Help Upgrade the Child Development Lab

Enhancing A Quality Childhood Program...

As a demonstration site for developmentally appropriate care and education, the CDL’s play yard is one of the most visible examples of what high-quality, age-appropriate education looks like. By giving today, you will help us refurbish and expand the learning opportunities we provide children and demonstrate both for students and for community professionals. Projects include upgrading children’s outdoor construction materials, building additional raised beds for age-appropriate organic vegetable gardening, refurbishing water-wise play yard surfaces,  and adding equipment for enhanced perceptual-motor learning activities.

The Importance of Outdoor Play

Play is the primary means through which very young children learn the most fundamental skills essential to later success in math, science and literacy. Outdoor play provides an opportunity for activities that foster observation, exploration, discovery, and problem solving.  How big does the hole need to be for these seeds? How much water is enough? What is new or different about this plant? How many blocks do we need for our tower? Will one more block make the tower collapse? Thinking about and solving these sorts of “problems” provide the foundation for later success in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math).

Outdoor play activities are also an especially productive venue for developing social skills.  Digging, building, pretending, and playing active games together help children learn to communicate, cooperate, negotiate, and compromise.

The Child Development Laboratory (CDL)

As a model of high-quality developmentally appropriate early childhood education and care, ASU’s Child Development Laboratory provides a rich learning environment for young children, ASU students, and early childhood professionals from the Greater Phoenix metropolitan region. The CDL provides full-day care for children ages 20 months to five years.  Our staff offer opportunities for supervised learning activities and internships, as well as student employment, for ASU students pursuing careers working with children and families.  The CDL supports ASU’s commitment to social embeddedness and outreach by providing training and technical assistance to local and state early childhood education and infant mental health professionals.