Philosophy
We are committed to creating an environment of joy where the talents of all children and adults are recognized, nurtured and celebrated.
Our Facility
The Children's Center has a spacious 7,000-square-foot building with five classrooms designed to facilitate safety, well-being, active engagement and energy efficiency with natural light and air flow. We also have a beautiful and natural outdoor play space.
Program Features
- Philosophy of care and respect for self and others
- Celebration of creativity
- Early child care and education for infants through pre-K
- State licensed
- Sliding fee rates for students
- USDA approved meals
- Social and academic skill building through fun activities
If any of this information is needed in another language, please let us know by contacting lalondec@evergreen.edu.
Family Handbook
Enrollment
- Interested in enrolling your child? Use the Enrollment Request Form
You don't have to be a student, faculty or staff yet in order to check that box on the form, but you will need to be in that status by the time your child enrolls. - If you are expecting to have a child (through birth or adoption), you are welcome to join the waiting list now in anticipation of your new arrival.
- If a child is old enough to move from one list to the next, we will move them up for you.
Children's Center Enrollment Request Form
Please contact us if you have any other questions or if you would like a tour of our facility.
Join the Waiting List
For our waiting list, we use the following order:
- Student families with one child already enrolled
- Faculty and staff families with one child already enrolled
- Community families with one child already enrolled
- Student families
- Faculty and staff families
- Community families
Need to Withdraw from Childcare?
Classrooms
Hedgehogs
Infants (1 month - 1 year)
Welcome to the Hedgehog Room!
In the Hedgehog Room we:
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Encourage self-soothing techniques
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Build self confidence
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Explore our environment (inside and out)
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Build up verbal and non-verbal communication
While infants share developmental milestones, each infant is unique. Our room is designed to meet the needs of each individual child’s development.
We provide a variety of developmentally stimulating and challenging activities to spark your baby’s interests and encourage their growth. The curriculum in the Hedgehog Room is both planned around your infants’ interests and needs.
Much of the day is spent following your infant’s growing desires and curiosity, as well as their emergent needs and interests.
Our days are structured to meet the needs of each infant. In this room, infants range from 4 weeks to 12 months old. As part of their development, they are exploring the world around them through their senses: sight, smell, touch and of course taste. We incorporate activities, songs and books that will promote their physical, intellectual, emotional and social development.
Typically there are two professional staff in the room. One profissional staff opens the room and is there to greet you upon arrival. The other classified staff closes the room and is there for pick-up. This creates a routine and brings consistency that eases the transition from home to care and back home again. We will generally have five student staff that work in the room too. The student staff are a wonderful and essential part of our day. Each student staff will work a full day in the classroom. This provides consistency and opportunity for your infant to bond with them too.
Bunnies
Toddler I (1 year - 21 months)
The Bunny Room is hopping with fun!
We are eager to get to know you and your child. In the Bunny Room, the children's ages range from 1 year to 21 months.
Our basic routine is fairly flexible according to individual needs. We offer breakfast at 8:30 am, lunch at 11 am, and rest from 11:30 am till we all wake up. We have snack between 1:30 and 2 pm. We sit in chairs for mealtimes, use sippy cups with lids and are learning to use utensils and plates.
We try to use some simple sign language throughout the day, but especially at mealtimes. We find that "eat", "more", "all done" and "drink" are easy signs for toddlers to pick up at mealtime and really support communication skills.
A typical day in the Bunny Room will include play time, a chance to explore our developmental abilities and meet new challenges both physically and cognitively. We go outside every morning and afternoon, no matter what the weather is doing. We may stay out a much shorter time if it is cold and wet, but we still try to get some fresh air and a chance to run. We have many fun activities that we do throughout the day, including art activities, sensory fun, songs and books.
Each child has a cubby for their belongings and sleep on their own little cot at rest time. We change diapers and clothing as needed. We spend a lot of time learning how to play with our friends too.
Owls
Toddler II (21 months-30 months)
Hoot hoot! Welcome to Owl Room!
Toddlerhood is a tangle of physical and emotional wants and needs that exist on an ever-changing and unpredictable rollercoaster ride. To assist children through this erratic phase in life, the Owl Room curriculum provides consistency, boundaries and structure that fosters trust, confidence and predictability to build a strong foundation for the relationship between child and caregiver.
Also, the Owl Room curriculum is designed to enhance development by exploring the interests of each child and establishing activities which provide children challenges and opportunities to be successful.
Each day presents a new array of emotions, energy and interests. Our Center provides relationship-based care and we focus on the needs of each individual child in our care. If the children show an interest in something other than what is offered, we then alter our routine as teachers to allow the children to explore, discover and play as they desire.
Each day, the Owl Room staff generally consists of two professional staff, one of whom opens the classroom and the other closes the classroom, to provide a strong, consistent presence.
Daily support is often provided by student workers who bring with them their love for children, their desire to understand children's development and their eagerness to teach and learn from the children in our care.
Foxes
Preschool I (30 months-5 years)
The Fox Room is a zooming good time!
Curriculum in the Fox Room provides consistency, boundaries and structure to foster trust, confidence and predictability, building a strong foundation for the relationship between child and caregiver.
The room is designed to enhance development by taking into account the interests of each child by establishing activities which provide children challenges and opportunities to be successful. Each day presents a new array of emotions, energy and interests.
Our Center provides relationship-based care and we focus on the needs of each individual child in our care. If the children show an interest in something other than what is offered, we alter our routine as teachers to allow the children to explore, discover and play as they desire.
Each day the Fox Room staff generally consists of two professional staff, one of whom opens the classroom while the other closes the classroom, to provide a strong, consistent presence. Daily support is often provided by student workers who bring with them their love for children, their desire to understand children's development and their eagerness to teach and learn from the children in their care.
Bears
Preschool II (30 months-5 years)
Bumble into the Bear Room!
The Bear Room curriculum provides the consistency, boundaries and structure that fosters trust, confidence and predictability to build a strong foundation for the relationship between child and caregiver.
Curriculum in the Bear Room is designed to enhance development by establishing activities which provide challenges and opportunities to be successful. Each day presents a new array of emotions, energy and interests.
Our Center provides relationship-based care and we focus on the needs of each individual child in our care. If the children show an interest in something other than what is offered, we alter our routine as teachers to allow the children to explore, discover, and play as they desire.
Each day the Bear Room staff generally consists of two professional staff, one of whom opens the classroom while the other closes the classroom, to provide a strong, consistent presence. Daily support is often provided by student workers, who bring with them their love for children, their desire to understand children's development and their eagerness to teach and learn from the children in their care.
2025-2026 Fiscal Year
Children's Center Monthly Rates
| Community Member | Infants Hedgehogs | Toddlers Bunnies & Owls | Preschoolers Foxes & Bears |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low-Income Student* | $1,380 | $1,305 | $1,140 |
| High-Income Student* | $1,575 | $1,490 | $1,300 |
| Faculty, Staff & Community | $1,970 | $1,865 | $1,625 |
*Evergreen Student Sliding Scale Fees
Web Payment Portal
Make payments online through My Evergreen. Evergreen Login Required.
- Log-in to My Evergreen
- Select "Web Payment" to access the portal
Registration Fee
$150 Annually
A modest annual registration fee of $150 is charged on July 1 of each year and is nonrefundable.
Subsidies
State License Number, Tax I.D. Number
We accept subsidies, including DSHS Working Connections.
- State License Number: 121114
- Tax I.D. Number: 91-0826533
Employee Payroll Deduction Form
for current Evergreen staff and faculty
This form is for current Evergreen staff and faculty only. Community and student families interested in recurring electronic payments should contact the Children's Center directly.
Evergreen Childcare Center Payroll Deduction Request (MS Forms)
Program Information
Children's Center Hours
7:30 am - 5:30 pm
The Center is open 7:30 am to 5:30 pm.
You are welcome to use the Center as much or as little as you like during these hours. However, everyone pays for full-time care.
Food Program
Breakfast, lunch, and snacks
We provide breakfast, lunch, and two afternoon snacks. If your child has a dietary restriction, please contact us to explore accommodations.
Breastfeeding
Spaces and storage
If your child is still breastfeeding, we have many cozy places for mothers to nurse and our staff is knowledgeable about the regulations and storage of pumped breast milk.
Multicultural Children's Literature
Evergreen Library Children's Collection
This guide houses information about the Evergreen Library Children's Collection and shares resources about children's literature as a tool to talk to children about race. Made in collaboration with the Campus Children's Center.
Emergency Notifications and Closures
Omnilert
If Evergreen's campus is closed, the Center will likely be closed too. You can sign-up to get campus notifications at Omnilert Emergency Notifications.
Center Director
Email for tours
Contact the Center's director with questions or to schedule a tour.
Casey Lalonde | Children's Center Director
Email: Lalondec@evergreen.edu
Student Employment
Application link
Are you an Evergreen student that interested in working at the Children's Center? Use the link below to apply!
Non-Discrimination Statements
Our commitment
The Evergreen State College is committed, as a matter of principle, and in conformance with federal and state laws, to prohibiting discrimination and to prohibiting behaviors, which if repeated, could constitute discrimination.
In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.