Union Church Early Childhood Programs (UCECP)
The Union Church of Hinsdale and UCECP have a shared mission to minister to the needs of the whole human family within our congregation, our community, our nation, and the world.
Our teaching at the Union Church of Hinsdale Early Childhood Programs is driven by a belief that children learn by active engagement through their play.
Union Church created a preschool program in 1955 as part of its community outreach. Over the years, it has grown into the UCECP, which offers play-based programming for children ages 6 weeks to 6 years. There are a variety of classes and programs to fit every family’s needs.
- Early learning lab
- Mother toddler
- Mother child
- 2’s Preschool
- 3’s Pre-K
- 4’s Pre-K
- 5’s Pre-K
- Full-Day Kindergarten
- Enhancement options
Union Church Early Childhood Initiative (UCECI) + Before We Get To Mars
One thread of our efforts in UCECI is advocacy for quality early childhood education for all. Research demonstrates that the early years are the paramount time to positively influence the trajectory of children’s lives. There is a positive domino effect for society, including financial benefits.
Before We Get to Mars (BWGTM)
We are called to love our neighbors. Our faith and our action are incomplete and inauthentic if we limit our thinking of ‘neighbors’ as those within our bubble.
With our decades long history with a successful preschool under our roof, it fell naturally that our passion for education, particularly early childhood education, would emerge as an entry point for building a larger community.
In 2022, UCECI is working to move closer to the goal of opening a preschool in Summit. For more information and ongoing updates on the Before We Get to Mars project, visit (and bookmark!) the BWGTM website.