year calendar typical of Head Start — program does not run year-round
4
Lincoln Learning Center
718 E. 3Rd Street, Salem, OH 44460
★ 4.4 (5 Google)    ·  Licensed Child Care Center
SUTQ: Bronze
5.9/ 10
Safety
6
Curriculum
6
Art/Music
5
Infant care
6
K-ready
6
Teachers
6
Compassion
6
Mgmt
6
Culture
6
Class sizes
0
Extracurriculars
6

Strengths

  • Google: 4.4/5 — solid community rating for this area
  • Philosophy of unpressured pace in a warm and loving atmosphere
  • Hours 6:00 AM - 6:00 PM for working families in Salem

Considerations

  • Bronze SUTQ rating
  • No individual review text publicly accessible — cannot confirm specifics behind Google rating
  • Website provides minimal detail on curriculum, staff, or program structure
5
Little Friends Preschool
1028 Jennings Ave, Salem, OH 44460
Licensed Child Care Center
SUTQ: NR
5.4/ 10
Safety
5
Curriculum
6
Art/Music
5
Infant care
5
K-ready
5
Teachers
6
Compassion
6
Mgmt
5
Culture
5
Class sizes
0
Extracurriculars
6

Strengths

  • Ministry of Salem First Friends Church on 16 partially wooded acres — distinctive natural outdoor environment
  • State-certified, degreed teachers with required annual continuing education — strong teacher qualification standard
  • Research-based curriculum building literacy, math, motor skills, and social-emotional readiness for kindergarten
  • Part-day schedule (Mon–Thu 9am–12pm) for ages 3-5 — structured morning preschool program

Considerations

  • No SUTQ quality rating (Not Rated) — has not entered Ohio's formal quality improvement system
  • Part-day schedule only — not viable for working parents needing full-day care
  • Very limited hours (Mon–Thu only) — no Friday programming
6
First Presbyterian Preschool
436 E Second St, Salem, OH 44460
Licensed Child Care Center
SUTQ: Bronze
5.3/ 10
Safety
5
Curriculum
6
Art/Music
5
Infant care
5
K-ready
6
Teachers
6
Compassion
5
Mgmt
5
Culture
5
Class sizes
0
Extracurriculars
5

Strengths

  • SUTQ Bronze rated; accepts PFCC vouchers for subsidy-eligible families
  • Faith-based preschool serving Salem community with licensed childcare

Considerations

  • Bronze SUTQ rating — lower quality tier than area peers
7
The Robin'S Nest Daycare & Learning Center Llc
510 Columbia Street, Salem, OH 44460
★ 3.9 (2 Google)    ·  Licensed Child Care Center
SUTQ: Bronze
5.2/ 10
Safety
4
Curriculum
6
Art/Music
6
Infant care
5
K-ready
5
Teachers
5
Compassion
5
Mgmt
5
Culture
5
Class sizes
0
Extracurriculars
6

Strengths

  • Established 2006; serves infants through school-age with arts, crafts, music, and science activities
  • Extended hours 5:30 AM - 6:00 PM; subsidized child care accepted
  • Staff experienced in child development with early childhood intervention background

Considerations

  • Google rating of 3.9/5 — the lowest in the Salem group
  • Ohio licensing records show Partially Compliant inspection findings in multiple recent cycles (2022-2026)
  • Bronze SUTQ rating; only one accessible review text (from 2013); website FAQ section incomplete
No centers match this filter.

Families in this area also explore

← Back to rankings
Recognition of Excellence · Salem, OH · 2026
Center Name
Awards Earned
Recognition of Excellence — Website Badge
🏆 For Center Directors
Your center has earned independent recognition based on verified parent reviews. You are welcome to display this Recognition of Excellence badge on your website. Paste the snippet below anywhere in your site’s HTML — it links back to your verified ranking page, giving families confidence in your center’s standing.
This recognition is awarded independently by Creative Minds Montessori based on publicly available parent reviews from major public review platforms and parenting communities. Centers do not pay for or request these rankings. Scores reflect editorial synthesis of parent experience — not center marketing materials. Rankings are updated periodically. Methodology & approach →  ·  Who We Are & Editorial Policy
Compare:
Side-by-side comparison