UNL’s new Children’s Center has kid-friendly atmosphere

A single sentence adorns the pastel entrance of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's new Children's Center: "Play needs to be cherished and encouraged, for in their play, children reveal their future minds."

The new center, which opened Monday in the former Whittier Junior High School at 22nd and W streets, provides daily childcare for University of Nebraska-Lincoln faculty and students, as well as members of the community. It is the first university childcare provided since the University Child Care Center closed in April 2007.

"I've been at the university for 16 years. Throughout all of them, childcare has been discussed, and this building was brought up numerous times," said Tish Roland, director of the Children's Center.

"The university did hear from people. I think what got them was that there was no university childcare at all. We gave referrals, but it's not the same."

The Children's Center provides care for infants and toddlers, and offers a full preschool curriculum. Classes are filled on a "first-come, first-serve" basis. Prices range from $156 per week to $215 per week, with preference given to UNL students and faculty.

Construction on the new facility is not yet complete. A 10,000-square-foot playground complete with tricycle tracks, painting stations and spraying water is slated to be ready in two to three weeks. Still, in its opening week the center is already brimming with activity. At any time between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m., the brightly colored classrooms and halls are filled with young children doing everything from painting to playing games.

In addition to its full curriculum of crafts and classes, the new center also provides a number of features to set it apart from other day cares. The rooms are far larger than the previous center and include entirely new furniture, such as lofted playhouses. Small screens in hallways display slide shows of the children's activities.

Changing stations and bathrooms are arranged in small enclosures that allow supervisors to monitor both them and the rest of the classroom. Every aspect of the building seems to have been designed with children in mind, from heated floors for crawling infants to spinning blocks attached to walls that make even a quick jaunt to another classroom enjoyable.

"This place was built specifically to be a day care, designed specifically for this amount of kids, and you can feel that in its design. Everyone has their own space," said Danny Lightner, a senior philosophy major who has worked at both the previous and current children's centers.

For parents on the go, a single door marked "Mom's Room" reveals an area for in-center breast feeding. The room is open to any mother on campus, regardless of whether or not her child is enrolled at the center.

Security is also a primary focus. A staff area doubles as a Federal Emergency Management Agency-rated tornado shelter, and each door is set to sound an alarm if anyone opens it besides a teacher.

"The doors go straight to the playground. But if a child presses it, it makes a beep. They're actually fire evacuation doors that need to be deactivated by a teacher. That way (children) will know that when a teacher does it, it's okay. But if they do it, there will be consequences," said Roland.

With its copious student staff and constant bustle — except during nap time — the Children's Center seeks to be a relief for university parents and an enjoyable, hands-on experience for the children.

Looking at the large painted phrase at the entrance, Roland explained its significance. "That's our job here — to play with a purpose. We want the children to learn by doing."

iansacks@dailynebraskan.com