The Children’s School: Early Childhood Education Lab School offers a high quality early childhood experience for children ages 2.9 through 5 years old and is accredited by National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). We are conveniently located on the main campus of Quinisigamond Community College in Worcester. Our highly educated and professional teaching staff will provide the best learning experience for your child while they are in our care.

Journey of Discovery: Our Early Childhood Lab School

Young children sit at a desk and color
A parent and child look at their display at the Children’s School Art Show
A young girl sits at a table where other children are drawing
An ECE student reads a book to the class

Hands-on Discovery

The Early Childhood Education Lab School provides young children with an environment that fosters an appreciation of self, others and the world around them. It promotes self-motivated learning through discovery and hands-on involvement with their surroundings. Emphasis is placed on meeting individual needs while encouraging respect for others and our environment.

Inspiring Wonder

While enrolled at QCC's Early Childhood Education Lab School, your child will engage in thoughtfully planned curriculum through individual, small, and large group activities. These experiences are designed to help children develop proficiencies in self-help, emotional regulation, and social skills that form a strong foundation for learning. We foster a love of learning and inspire wonder about the world around us. Through play, children build a working understanding of concepts, and stimulate greater fluency in language.

Exploring, Creating, Problem-Solving.

Children are challenged to solve both cognitive and social problems in a safe atmosphere with adult support. They practice developing skills in an environment filled with manipulative, creative, and dramatic sensory materials. Children work with teachers to construct classroom rules and limits with the understanding that at school, our bodies are safe, our feelings are safe and our environment is safe. These basic principals guide our discussions around limit setting, and ensure that feelings and self-respect are preserved.

Our Early Childhood Education’s Unique Blend

The Early Childhood Education Lab School combines exploration and discovery, opportunities for making choices, and an atmosphere of order, predictability, warmth, and mutual trust. Most importantly, children gain confidence and competence through interactions with people and materials.

Our Classroom and Tuition Details

Applications for admission are accepted at any time on an ongoing basis and are placed on a list according to the date they are received. Your application is processed from this list as vacancies occur.

Our Classrooms 1 and 2

Each group of 16-18 children (mixed groups of two years and nine months to five-year-olds) is staffed by three Department of Early Education and Care certified lead teachers. Each semester there are also three to four student teachers in the classrooms (under the direct supervision of the ECE faculty). Enrollment in both programs begins in May for the following academic year (September-June).

Fee Schedule

The parents/guardians of an enrolled child are responsible for all financial obligations. These include, but are not limited to, a registration fee and tuition. Payment must be made as outlined on the Schedule of Payments through an online payment plan from Nelnet or as arranged at the Business Office. Fees are payable regardless of whether a child is absent or the Center closes for inclement weather, safety, or health concerns. Tuition rates and payment schedules are available in the Office and are discussed at the time of enrollment.

Make Payment

All payments for the QCC Early Childhood Education Lab can be made through Nelnet.

Daily Activities

We offer a full day of high-quality care Here is the typical daily schedule for Classrooms 1 and 2, Monday through Friday from 7:15 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Daily Schedule

Time

Activity

7:15-10:20 a.m.

Center opens: hand washing, greeting, indoor creative learning experiences

9:00-9:30 a.m.

Open snack offered

9:45-10:15 a.m.

Toileting as children are playing 

10:20-10:30 a.m.

Clean up, transition to group time

10:30-10:50 a.m.

Group time

10:50-11:00 a.m.

Transition to outdoor creative learning experiences

11:00-12:00 p.m. 

Outdoor creative learning experiences

12:00 p.m.

Transition inside, hand washing for lunch

12:00-12:30 p.m.

Lunch

12:30-12:45 p.m.

Toileting, hand washing, prepare for rest

12:45-2:00 p.m.

Rest time

2:00-3:30 p.m.

Indoor creative learning experiences

2:15-2:45 p.m.

Open snack offered

3:50-4:00 p.m.

Transition to outdoor creative learning experiences

4:00-5:00 p.m.

Outdoor creative learning experiences

5:00 p.m.

Pick up/departure

Children's School Enrollment Request Form

Please complete a separate request for each child you are looking to enroll at the program.
Child's Name
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Have Questions?

Have questions about our childhood education lab school? Please contact us!