Welcome Message

Welcome! The Rutgers Psychology Child Development Center is comprised of 2 twelve-month Rutgers University preschools, sponsored and operated by the Psychology Department at 2 beautiful campus locations. The Center provides early care and education for children ages 1-5 years of age and can trace its history back to 1930. Both sites are located on the Cook and Douglass campuses of Rutgers New Brunswick. Our Kinder Program is located within the Institute for Food, Nutrition, and Health, a building which has been listed as one of the 25 Must-See Buildings in New Jersey and has won the top Honor Award for built work from the New Jersey Chapter of the American Institute of Architects in 2016.

 Culinary Arts in Action! The PreK children enrolled in our Kinder Garden Program participated in a filming of The Kids Cook Monday.

 Interested in Enrolling?

Visit our Enrollment page and click on our Online Waiting List. Enrollment opportunities are extended to children on our waiting list and priority enrollment is given to returning families and Rutgers affiliates. Enrollment is limited in accordance with the health and safety guidelines, so interested families are encouraged to join the Online Waiting List as early as possible to maximize their chances for enrollment. 

Mission and Philosophy

Even in its earliest incarnation, the Center provided an opportunity for young children to receive an excellent early childhood education while at the same time offering college students the chance to learn about child development through hands-on experience. The same is true today; as our Mission and Philosophy Statement explains, the Center provides young children with a wide range of enriching and recreational activities in an environment that is conducive to discovering joy in learning and developing a positive self-image. The Center is also dedicated to promoting research in early childhood education and development, and we support these endeavors through active participation in research studies conducted by faculty and graduate students at the University. Moreover, the Center provides hands-on research and real-life employment experiences to Rutgers undergraduates through its participation in several college courses and programs.

Locations and Hours

Nursery Program (1 and 2 year olds)

26 Nichol Avenue
Davison Hall, bottom floor
New Brunswick, Douglass Campus

Kinder Garden Program (3 and 4 year olds)

61 Dudley Road
Institute for Food, Nutrition, and Health, Center for Childhood Nutrition Education and Research
New Brunswick, Cook Campus

Both locations are bright, spacious, and thoughtfully planned to provide the children with beautiful environments to support their learning and development. Both sites are open Monday-Friday from 7:30am-5:30pm, all 12 months of the year. See our Schedule of Closings for information about our planned closures.

2024-2025 School Year Schedule of Closings

• June 21, 2024
  • Juneteenth (Rutgers Observed)
• July 4
  • Independence Day 
• August 26-30
  • Facilities Maintenance/Staff Development/Academic Year Prep Week
• September 2
  • Labor Day
• November 7 & 8
  • NAEYC Conference (both program sites closed for staff to attend the national conference)

• November 28-29
  • Thanksgiving Break
• December 20-January 1, 2025
  • Winter Break
• January 20
  • Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
• February 17
  • President's Day/Staff Professional Development Day
• March 17-21 
  • Spring Break
• May 26 
  • Memorial Day
• June 20, 2025
  • Juneteenth (Rutgers Observed)

Operational Status

The Rutgers Psychology Child Development Centers 

Our programs are open and operating on their normal schedules.

Monday-Friday, 7:30am-5:30pm

You may view a list of closures by visiting Planned Closures.

Last updated: 01/22/2024

History

The Center's history goes back over eighty years to a nursery school that was created as part of the curriculum of the New Jersey College for Women (which subsequently became the Douglass College for Women, which then became part of Rutgers University). The nursery school was funded initially by a grant from the Laura Spellman Rockefeller Foundation. Even in its earliest incarnation, the Center provided an opportunity for young children to receive an excellent early childhood education while at the same time offering college students the chance to learn about child development through hands-on experience.