Dillon Child Study Center

Conveniently located in the heart of St. Joseph's University, New York’s vibrant campus in Clinton Hill, the Dillon Center serves as a model demonstration center for the developmental approach to teaching young children.

Our Brooklyn campus Child Study students – as well as other groups and professionals outside of the University – utilize the Dillon Center to observe the developmental differences of various age groups and the range of individual differences unique to each child. Founded in 1934 as a laboratory early childhood center, the Dillon Center was among the first of its kind on the East Coast. 

Here are some of the opportunities Child Study students have at the Dillon Center:

  • Students in courses CS 101 and 102 receive valuable training inside the Dillon Center.
  • Dillon provides observation and participation opportunities for Child Study students to understand the role of the teacher as observer and facilitator of the child’s learning in response to individual needs and interests.
  • The importance of play as a natural mode of learning for the child is emphasized at the Dillon Center.
  • The Dillon Center staff attends to the needs of the whole child – social, emotional, physical and cognitive. Child Study students are given opportunities to observe, reflect and plan for small groups of children in the CS 210 practicum with the support of the Dillon teacher in seminar meetings and the instructor of the CS 208 course in early childhood.
  • Child Study students at the Dillon Center are exposed to the importance of the child’s environment and availability of developmentally appropriate material and experiences to enhance their learning, sustain interest and expand their skills.
  • The Dillon Center emphasizes to Child Study students the importance of including parents as observers and participants in the early childhood school experience. Child Study students are exposed to the importance of collaboration among teachers, therapists and parents, and they develop an understanding of the importance of carrying over therapeutic interventions in the daily activities of children.
  • Children with disabilities are included specifically in a preschool inclusion class, but also in general education classes, receiving related services.

Visit the Dillon Center Website