The Childrens Center opened its doors in September 1971 beginning with only a handful of children in a donated space and a budget of only a few thousand dollars. Since then, The Center has grown into a model of quality early childhood education serving over 100 children every year. In 1980, The Childrens Center bought the large Tudor building on Aspetuck Avenue that was the home of our founder, Dr. Barbara Hamlin. With nearly two acres of land, we were able to expand our building and programs without losing the warm feeling of the original home. Our wonderful location allows us to have spacious playgrounds and puts us within a short walking distance of the town green. Our children develop a deep sense of connection to the community through our many walking trips to the library, the senior center, Canterbury School, Youngs Field, and local businesses. Our first programs were focused on preschool age children but soon grew to include an after-school program for kindergartners, first, and second graders.