In the News: New Childcare Option Coming to Knoxville
Children's Lighthouse Brings a New Early Learning Option to Knoxville Families
Knoxville families will soon have a new choice for high-quality early childhood education as Children's Lighthouse continues its expansion into Tennessee. The new school is being led by local owner Sohini Patel, a licensed pharmacist, mother of two, and community member whose personal experience inspired her to help address one of the area's biggest challenges—access to quality childcare.
After experiencing the frustration of lengthy childcare waitlists firsthand, Patel was determined to make a difference for other families facing the same obstacles. Rather than accepting the shortage as the norm, she chose to invest in a solution that will provide children with a safe, nurturing environment focused on education, character development, and school readiness.
"Everyone is talking about the same thing—how they literally have nowhere to go," Patel shared in a recent interview, describing waitlists that stretched from one to three years. That experience became the driving force behind bringing Children's Lighthouse to Knoxville.
Located at 9714 Middlebrook Pike, the new Children's Lighthouse Early Learning School will serve children from 6 weeks through 12 years old, offering infant care, preschool, Pre-K, and before- and after-school programs built around the proprietary Lighthouse Pathways® curriculum. Construction is currently underway, with the school expected to open in early 2027, pending construction progress.
Children's Lighthouse is proud to partner with passionate owners like Sohini Patel, whose commitment to serving families reflects the company's mission of developing children academically, emotionally, and socially while providing parents with a trusted early education partner. As Knoxville continues to grow, the new school will help expand access to quality childcare and support local families for years to come.