Bridgeport Child Development Center 1

Bridgeport Child Development Center offers activities such as art, music, hands-on projects, and daily homework assistance. Children take part in planting, caring for, and harvesting vegetables and flowers in a garden, and the program includes family activities throughout the year such as family outings, parent workshops, parent-teacher conferences, and home visits.

• Ages: 0–12 years old
• Schedule: Weekdays, 7:30AM to 6PM; full-day summer camp program for school-age children 6–12 years old
• Price: Works with the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) to provide child care services at a reduced rate

The program uses Personalized Learning with The Creative Curriculum® and an after school curriculum that follows the STEM philosophy. It offers a Healthy Lifestyles program that introduces children to nutrition, movement, and environment, and focuses on “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.” Breakfast, lunch, and an afternoon snack are provided at no additional cost through Food2You catering with nutritionist-approved meals. Teacher-to-child ratios are 1:6 for toddlers, 1:10 for preschool, and 1:15 for school-age children. The program shares quarterly child outcome data with parents and provides support for dual language learners to support home language and enhance parent-child relationships.

The Bridgeport Child Development Center provides individualized care in an environment tailored to enhance growth and development, including for children with special needs. The leadership team includes Director Marybeth Mlikotic and Assistant Director Roberto Recio Jr. The center is accredited or recognized by the Council on Accreditation, DCFS Illinois, ExceleRate Gold Circle of Quality, and NAEYC.

Bridgeport Child Development Center partners with Start Early to provide Head Start services for children 3–5 years old and with Chicago Public Schools to provide State Preschool and Prevention Initiative Programs. It also works with community programs that provide social service resources, education, and training opportunities for families.

Parent feedback includes statements such as, “Bridgeport Child Development Center is a great place to be. I feel safe dropping my child off every morning knowing my child will be well taken care of,” and, “We love it here. We are amazed by your program. We like the fact that the parents here have a voice and that our opinion counts.” Other parents report, “My child has become much more independent since coming to this center,” and, “I love the growth that I have seen in my child’s development since they enrolled.”

Last updated July 30, 2026.