CYC roof and Blue Skys

Center for Young Children (CYC)

A child smiles while on the big climber on the playground.
A child smiles while on the big climber on the playground.
Children practice giving each other messages in the great room.
Children practice giving messages to one another in the Great Room.
A child smiles while playing with sand toys on the playground.
A child smiles while playing with sand toys on the playground.
Children swing on the tire swing on the playground.
Children swing on the tire swing on the playground.
A child points to different pistons while learning about their car study.
A child points to different pistons during their car study.
Children paint outside their classroom.
Children paint outside their classroom.
Books sit on display from the Lending Library.
Winter books on display in the Lending Library. A full 93% of families took advantage of checking books out from the Lending Library during the 2025-2026 school year.
A child points to the tail pipe during a demonstration for their car study.
A child points to a tail pipe during their car study demonstration.
Children play in dramatic play.
Children play in dramatic play.
Children build an igloo on the playground.
Children build an igloo on the playground.
A child helps plant produce in the garden on the playground.
A child helps plant produce in the garden on the playground.
Children play in a wooden boat on the playground.
Children play in a wooden boat on the playground.
A child prepares to slide down a snowy hill on the playground.
A child prepares to slide down a snowy hill on the playground.
Children play on the playground.
Children play on the playground.
Children play a counting game in the classroom.
Children play a counting game in the classroom.
Children sit on rock steps on the playground.
Children talk on the rock steps on the playground.
A child smiles while on the big climber on the playground.
A child smiles while sitting on the big climber on the playground.
  1. A child smiles while on the big climber on the playground.
  2. Children practice giving each other messages in the great room.
  3. A child smiles while playing with sand toys on the playground.
  4. Children swing on the tire swing on the playground.
  5. A child points to different pistons while learning about their car study.
  6. Children paint outside their classroom.
  7. Books sit on display from the Lending Library.
  8. A child points to the tail pipe during a demonstration for their car study.
  9. Children play in dramatic play.
  10. Children build an igloo on the playground.
  11. A child helps plant produce in the garden on the playground.
  12. Children play in a wooden boat on the playground.
  13. A child prepares to slide down a snowy hill on the playground.
  14. Children play on the playground.
  15. Children play a counting game in the classroom.
  16. Children sit on rock steps on the playground.
  17. A child smiles while on the big climber on the playground.

The CYC is a research center and laboratory school within the department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology within the College of Education. Founded in 1948, the CYC strives to meet our triple mission of providing a high-quality early childhood program for children from 3 to 5 years of age, training preservice teachers and other child and family-focused university students, and supporting child development research.   

Our curriculum is grounded in research about how children develop and learn. We borrow from philosopher and educational theorist  John Dewey, who believed in the ability of children to learn from high-quality firsthand experiences. Children study their world by questioning, hypothesizing, analyzing, and summarizing information about how the world works. The University community is a rich primary source of discovery for the children.

Please explore our website to learn more about the CYC.

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Bldg. 381, 4028 Valley Drive, College Park, MD 20742
Phone: 301.405.3168 | Fax: 301.405.2902

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