The Smart Start Preschool & Learning Center
Child care center in Hamden, CT · Licensed for 52 children, 24 of them under 3 · Ages 6 weeks to 12 years
Infant · Toddler · Preschool · School age
Connecticut doesn’t publish programs’ openings. Call to ask.
Listed prices on 211 Child Care: infant $1,430 a month, toddler $1,430 a month, preschool $1,192 a month.
State inspection visits: 5 visits since February 2024, most recently Apr 30, 2026.
Openings
Connecticut doesn’t publish which programs have openings. Call to ask what’s open for your child’s age, and ask about the waitlist.
Openings change. Save this program, and My list will remind you when to check in.
Prices
From 211 Child Care, read Nov 2, 2026For the schedule: Mon–Fri 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Ages Per week Per hour Infant/Toddler (0–17 months) $330 — Infant/Toddler (18–35 months) $330 — Preschool (3–5 years) $275 — School Age (5–12 years) — $15.00
Prices as the program lists them on 211 Child Care, which doesn’t say when they were last updated. Ask about registration fees, deposits and sibling discounts. See the listing
Hours
- Mon–Fri7:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Open in summer
From the program’s license record with the state.
State inspections and investigations
Connecticut’s Office of Early Childhood inspects licensed programs, mostly without notice, and investigates complaints and incidents. These are its records for the last three years. The rules it cited and its outcomes are in its own words.
Inspections
- Apr 30, 2026Unannounced inspection9 rules cited · The state’s outcome: “Corrective Action Plan”
- Authorized prescriber/parent permission
- Labeling and storage
- Diapering
- Local Health Inspection
- Water supply- water testing
- Individual care plan- signed by parents/staff
- Policies- complete, implemented
- Indoor climbing play equipment- shock absorbing materials under and around
- Professional development
- Jun 30, 2025Unannounced inspection13 rules cited · The state’s outcome: “Corrective Action Plan”
- Consultants
- Licensed premises-clean, good repair, hazard free-maintenance program
- Potentially hazardous substances, materials – labeled, inaccessible to children
- Outdoor space
- Authorized prescriber/parent permission
- Individual care plan- signed by parents/staff
- Adequate sinks-handwashing-diapering/other use-food prep
- Safe Sleep
- Unused/Expired meds-destroyed/returned
- Menus- 1 wk in advance- keep 3 mths
- Exits, stairs, hallways unobstructed
- Walls/ceilings/floors/rugs-clean, good repair
- Air cond./water heaters/fuse boxes inaccessible
- Jun 10, 2024Follow-up visit2 rules cited
- Playground Free From Hazards
- Equipment Clean/Good Repair/Safe/Non-toxic
- Apr 18, 2024Follow-up visit2 rules cited
- Individual Care Plan (Signed by Parent/Staff)
- Oral/Topical/Inhalant/Injectable Medications: Authorized Prescriber/Parent Permission/MAR
- Feb 15, 2024Unannounced inspection13 rules cited · The state’s outcome: “Corrective Action Plan”
- Staff Health Records
- Ventilation in Toilet Room
- Individual Care Plan (Signed by Parent/Staff)
- Child Health Records/Immunizations/TB
- License Premise Clean/Good Repair/Safe
- Walls/Ceilings/Floors/Rugs: Clean/Good Repair
- Under Three Endorsement: Physical Barriers/Groups of 8 (Indoors/Outdoors)
- Nonprescription Topical Medications: Administration/Parent Permission/MAR
- Plastic Bags/Balloons/Styrofoam Objects Inaccessible
- Oral/Topical/Inhalant/Injectable Medications: Authorized Prescriber/Parent Permission/MAR
- Oral/Topical/Inhalant/Injectable Medications: Unused/Expired Meds Returned/Disposed
- Under Three Endorsement: Group Size no Larger than 8
- 018b-Background Checks
Investigations
- Feb 7, 2025Complaint investigationClosed Sep 2, 2025 · The state’s outcome: “Corrective Action Plan” · 3 rules cited
- Walls/ceilings/floors/rugs-clean, good repair
- Safe Sleep
- Licensed premises-clean, good repair, hazard free-maintenance program
A corrective action plan is the program’s written plan to fix what the state found. 211 Child Care shows the state’s full history for this program. See it on 211 Child Care
First licensed Sep 24, 2010. Current license from Oct 1, 2026 to Sep 30, 2030.
Reviews and references
Seedlist doesn’t host reviews. To hear from families who know this program:
- Ask the director to put you in touch with two families enrolled now.
- Look up reviews on Google Maps . Anyone can post there, so read several.
Program details
- Schedule options
- Open in summer
- Languages spoken by staff
- English · Spanish
- Experience with special needs
- Autism Spectrum Disorders · Health Impairment
From Connecticut child care licensing records (Connecticut Office of Early Childhood, on data.ct.gov) and 211 Child Care (United Way of Connecticut), retrieved Nov 2, 2026. Prices, ages and other details come from programs’ listings on 211 Child Care, which programs keep up themselves; neither 211 nor the state verifies them. Always confirm details with the program. The details on this page last changed Oct 26, 2026.