Childcare & Preschool

Enriching the lives of children and their families

Wilder’s Child Development Center provides the highest quality learning and care for children ages 16 months to 5 years. We are a nationally accredited center in Saint Paul’s Frogtown neighborhood that focuses on early childhood education and school readiness, as well as children’s social and emotional development.

We accept county child care assistance, private pay and Think Small early learning scholarships.

Contact:
Phone: 651-280-2600
Fax: 651-280-3600
Email: childcenter@wilder.org

Location: Take a Tour of the Wilder Child Development Center
911 Lafond Ave.
Saint Paul, MN
Find & review us on Google Maps

Hours:
Monday–Friday 6:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Social:
Follow & review us on Facebook

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A child’s early years are important and set the stage for future success.

At Wilder's Child Development Center, children learn how to share, play with others and understand their feelings alongside lessons in reading and math. Our small class sizes allow our caring staff to know and value each child.

Center Highlights

Incredible Years curriculum
Large classrooms with space for group time and one-on-one learning
Low teacher to student ratios to support individualized learning
Two secure outdoor playgrounds, a nature area and an indoor gym
Healthy homemade meals (breakfast and lunch) and snacks
Monthly community field trips
National accreditation by NAEYC and a top 4-STAR rating from Minnesota’s Parent Aware

Community Partnerships

Innovative music learning program with MacPhail Center for Music
Head Start co-location site for families who qualify
Saint Paul Public Schools partnership for early childhood screening, individualized education plan services, and assistance enrolling in kindergarten.
Minnesota Reading Corps curriculum helps build early literacy skills

Family Involvement

Family Fun Nights (monthly)
Parent Advisory Group
Parent education

Wilder Child Development Center offers two playgrounds for children

Child Development Center students have two secure outdoor playgrounds.

Two playgrounds are available at Wilder Child Development Center.

An indoor gym is available on days when weather doesn't permit children to play outside.

Wilder Child Development Center climbing wall

The Child Development Center gym features a climbing wall.

Wilder Child Development Center provides classrooms that engage toddlers and preschoolers

Large classrooms provide space for group time and one-on-one learning.

Wilder Child Development Center cafeteria, preschool lunch time

Child Development Center students gather in the cafeteria to eat healthy meals and snacks that are prepared on-site.

Wilder's Child Development Center provides music lessons from MacPhail Center for Music

Child Development Center students are part of an innovative music program with MacPhail Center for Music.

We encourage parents and guardians to start with an in-person tour! Just click the "Request a Tour" button below to get started.

Request a Tour

Toddlers (16 months to 33 months)

Our toddler classrooms have a 2:8 (Cub Classroom) and a 3:12 (Bear Classroom) teacher-to-child ratio. These small class sizes encourage individualized learning. We schedule monthly field trips and quarterly parent-teacher conferences.

We work with our 16- to 33-month-old toddlers on skills like:

Putting toys away
Recognizing body parts
Verbalizing the need to use the bathroom
Going up and down stairs
Matching familiar objects
Potty training (by 33 months)
And more!

Penguins (2 1/2 to 3 1/2 years)

To support individualized learning, the Penguin classroom has a 3:18 teacher-to-student ratio. We schedule monthly field trips and quarterly parent-teacher conferences.

We work with our 2 1/2- to 3 1/2-year-old children on skills like:

Following classroom rules and routines
Expressing themselves using feeling words
Recognizing individual names
Performing many self-care tasks independently
Counting to 20 in English

Butterflies (3 to 4 years)

Our Butterflies classroom has a teacher-to-student ratio of 3:20. Partnerships with the Saint Paul Public Schools and Minnesota Reading Corps help children prepare for kindergarten and build early literacy skills. We schedule monthly field trips and quarterly parent-teacher conferences.

We work with our 3- to 4-year-old children on skills like:

Sitting, listening and participating during large group activities
Using words to resolve conflict
Making phonic sounds for the letters of the alphabet
Using body coordination to move easily
Using words and senses to observe and explore
Recognizing and naming all letters of the alphabet

Dolphins (4 to 5 years old)

To support individualized learning, our Dolphins classroom has a 3:20 teacher-to-student ratio. Partnerships with the Saint Paul Public Schools and Minnesota Reading Corps help children prepare for kindergarten and build early literacy skills. We schedule monthly field trips and quarterly parent-teacher conferences.

We work with our 4- to 5-year-old children on skills like:

Following directions
Recognizing and naming most letters of the alphabet
Writing first names and recognizing last names
Recognizing and producing rhyming sounds
Mastery of self-help skills
Beginning to identify different characteristics of people

We accept enrollments to the Wilder Child Development Center throughout the year.

Step 1: Take a Tour

Start the process by taking a tour of our center and facilities. During the tour, you can observe our classrooms and ask questions. We’ll also have tuition information available.

Request a Tour

Step 2: Complete an Application

A completed application form may be mailed to or dropped off at:

Wilder Child Development Center
911 W. Lafond Ave.
St. Paul, MN 55104

Or you can email it to childcenter@wilder.org.

Download our application

Step 3: We'll Call You

If we have a spot open, we’ll schedule a meeting with you to go over additional paperwork.

If we don’t have a spot available, we’ll add you to our waiting list.

Questions? Speak to our school staff at 651-280-2600.

Please remember:

We offer full-time childcare from 6:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. No part-time schedules are available.
We accept private pay, childcare assistance—including county child care assistance programs—and Think Small early learning scholarships.
We accept children ages 16 months to 5 years. We do not offer infant or school-aged care.

Thank you and we look forward to hearing from you!

This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant to the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a special legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.

African American family sitting on park bench, african american mother and father with daughter and son, child development center family, minnesota community childcare, preschool family in saint paul minnesota

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Childcare & Preschool

Enriching the lives of children and their families

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