We Did It: A Recap of iNNTD Columbus 2026
We have been sitting with this one for a little while, letting it settle, because some things deserve more than a quick post. InterNational Nanny Training Day Columbus 2026 was one of those things.
On Saturday, April 11th, 2026, The Heart State Nanny Agency hosted iNNTD at COhatch Polaris, and Columbus showed up. Sixty attendees. Eleven speakers. One room full of people who love this work, who take it seriously, and who showed up on a Saturday morning because they believe that growing as a professional is part of the job.
We are still a little in awe of it.
Why This Day Meant So Much
When we decided to bring iNNTD to Columbus, we knew we were taking on something bigger than a typical event. InterNational Nanny Training Day is a global event, observed in cities around the world every April during the Week of the Young Child. It was founded in 2012 and has grown into one of the most meaningful days in the professional nanny calendar.
Columbus had not hosted an iNNTD event in nearly 15 years.
That gap wasn't because Columbus didn't have the community. It was because no one had stepped up to build the space for it. When we launched The Heart State Nanny Agency, we made a promise to ourselves that we would do things differently, that we would invest in nannies the way we wished someone had invested in us when we were earlier in our careers. Hosting iNNTD was us keeping that promise out loud.
Our theme, "Nannying Through the Ages," was designed to meet every nanny where they are. Whether you spend your days with a newborn who is still figuring out the world or a school-age kid with opinions about everything, we wanted every person in that room to walk away with something that made them better at their work.
The Day Itself
The energy in that room at COhatch Polaris was something we genuinely could not have scripted. People arrived and immediately started connecting, swapping stories, laughing, asking each other questions. That is what happens when you put the right people in the right room.
Our theme, "Nannying Through the Ages," shaped every session we chose. We organized the day into three areas that reflect what nannies actually navigate every single day.
Under emotional and behavioral support, attendees heard sessions on autism-aware and connection-focused care, interrupting bullying with compassion and confidence, and supporting children through big emotions. These are not easy topics. They are the ones that come up in real homes with real children, and nannies deserve real tools for handling them.
Under development and daily care, sessions covered baby's first foods and mealtime safety, sleep training for newborns, and a session called "Let Me Do It" focused on supporting toddler independence. If you have ever worked with a toddler who insists on doing everything themselves, you know exactly why that last one had a full room of nodding heads.
Under communication and relationships, two sessions tackled something that does not get talked about enough in this industry: how to create communication opportunities in everyday care, and how to support families without overstepping. That second one is its own tightrope walk that every experienced nanny knows well.
Every session was chosen intentionally. We did not want a lineup that felt generic or classroom-designed. We wanted speakers who understood the nanny experience specifically, who knew that in-home childcare is its own world with its own rhythms, challenges, and rewards.
The Swag Bags
We have to talk about the swag bags, because people talked about the swag bags.
This was not a handful of branded pens and a flyer. Every bag was put together thoughtfully, with items chosen to reflect the care and intentionality we bring to everything we do at Heart State. We wanted every attendee to open their bag and feel that someone had actually thought about them, not just filled a bag to fill a bag.
That attention to detail matters to us. It is the same attention we bring to every nanny placement, every family consultation, every event we host. The swag bag was just one more way of saying: you are worth the effort.
The Sponsors Who Made It Possible
None of this happens without people who believe in the vision before they see the result. We are deeply grateful to the sponsors who showed up for iNNTD Columbus 2026.
Nannypalooza, who coordinates iNNTD globally and whose support made bringing this event to Columbus possible in the first place. HomeWork Solutions, whose expertise in household payroll and nanny employment has been a resource to so many families and professionals in our community. Early Years Expertise, whose commitment to quality early childhood practice aligns perfectly with everything iNNTD stands for.
A portion of the proceeds from the event was donated to the Nanny Relief Fund, which provides financial assistance to nannies facing hardship. That piece was important to us. This day was never just about learning. It was about showing up for the nanny community in every way we could.
What the Numbers Said
After the event, we asked every attendee to share their honest experience. We wanted real feedback, not just the warm glow of a good day. Here is what came back.
Overall event rating: 4.82 out of 5. For a first-time event, hosted by a first-year agency, in a city that had not seen iNNTD in nearly 15 years, that number stopped us in our tracks.
Nearly 73% of attendees said the event exceeded their expectations. Not just met them. Exceeded them.
What moved us most was hearing from nannies with 15, 20, even more years of experience who said they still walked away with something new. New tools. Fresh perspective. Practical steps they could bring into their work the very next day. That is the whole point of professional development done right. It does not matter how long you have been doing this work. There is always more to learn, and the best professionals know that.
The topics that resonated most covered the full range of what nannies actually face: sleep, communication, developmental support, autism awareness, navigating real challenges in the field. Our speakers did not come with canned presentations. They showed up with intention, and the feedback reflected that.
Attendees also told us what they want more of next year: CPR certifications, deeper industry education, and more interactive moments. We are already taking notes.
What Attendees Said
The survey numbers told one part of the story. The actual words people left told the rest.
"I loved that even though I don't live in Columbus, I was so welcomed. Nannies would come over and chat during breaks to give advice, elaborate on a question I asked during a session, or just to chat and be friendly. Also, the speakers: top notch. Very informative and I felt like most had the perfect amount of time to help us incorporate taking action or small steps immediately in our daily work."
"It was nice for nannies to be open and honest among peers without judgment."
That second one. We keep coming back to that one.
Because that is what this community needed and what we set out to create. A space where nannies could show up as professionals and as people, where they could ask questions without feeling embarrassed, share struggles without feeling judged, and connect with others who genuinely understand what this work feels like from the inside.
We also heard from the broader nanny community online. A 4.8 rating for a first-time event drew responses from professionals across the industry: "Stellar!" and "Congratulations on a job well done" and fire emojis from people who know exactly how hard it is to pull something like this off. One industry voice noted that our data and attendee quotes should be used to sell tickets next year. She was right. And here we are.
What This Means for Next Year
We will be honest with you: when we started planning this event, we did not know exactly what it would look like. We had a vision, a venue, a theme, and a deep belief that Columbus deserved this. What we got back from this community exceeded what we imagined.
Sixty people showed up. Eleven speakers gave their time and expertise. Sponsors invested in a brand new event hosted by a brand new agency because they believed in what we were building. And the room felt like exactly what we had hoped it would feel like: a community of professionals who see each other, support each other, and take their work seriously.
So yes, we are already planning iNNTD 2027, and we are ready to share the theme.
Next year we are centering the day around Big Feelings and Emotion Regulation.
It is not an accident that this is where we are going. Attendees told us in their feedback that navigating the emotional lives of children is one of the most challenging and important parts of their work. The sessions on big emotions and behavioral support were among the most resonant of the day. We heard you, and we are building toward it intentionally.
Our goal is to create an even more intentional space where nannies feel supported, equipped, and connected as they navigate the emotional needs of the children in their care. More interactive moments, deeper conversations, and the same community warmth that made 2026 what it was.
If you were there on April 11th, thank you. You made it what it was.
If you missed it, we hope to see you next year.
Thank You
To every speaker who prepared, traveled, and gave their best to a room full of people who were ready to receive it: thank you.
To every attendee who got up on a Saturday, bought a ticket, showed up with their whole self, and stayed engaged all day: thank you.
To our sponsors who said yes before the event existed in any form other than our belief that it could: thank you.
And to Megan, my business partner and co-founder, who helped build every piece of this alongside me: this one is ours.
The Heart State Nanny Agency hosted iNNTD Columbus 2026. Columbus showed up. And we are just getting started.
The Heart State Nanny Agency is an Ohio nanny placement agency rooted in Columbus and serving families and nannies statewide. Both of our founders were named Top 5 Finalists for INA Nanny of the Year 2026. Follow us on Instagram at @theheartstatenannyagency for photos, highlights, and updates on iNNTD 2027, or visit theheartstatenannyagency.com to learn more about what we do for families and nannies across Ohio.
