About Our Program
- About FSU
- Accessibility
- Administration & Finance
- Board of Trustees
- Enrollment and Student Development
- Facilities and Capital Planning
- Human Resources
- Institutional Effectiveness
- News & Events
- Office of Institutional Assessment
- Office of Institutional Research
- Office of the President
- Transportation Services
- Administrative Offices
- Marketing and Communications
- Business Office
- Office of Grants & Sponsored Programs
- Academics
- Colleges
- Arts and Humanities
- Art and Music
- Communication, Media, and Performance
- English
- Fashion Design and Retailing
- History
- Liberal Studies
- World Languages
- Business
- Education & Social and Behavioral Sciences
- Education
- Geography
- Global Studies
- Political Science
- Psychology and Philosophy
- Sociology
- Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics
- Biology
- Chemistry and Food Science
- Computer Science
- Environmental Science and Policy
- Food and Nutrition
- Mathematics
- Nursing
- Physics and Earth Science
- Arts and Humanities
- Academic Affairs
- Catalogs
- The Advising Center
- Center for Academic Success and Achievement (CASA)
- Continuing Education
- Browse Courses
- Continuing Education Degree Programs
- Undergraduate Certificates
- Non-Credit Courses
- Lifelong Learning Programs
- Continuing Professional Education
- English Language Programs
- Course Information and Cost
- Register for Our Programs
- ELP Parking/Map
- ELP Calendar 2021/2022
- International Student Information
- Meet our Faculty
- Meet our Staff
- Individualized Study Plans and Specialized Tutoring
- Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
- Refund Policy
- Campus Housing for English Language Students
- Academic Calendar
- Tuition and Fees
- Continuing Education Admissions
- Undergraduate Coordinators and Advisors
- Contact Our Staff
- Explore Programs
- Graduate Studies
- Browse Courses
- Graduate Admissions
- Tuition and Fees
- Catalogs
- International Education
- Graduate Program Forms
- Academic Calendar
- Graduate Program Coordinators and Advisors
- Student Handbook
- Contact Our Staff
- Henry Whittemore Library
- Office of the University Registrar
- Honors Program
- Commencement
- Colleges
- The FSU Difference
- Career Services and Employer Relations
- Centers & Institutes
- Center for Climate Change Education
- Center for Excellence in Learning, Teaching, Scholarship and Service
- Centers for Early Childhood Education
- Center for Global Education
- Center for Inclusive Excellence
- Center for Social Research
- Chris Walsh Center for Educators and Families of MetroWest
- Civic Engagement and Service Learning Center
- Entrepreneur Innovation Center
- Mancuso Humanities Workforce Preparation Center
- Inclusive Excellence
- Planetarium
- Study Abroad
- Arts & Ideas
- New Student and Family Programs
- FSU Environmentalism
- Meet Our Students and Faculty
- Modern Spaces
- Admissions & Aid
- Student Life
- Campus Events
- Clubs
- Counseling Center
- Health Center
- Information Technology Services
- Residence Life and Housing
- Dining
- Commuter Services
- Sexual Harassment & Assault Prevention & Education
- Student Development
- Student Services Center
- Wellness
- Student Involvement and Leadership Development (SILD)
- University Police
- Veteran Services
- Office of Community Standards
- Health & Wellness
- Alumni
- Search
- Roles

Our curriculum emphasizes learning as an interactive process. The Child Development Lab’s environment is prepared for children to learn from active exploration and interactions with their peers and classroom materials. Children are encouraged to question, explore, and discover while developing self-confidence and social skills to succeed in school and in life. Together, the teachers, preschool children, and University students work and learn from each other to create a community of learners to enjoy and collaborate in discovering the world and to instill the foundation for life-long learning.
The curriculum is based on developmentally appropriate principles and practices to provide for the physical, emotional, social, language, literacy, and cognitive development of all children through an integrated approach. Play is the primary vehicle for the children’s learning and, thus, the cornerstone of the Child Development Lab program.
The Child Development Lab uses a centers approach to our classroom organization. The children may make decisions about which centers they would like to visit each day. Our centers include writing, art, math, science, blocks, puzzles and games, dramatic play, library, listening center, and music. Reading and writing materials for the children to use throughout the classroom are available in the centers. The teachers and our early childhood education students work with individual children and small groups at the centers to guide and support learning, exploration, and discovery. Whole class activities, such as a morning or afternoon meeting to start class and circle time, are included in the daily schedule.
The content of the curriculum is based on selected themes to follow the children’s interests and needs. Themes, curriculum units, and special activities are planned with attention to a wide range of developmental interests and abilities. The curriculum is implemented in a manner that reflects family home values, experiences, language, and community perspectives to enhance each child’s understanding and appreciation of people from various ethnic, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds. The Child Development Lab also follows the Massachusetts Guidelines for Preschool Experiences, Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks, and National Association for the Education of Young Children guidelines to develop the curriculum, themes, and activities.