Welcome to the Center for Young Children (CYC)!  As a laboratory school under the College of Education since 1948, CYC has provided a sound early childhood program for children from 3 to 6 years of age.   Our program is grounded in the philosophy of John Dewey who believed in the ability of children to learn from high-quality firsthand experiences. Children study their world by questioning, hypothesizing, and summarizing information on how the world works. The University community is a rich primary source of discovery for the children.

The Center for Young Children is an inclusive laboratory and demonstration school at the University of Maryland, whose mission is to:

1. Educate and care for young children in a developmentally appropriate manner.

2. Prepare and train university students for careers in education and other related professions focused on children. 

3. Support and facilitate research on child development and related fields by serving as a research and observation facility.

Please join us to learn more about the CYC.