Description
At our Early Childhood Development Center, we want your child to experience their own joys and accomplishments. As a nonprofit, we’re committed to making high-quality early education accessible to all families.
Our dedicated educators are excited to work with children living with a spectrum of differing abilities. Our enrollment options include full time enrollment, and after school care.
Program Goals
At UCP Heartland, our Early Childhood Development Center provides an inclusive childcare and preschool environment where children of all abilities can learn, grow, and play as they prepare for kindergarten.
Program Highlights
The beauty of our Early Childhood Development Center in Columbia, MO is the unique learning environment it creates for young children of all abilities.
- We are a licensed and accredited early care and education center.
- Half our students have a diagnosed disability while the other half are "developing typically."
- Thanks to our low adult to child ratios, every child receives the individualized attention they deserve.
- Our “learning by doing” philosophy is rooted in research, ensuring our students grow at their own pace in a nurturing, hands-on setting.
- For children with special needs, First Step therapists work within the classroom to provide seamless support and inclusion.
Program Achievements
- In May of 2025, we proudly celebrated the graduation of seven preschoolers who were fully prepared for kindergarten.
- In fact, 100% of parents whose child participated in the Center’s programming reported that their child was ready to enter school.
- We updated our playground, making it fully accessible by installing new concrete ramps, new fencing and wider gates for all our students to enjoy.
- In 2025, our team continues to cultivate a thriving learning environment as we diligently prepared for our upcoming accreditation survey by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), ensuring we meet the highest standards of early childhood education for every child receiving a score of 94%.
