We provide day care and preschool programming to children ages six weeks through pre-kindergarten and before and after school care for school-aged children.

As a mission of Dover Bethany UMC, Dover Bethany Early Learning Center aspires to ignite “the spark of Christ’s love through the care and education of children.” 

Our typical enrollment of around 60 young children and 30 school-aged children allows us to be family-oriented and child-focused.  This provides each family the opportunity to be directly involved in the care of their children and all children with the opportunity to receive individualized care that meets their specific needs. 

Our commitment is to provide a nurturing and safe environment in a Christian setting where children learn through play.  We strive to help children gain the confidence and security to develop and practice new skills.  We focus on helping the children develop social and emotional skills, explore and experiment within their environment, and prepare for future academic success. 

At DBELC, we believe that learning occurs through exploration and is as much about the experience as the knowledge gained and that secure relationships build positive self-esteem and an eagerness for learning. 

Through the continuous professional development, our early childhood educators acquire ongoing knowledge of child development and are always attentive to the significant impact that the early years have on a child’s life.  Ninety percent of brain development occurs in children before the age of five.  Therefore, providing children with an enriching setting in early childhood is an essential building block for success in later academic and social life.  Early childhood is a time that should be filled with security, warmth, fun, discovery, creativity, and growth.