The Child Development Center is a comprehensive program serving young children and their families.  Its four-part mission is research, professional preparation, outreach, and service to families.  The program is part of the Department of Teaching, Leadership, and Curriculum Studies in the College of Education, Health and Human Services. 

The school offers both full and part time programs for children from eighteen months to six years.  The school is open from 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. weekdays for approximately 10.5 months of the year.

The school serves as a laboratory for undergraduate and graduate students preparing for careers in education and related fields.  Research connected to teaching and learning is an integral part of the daily life of the school.

History of the School

In 1972, the faculty of the University School, a laboratory program for children from age three through the sixth grade, vacated their faculty lounge in order to provide space for a new full day program for young children from ages two 1/2 to five.  It became known as the Child Development Center.  The Early Childhood Education Department provided support for this endeavor.  When the University School closed in 1981, the CDC added a kindergarten to its already expanded program of preschool classes and infant-toddler-parent program.  In 1991, the school moved to a new building on the Kent campus designed for young children.

Throughout our history, families have been integral to our work.  We value the deep relationships that form when children, families, and teachers work to create an environment for learning together.