Child Development Centers - Home

The Milgard Child Development Center at Pierce College Fort Steilacoom and the Garnero Child Development Center at Pierce College Puyallup bring compassionate, thoughtful, research-based care and education to children ages 1 to 5.

Our core beliefs:

  • Children have enormous potential and capability.
  • We must give children the same trust, patience, dignity, and respect we would offer anyone embarking on a serious educational journey.
  • We can best guide children by listening to them.
  • We are in partnership with parents and the community.

The centers utilize teaching methods that encourage discovery, curiosity, relationships, and social interaction. Our teachers set the environment and guide children through learning and exploration, while partnering with parents and the community. Parent participation is crucial to all areas of the program.

In addition, our buildings and landscapes are themselves laboratories, where children can explore and experiment. The light and space encourage inspiration, discovery, and partnership.

The Pierce College Child Development Centers provide:

  • Caring, dedicated, and degreed teachers
  • Observation and documentation of each child's growth and development
  • An Emergent Curriculum, which relies on teacher observation, flexibility, patience, and creativity
  • Full-day Head Start
  • Flexible scheduling for Pierce students
  • Low teacher-student ratios
  • USDA meal program
  • State subsidies accepted

Milgard Child Development Center and Garnero Child Development Center also offers a full-day Head Start program for qualifying children aged 3 to 5 years old. Please contact us for further information.

Milgard Child Development Center

Pierce College Fort Steilacoom
9401 Farwest Drive SW
Lakewood, WA 98498
(253) 912-3680
children@pierce.ctc.edu

Hours: M-F: 6:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Garnero Child Development Center

Pierce College Puyallup
1601 39th Ave. SE
Puyallup, WA 98374
(253) 864-3302
children@pierce.ctc.edu

Hours: M-F: 6:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Evening Child Care

Barbara Kohler
Program Coordinator
253-964-6691

Charlene Dudley
P/T Lead Teacher / Evening Child Care Supervisor
253-964-6227