About Us

The Clinton Early Learning Center opened its doors in 1973, nestled on the Hamilton College campus as a small daycare program.  In 2015 we relocated to the Clinton Elementary School, maintaining our unique and special relationship with the college.  In 2016 the center expanded once more, providing a much needed school-age program for the Clinton community.  

Our preschool/daycare is in the heart of Clinton, NY.  We have four classrooms; The Den, The Hive, The Nest, and The Burrow.  We accept children infants to 5 years of age in our early child care program.   Our exclusive school-age program offers before and after school care for children enrolled in the Clinton Elementary School, ages 5-12 years old.  Children in the Clinton and surrounding school districts attend our vacation camps during scheduled school closures.


Our Mission
The Clinton Early Learning Center provides children with nurturing care and enriching educational experiences that promote children's social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development. 

Intentionality and relationships are the two themes that emanate throughout our programming.

Many things go into a successful early childhood classroom;  the uninterrupted schedule, the carefully selected curriculum, the well-thought-out lesson plans, the engaging activities, the purposefully chosen materials, and the intentional set up of the classroom environment.

Children, teachers, and families form natural relationships throughout the center.  

Children form relationships with each other, the teachers, the materials they use, the classroom environment, and with the eclectic, charming Clinton community.

The teaching staff have a comprehensive understanding of these critical components, allowing for higher-level thinking and investigations to occur.