The NIU Campus Child Care Center is celebrating its 25th anniversary.

Located in Gabel Hall, the center’s mission is to provide high-quality child care for the NIU community.

For the first 22 years, the center only had enough room for two classrooms. In 2000, the center expanded and now provides for children ages 2 months to 5 years within eight classrooms. The children have a daily schedule that usually consists of free play, snack/lunch, outdoor play and rest time.

The teachers plan learning activities for the children. Children work in small groups and also come together as a larger group to read stories, sing songs and play games.

Christine Herrmann, director of the Campus Child Care Center, said the challenge for teachers is to provide individualized care in a group environment.

“They try hard to meet the needs of all children, but it can be difficult to get 12 to 15 children dressed to go outside or go through the toileting process all at the same time,” Herrmann said. “It takes a lot of love, patience and stamina to be an early childhood teacher.”

The center has professional staff that teaches full time. About 50 part-time student workers are hired to assist the teachers in the classroom. Some students volunteer or complete internships at the center.

Assistant Director Lisa Schmidt said the teachers take cues from the children about what learning opportunities to present.

“I would say that one of the most important skills children will have the opportunity to learn is how to co-exist, function and socially interact with a group of people. The social skills that a child will learn from group care will be part of the foundation for future learning and overall functioning in life,” Schmidt said.

For a child to enroll in the child care center, the parent must be a student, faculty or staff member at NIU. The center offers a combination of part-time and full-time enrollment, so a child can attend for no less than three hours a day and no more than 10 hours a day, five days a week. The typical drop-off time is between 8 and 9 a.m., and pick-up time usually is between 4 and 5 p.m.

The center will host an open house from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 23 to celebrate its 25th anniversary. Herrmann said the center would like to encourage anyone who has not seen the facility or who needs information about the program to attend.