The Child Development Center serves the AU Community by  providing an opportunity for the primary family caregiver to pursue a university education, supporting the family unit through child care for the university community, providing an educational experience for university students interested in young children and parenting, and offering an educational program for thirty children, ages 2 and a half to 6 years.  From here you can learn about the CDC  Philosophy,  our Program,  the  Educational Objectives  guiding our efforts and ways in which we encourage Parental Involvement. More  details  about snacktime and lunchtime at the CDC, the facility, the administration and the support staff we employ are available. If you desire additional information, please feel free to stop by or call (202) 885-3330

CDC Philosophy At the Child Development Center, we believe in focusing on interrelated areas of development: emotional, social, intellectual and physical; helping children to be competent and joyful at their present stage of development; developing curricula to meet children's individual needs and temperaments; providing time to explore and discover during group and individual activities initiated by the teacher or children; setting limits and teaching acceptable behavior.

The CDC Program Our program is accredited by the National Academy of Early Childhood Programs and includes:  sequenced time structure allowing for active and quiet experiences, learning in areas, such as dramatic play, science, blocks, carpentry, reading, art, math, table games, cooking, sand/water and outdoor play, special projects prepared by university students, field trips utilizing community resources such as libraries, the National Zoo, the Smithsonian museums, and our local fire station, participation in special campus events.

CDC Administration The center is part of Human Resources at American University. The position of Director requires a graduate degree in child development, early childhood education or equivalent experience. Our supporting staff includes professional teachers with degrees in early childhood education and psychological and pediatric consultants. University student interns from the departments of education, psychology, communications, art, science, and dance work as classroom aides. The current staff to child ratio is approximately 1:5

CDC Educational Objectives Our goals are to: foster pro-social behavior and enhance development of independence, encourage curiosity, creativity, experimentation and problem-solving skills, provide opportunities for development of muscle control and coordination, promote self-expression through language, art, music, movement and drama, promote self-esteem, develop the child's understanding of his/her environment, help children cope with conflicts typical of each stage of development.

Parent Involvement We involve parents through:  parent and family events, e.g., family suppers, skating parties and lectures, participation on a parent advisory group, lunches with their children at the Center, informal parent/staff discussions on a regular basis, parent-teacher conferences held twice each year and upon request, fund-raising events and workdays.

Facilities, Snacks and Lunch At the CDC, our students get snacks twice daily, once in the morning and once in the afternoon. These snacks are often prepared by the children themselves. Lunch and a beverage are provided by the family. The CDC is housed in a large, well-lit space designed especially for children. This facility includes a large outdoor adventure play yard which includes two jungle gyms and lots of shade trees.