Sandy Starr, a teacher at the Orcas public school, and Janet Lum, were the founders of Children’s House. They began in 1969 with a few children housed in a building at the Glenwood Inn. The operation was later moved to a house on the east side of North Beach Road just south of Bartel Road. In 1980 the Lavender family leased the farmhouse, which is now the Preschool, to Children's House.

In 1900 the lovely farmhouse was built on the George Sutherland farm. Surrounded by 1000 fruit trees, the farmhouse eventually became home to three different large families and has always been "a house for children". In 1928 the Lavender family, with 7 children, purchased the property and grew peas, beans, and other crops. The surrounding acreage was farmed by Tom Lavender until the late 1990's.

Through community support, the farmhouse and surrounding acre of land was eventually purchased by the nonprofit organization. In 1996, the 27th year of Children's House, the building which houses the Infant & Toddler Early Learning Center was built.

“Today we serve over 30 Island children at our Infant & Toddler Early Learning Center and our Preschool, who range in age from one month to 6 years old. The needs of young families are great, and a caring, safe and stimulating environment where the joys of development are facilitated through music, art and emergent literacy in a play-based program are our goals,” says Jana Albright, Executive Director. “It’s been so heart-warming to hear from our alumni as we’ve let the community know about our plans for the 40th. They are excited and proud of our foundation on Orcas as an early learning center, and are looking forward to how the year develops.”