Muw Child And Parent Development Center

Our mission is to offer a high quality neighborhood preschool that works collaboratively with parents and our University community to ensure every preschooler learns and grows in a nurturing and fun environment, setting the foundation for a lifelong love of education and success in school and life.

Our primary goals include teaching children to:
Grow in understanding and appreciation of their friends
Learn to listen and follow directions
Enjoy creative expression through music, art, and other activities
Have positive multicultural experiences and learn to embrace diverse backgrounds
Develop gross motor skills along with body and space awareness
Think and make choices for individual and small group activities
Feel confident, secure, and loved in the school setting
Establish healthy eating and hand washing habits
Develop a lifelong love for learning and exploration

The staff members of the CPDC share a common philosophy that children learn best when they can actively interact with their environment. We share a common commitment to helping each child develop fully physically, socially, emotionally, and cognitively. Each child is valued as a unique individual.

Children can explore the materials, solve problems, develop skills, increase knowledge, or be creative in ways that help them to solidify their abilities at one level to be ready to move on to the next. The teachers engage with the children in ways that develop strong language skills.

All activities are developmentally appropriate and allow children to engage in activities at their own levels. Every child is able to develop fully according to his/her own interests and capabilities.

CPDC (Child and Parent Development Center) is a part of the College of Education and Human Sciences on the Campus of Mississippi University for Women. CPDC was established in 1984 uniting the Child Development Laboratory (1937) and the Center for Infants and Parents (1974). We have a long history of quality care and education in the Columbus community.

CPDC serves children of MUW students, staff, and the community.