BrightPath Manchester Child Care Center

"We love BrightPath daycare. Educators are great, very professional and responsible." - Margaryta Terentyeva

Welcome to BrightPath Manchester Early Learning & Child Care, formerly Educational Playcare Manchester, a NAEYC-Accredited daycare, preschool, and pre-k center located conveniently at 452 Tolland Turnpike. With more than 30 years of experience in early childhood education, we offer an exceptional environment where children aged 6 weeks to 12 years can learn, play, and thrive.

BrightPath Manchester is uniquely positioned off a quiet street, away from busy roads and shopping plazas, providing families with peace of mind during drop-offs and pickups. Our center welcomes families with colorful landscaping, ample free parking, and spacious, naturally-lit classrooms that promote curiosity, creativity, and comfort. Families frequently express appreciation for our vibrant enrichment room,

Center Programs

Infant

Infant

(6 weeks to 12 months)

Our program nurtures recognition of familiar figures, motor skill development, and sensory exploration, among other enriching experiences.

Toddler

Toddler

(12 months to 33 months)

Our program encourages exploration, physical development, and communication to foster independence and emotional growth.

Pre-Schooler

Pre-Schooler

(33 months to 4.75 years)

We nurture preschoolers with theme-based, interactive learning and cultivate creativity, problem-solving, and independence through hands-on experiences.

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Center Offerings

CT Care for Kids

Yoga

Healthy Meals & Snacks

Dance & Movement

Qualified Educators

Music

Transitional Kindergarten

Military Discount

Our center proudly accepts CT Care for Kids. Our Center Director can provide more information regarding financial assistance and they can assist you with the process as well.

Our Yoga program enriches our preschool curriculum, fostering young minds and bodies for lifelong mental and physical well-being through fun, themed sessions.

All our centers are completely nut-free, and we work with families with children who have other food sensitivities and allergies to ensure their safety and well-being.

Our dance programs blend solid technique with fun and creative choreography, fostering both technical skill and expressive, individualistic style in our little ones.

Our Educators are passionate about delivering early years education that empowers and inspires children to create their futures.

Our music program offers a researched, systematic approach to nurturing children's social skills and musical development, including singing in tune and rhythmic coordination.

Our transitional program preps children for kindergarten with enhanced activities aligned with Connecticut's KEI, focusing on language, literacy, numeracy, and social skills.

We're proud to offer a standard 10% U.S. military discount for families in active duty as our way of saying thank you for your service!

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Center Director

Katrina Meli has been dedicated to the field of Early Childhood Education since 2012. With a rich background that spans roles from teacher and mentor to activity coordinator and assistant director, Katrina has demonstrated a deep commitment to child development. She joined BrightPath Manchester in 2017 and has since earned her Director’s Credential and Head Teacher Certificate. Katrina's extensive training and workshops underscore her expertise and dedication to her role.

Katrina’s favorite

Award-Winning Culture

We’re proud to be recognized as a 2025 Winner for the Culture at Work Award and the 2024 Winner of the Kudos Culture Leader Award. We strive every day to provide top-level support to our staff at over 250 daycare locations throughout the United States and Canada.