Professional Development Division

Since 1972, The Children's Center at Caltech (CCC) has been offering high quality child care and education for children ages six month to six years. In 2000, our research lead us to adopt STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) curricula as a focus of our early childhood program. As leaders in STEM Early Childhood education, we launched ECSTEM in 2011, and host an annual conference bringing together educators, policy makers, researchers and other vested community stakeholders to address the needs of our youngest citizens.

Due to the overwhelming demand for tours of our facilities, and requests for professional growth workshops, we have formed a Professional Development Division (PDD) that arranges tours, on-site visits and workshops at the CCC.

Fall Workshops at The Children's Center at Caltech

Let's Go Outside! Fostering Connections with Nature
Come discover how joyful moments in nature help children form deep, lasting connections with the Earth. In this workshop, you'll see how the CCC draws inspiration from the natural world—across all ages, from our curious infants to our adventurous preschoolers. Through outdoor play, exploration, and wonder, we'll highlight how nature supports children's growth, well-being, and their emerging sense of responsibility for the planet we share.

Saturday, September 20th, 2025 (9-12pm) Presenter: Susan Wood, Executive Director & Melissa Samples, STEM Curriculum Coordinator

Growth: How Things Change Over Time

Change is a natural and essential part of life—but how do children come to understand it? In this workshop, we'll explore how a group of 2-3 year olds came to understand growth and change over the course of a year. From seasons shifting to personal milestones to plant and animal life cycles, you'll see how meaningful experiences and observations helped them make sense of the world around them.

Saturday, October 25th, 2025 (9-12pm)
Presenter: Janet Nunez, Lead Teacher

Cooking and Chemical Reactions

This workshop explores how a group of children discovered the science behind cooking. Through hands-on experiences—mixing, boiling, freezing, and more—they observed how ingredients change when heat and time is involved. From apples to applesauce, we'll share how the classroom became a kitchen using a garden to table approach.

Saturday, November 15th, 2025 (9-12pm) Presenter: Amanda Lawson, Lead Teacher

If interested in an Educator Tour of The Children's Center at Caltech, please call the office at 626.395.6860 to schedule your visit, then please fill out the educator tour form and mail to us at the address below.

For questions regarding Educator Tours or the PDD Workshop Series, please call 626.395.6860 or email [email protected]

Please complete the registration form and mail along with payment to: The Children's Center at Caltech, 1200 E. California Blvd. MC 1-133, Pasadena, CA 91125; Attention: PDD