At UCNS, we ask children to learn by doing what young children do best – play! UCNS is a play-based, cooperative preschool located in Ithaca, NY. At UCNS, all children are loved and respected, and all aspects of their development—social, emotional, physical, cognitive—are nurtured. For over 50 years, UCNS has been a place that is truly focused on enriching the lives of children and families.
Children ages 3 to 5 years old are welcome to enroll at UCNS and may enroll for 2 (TTh), 3 (MWF), or 5 (M-F) mornings a week. *There is also an option to enroll for 5 days and choose which combination of days you would like your child to attend/to do 4 days. Some families have also chosen to start with 2 days and add days as the year progresses. Each day, 16 students attend UCNS, along with our three wonderful teachers and a classroom helper (s).
The 2024-2025 school year is UCNS’ 54th year as a cooperative preschool! Our nursery school began on Cornell campus in 1970 but over the years has grown and expanded to meet the needs of our wider community. UCNS has been located on Dart Drive in Ithaca since 1999, in a space owned by Cornell. Our long time partnership has come to an end and beginning in the fall of 2025 we will be located at 32 Brickyard Road in Lansing, NY. We are looking forward to offering our same incredible program in a beautiful and updated space!
“Creative people are curious, flexible, persistent and independent with a tremendous spirit of adventure and a love of play.”
— Henri Matisse, French painter, 1869-1954
Each day at UCNS, children explore art, science, dramatic play, blocks, books, storytelling, manipulatives, and more, using a wide variety of materials, including natural and recycled objects. The classroom is constantly evolving to meet the children’s changing needs as they unfold over the school year. Teachers provide leadership as they model developmentally appropriate practice, curriculum, and their skilled, loving support of the children. Together, caregivers and teachers form a close community, committed to fostering healthy growth and development in each child.
Contact Us
Email: ucnsregistrar@gmail.com
Phone: 607-266-9680 (during the school year)
If you would like to learn more about UCNS, or if you have other questions about enrollment and the program at UCNS, please email the Registrar at ucnsregistrar@gmail.com, call our school office at 607-266-9680 (during the school year), or fill out our Contact Us form.
