At the Early Childhood Center at Sarah Lawrence College, we believe children are the makers of their own meaning.
Childhood deserves time—time to wonder, to play, to build friendships, to solve problems, to make mistakes, and to discover what is possible. In a world that often asks children to move too quickly, we strive to create a place where childhood is protected and valued for what it is. Our emphasis is on educating the whole child—the social, emotional, physical, and cognitive aspects—while at the same time valuing and supporting the child as part of a learning community.
Why choose the Early Childhood Center?
The Early Childhood Center (ECC) provides a thoughtful, child-centered curriculum for children ages two through six in preschool and kindergarten. Founded in 1937, the ECC is both a school for children and a laboratory school for Sarah Lawrence College. As a working model of the College’s approach to teaching and learning,the ECC is experience-based, interdisciplinary, and collaborative.
The ECC is staffed by highly experienced early childhood educators who are both practitioners and scholars of child development with years of collective experiences working with young children and families. They are lifelong learners who continually engage with contemporary research and best practices in early childhood education.
The presence of Sarah Lawrence students in our classrooms ensures a high adult to child ratio that further enriches the environment. ECC faculty mentor and guide emerging educators while maintaining the high standards of care, observation, and teaching that define the ECC.
Play is at the heart of our curriculum. Research consistently confirms what early childhood educators have long understood: play is the primary way that children learn. Children are given substantial uninterrupted time to play in both our beautifully curated indoor classrooms and our natural, newly-designed outdoor play spaces.
Varied class options include a twos and parent class, three and four year old classes, a fives (kindergarten)m class and a kindergarten bridge class.
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The ECC is located on the Sarah Lawrence College campus in the City of Yonkers, bordering the Village of Bronxville, just north of New York City.
The Center is easily accessible to families in neighboring towns, including Eastchester, Mount Vernon, Tuckahoe, New Rochelle, Larchmont, Mamaroneck, Scarsdale, Hartsdale, Riverdale, the River Towns, and the Upper West Side.
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All Early Childhood Center faculty hold advanced degrees in early childhood education. We believe teaching is both an art and a discipline.Teachers are active participants in children’s learning, observing carefully, listening thoughtfully, and asking meaningful questions.
In keeping with our mission as a lab school, all ECC faculty serve as mentor-teachers to Sarah Lawrence undergraduate and graduate students who are pursuing degrees in child development and education.
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Our staff includes Sarah Lawrence students who work at the ECC throughout the school year, under the guidance of the director and lead teachers. As participant observers, students blend into the daily life of the classroom, providing valuable assistance.
Fieldwork for these students is a central feature of undergraduate psychology classes, as well as graduate work in the Art of Teaching, Child Development and Dance Movement Therapy master’s programs.
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The ECC includes a staff of professional teachers as well as undergraduate and graduate student assistants and observers, creating a high adult-to-child ratio.
Children, Childhood, and Education Collaborative
The ECC is part of Sarah Lawrence's Children, Childhood, and Education Collaborative, which brings together faculty expertise, programs, and centers to collectively provide a context and framework for undergraduate and graduate students, education professionals, and parents to train for, engage with, and participate in the fields of early childhood education, elementary education, and child development.