CDL

The Child Development Lab

The Dorothy Roberts Nursery School was established in 1926 at the University of Wisconsin-Madison when neighborhood mothers asked for help raising their children and learning parenting skills. Since then, the program has changed in response to society's need for high quality early child care.

Children playing at the Dorothy Roberts Nursery School in the early 1930s.

[Wisconsin Historical Society. Five Children Washing Dishes at the Dorothy Roberts Nursery School. 1933.]

The cost of attending the Dorothy Roberts Nursery School in 1937 was 50 cents per day per child or 25 cents when a child's parent volunteered in the classroom. The nursery school was used by the Home Economics department at the University of Wisconsin-Madison to educate college women about child development, parenting skills, and early childhood education.

"I have often wanted to write you how much Home Ec. has meant to me and what a help it has always been. Particulary so, was this true just before and since R. was born. He is a fine, strong, happy boy!"

~ Gladys Kenny, 1934

This note was written by a former student in the Home Economics Department at UW-Madison. It is an example of how women acquired skills and knowledge that could be applied to improve the lives of children and families.

Students and researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison use The Child Development Lab in the School of Human Ecology to conduct observations of children's development, teaching methods, and parenting. People who support the goals of The Wisconsin Idea hope to see more outreach into the community so that families of all economic levels can access to the CDL's infant care and early childhood education programs.

College students learned about child development and early childhood education at the School of Human Ecology's preschool. This picture appeared in the School of Human Ecology's 2003 Alumni Magazine.

[Childdevelopmentlab.wis.edu/history]

The preschool at the School of Human Ecology began offering Infant Care Programs in 2012 as more women were employed in jobs outside the home. Many women were seeking this type of program because they were unable to stay home with their infants due to a lack of paid leave from their employers. In keeping with the values of Home Economics and The Wisconsin Idea, the preschool continued to adapt its programs to meet the needs of a changing society.

In 2017, the preschool was renamed "The Child Development Lab" (CDL) in response to a growing interest among other departments on campus to use the preschool to do research on topics related to children's development. The CDL also provides many opportunities for college students to interact with the preschoolers. This includes observations for class assignments and internships.

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