A view of a current toddler classroom at Campus Children's Center. By September 2027, the center will have two toddler classrooms along with two for infants, two for 2-year-olds and two for preschoolers. Photo by Campus Children's Center

Indiana University Bloomington’s Early Childhood Education Services will use a $339,000 grant from Early Learning Indiana to meet the high demand for infant and toddler care by converting two classrooms currently used for preschool instruction.

“With preschool waitlists decreasing, while infant and toddler waitlists are increasing, this grant has given Early Childhood Education Services the opportunity to better meet the needs of the IU Bloomington families who have children under age 3,” Early Childhood Education Services Director Christy Olson said.

Early Childhood Education Services offers a continuum of care and instruction at three centers primarily for the children of IU faculty, staff and students. A drop in demand for preschool services combined with more than 250 infants and toddlers on waiting lists was the impetus for repurposing classrooms.

An Early Years Initiative grant will be used to convert classrooms over a three-year period. Campus Children’s Center will repurpose one room for infants by the fall and later another for toddlers. Hoosier Courts will convert one classroom for a mix of infants and toddlers. When the transitions are complete, an additional 26 infants and toddlers will be able to receive care and education

An infant classroom at Campus Children's Center. A second infant classroom will be added in fall 2025. Photo by Campus Children's Center“It meets more needs for the IU community,” said Dawn Berkenstock, Campus Children’s Center director. “That also means families can get back into the workforce sooner, knowing that their infant is in high-quality care”

The grant will cover the purchase of cribs, appropriately sized furniture, age-appropriate toys and materials, and costs related to additional training and support for teachers switching age groups.

Berkenstock said the transitioning space at Campus Children’s Center will remain flexible after the repurposing in case trends necessitate future changes to meet community needs.

Olson said the idea of transitioning preschool classrooms to use for infants and toddlers had been discussed for a few years. In 2023, voters approved a referendum to fund free or low-cost preschool programs in the Monroe County Community School Corp., which significantly reduced the demand for those services through Early Childhood Education Services. Hoosier Courts had enough preschool spots open that they were made available to non-IU families in the community.

Olson said Early Childhood Education Services had also hosted meetings to discuss the referendum with families, who asked for more infant and toddler care.

Early Childhood Education Services is working with IU Capital Planning and Facilities, the state Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning and the National Association for the Education of Young Children for project planning, licensing and accreditation during the transition period.

The Early Years Initiative is supported by $60 million in grants from Lilly Endowment Inc. The initiative’s goal is ensuring that infants and toddlers develop foundational knowledge and skills that support future learning and development.

Kirk Johannesen is a communications consultant in the Office of the Vice President for Communications and Marketing.