Child Care Options

Review child care options and resources below, including Child Care Aware, the MSU Child Development Center, and the Missouri Child Care Subsidy Program.

Child Care Aware

Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and brought to you by The National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies, Child Care Aware has helped parents define and locate high-quality child care for more than 20 years.

Childcare Aware offers free, valuable, and reliable resources:
  • Child Care Connector is an easy-to-use tool that will help you locate child care resource and referral agencies in your local area.
  • Child Care 101 guides you through the steps of finding childcare and evaluating providers.
  • Helpful Tools that will help you make decisions about how to fit child care into your budget
  • Are You Aware is a monthly email newsletter that will keep you informed about high quality child care.
  • Free helpful publications that can be delivered by mail or downloaded on the spot.
  • Childcare Aware Parent Network is a connection with other parents just like you
Woman sitting on couch reading to children.

Missouri State University Child Development Center (CDC)

609 E. Cherry Street (in the addition to the Professional Building)

This is a laboratory on the Missouri State University campus that is housed in a new facility specially designed for infants, toddlers, two’s, and preschoolers.

Hours of operation are from 7:00 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. Monday - Friday. The laboratory is open year round including between semesters and semester breaks. It follows the Missouri State University Staff Calendar for holiday closings and for snow days.

Enrollment is open to children of students, faculty, staff and the community. The laboratory accepts children ages six weeks to five years of age, for full-time enrollment only.

Children on play equipment at CDC.

Missouri Childcare Subsidy Program

The Missouri Child Care Subsidy Program increases access to early learning by helping eligible families with the cost of child care. This allows families to focus on finding and holding steady jobs or to attend school and training programs.

In order to qualify for child care assistance in Missouri, families must:

  • Have a child birth to age 13, or a child with special needs or receiving protective services
  • Need child care to work, search for work, participate in job training, or attend school
  • Be at or below 150% of the federal poverty level

Please note that the application review process can take up to four weeks.

Woman with children at Meyer Library.