Preschool Index

Home daycares in Columbus, OH

84 licensed programs · median published tuition $982 a month · 277 with Google ratings

A home daycare, also called family child care, is run by a licensed or registered provider in their own home. Groups are small and mixed-age, and hours are often more flexible than a center. States cap the number of children by the ages in care. Home addresses are private residences, so this directory shows the ZIP code only.

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Childcare in Columbus: what to know

How many licensed child care programs are in Columbus?

Columbus has 642 licensed programs on the Ohio register: 547 daycare centers, 0 licensed preschools, 84 home daycares and 11 before and after school programs.

Who licenses child care in Ohio?

Ohio Department of Children and Youth, Child Care Licensing licenses and inspects child care centers, preschools and home daycares in Ohio. Every profile links to the state record. Licence data on this page was synced in September 2026.

What is Step Up To Quality?

Step Up To Quality is Ohio's rating for licensed programs, with Bronze, Silver and Gold tiers. 476 of 642 programs in Columbus hold a rating.

What does daycare cost in Columbus?

24 programs in the Columbus area publish full-time tuition on their website. The median starting price is $982 a month, and $1,400 a month for infants. Most programs share tuition only on a tour, so ask for the full fee schedule including registration and supply fees.

Why do home daycares show only a ZIP code?

A licensed home daycare is a private residence. The listing shows the licence, capacity and ZIP code. The provider gives the address to families directly.

When should I join a daycare waitlist in Columbus?

Infant rooms fill first because the state allows the fewest babies per teacher. Ask each program how long its infant and toddler waitlists run and whether a deposit holds a place. Home daycares often have shorter waits than centers.

Help paying for care

Most states run a child care subsidy for working families under an income limit, funded by the federal Child Care and Development Fund.

Show programs that accept subsidy →

Source: Child Care Facilities layer, Ohio Emergency Management Agency. Last synced September 2026. Ratings and review counts are from Google.