COVID-19 Resources: Messages from The Center and Resources for Families >

History

who we are
  • 70 years helping children in Franklin County

    In 1945, a group of visionary women in Columbus, Ohio,
    formed The Childhood League “to help children in need.”

    World War II changed the face of the American workforce, and many families found themselves needing childcare for the first time. Federal funding provided for local daycare centers, but as the war ended, so did the funding. Low-income families faced difficult decisions.

    To help those most in need, The Childhood League began assisting the Jacob Hare Home and took over operations at the Sullivant Gardens Nursery in a low-income area on Columbus’ west side.

    In 1951, just six years later, The Childhood League built its own new, then state-of-the-art nursery school. Not long after that, our focus shifted towards an under-served population of “children in need” – those with special needs. We opened our first class for children with developmental disabilities in 1964.

    Our current building opened in 1990 and paved the way for our Early Intervention Program and innovative education for young children with special needs. Located across the street from Nationwide Children’s Hospital, The Center continues to serve as a beacon of hope for children and their families.

    Looking forward, we are planning a new home for The Childhood League Center on the Historic Fort Hayes campus. This facility will greatly expand our innovative programming and continue our mission of “helping children in need.”

  • View our milestones over the past 70 years and the history of special needs.
  • “There is truly no other place like The Childhood League Center.
    The staff at The Center truly cares for the well-being of our kids and their families.

    Working with kids and their families in reaching their full potential is truly a blessing.”
    — Aireal Ishola, OTR/L, Occupational Therapist

Launch a Limitless Life