The Wellness Center Child Care serves children six weeks to five years old whose parent(s) or guardian(s) are NDSU students and registered for academic credits.

Step one: Call 701.231.5219 or send an email to the site coordinator to set up an appointment to tour the child care.

Step two: Once you are certain that this child care will fit your families' needs, complete a reservation form here, and supply a copy of your class schedule/credit registration to request a spot. You must have your class schedule present in order to sign a contract. Reservation dates are posted on the main child care web page for each semester. The site coordinator will take your request and inform you as soon as possible about availability. You are not guaranteed a spot until the site coordinator has accepted and approved your application. You are required to reserve a spot and sign a new contract each semester.

Step three: The site coordinator will reach out to set up an appointment to sign a contract and complete a parent pre-enrollment conference, which will take approximately 30-60 minutes. A non-refundable $25 reservation fee is required at this time.

Step four: Complete all required forms found on this page and submit a current copy of your child's immunization records. Cass County Social Services requires custody verification of newly enrolled children. A certified birth certificate for the child, or passport, is required prior to enrollment. Please bring a copy to the parent pre-enrollment conference.

Additionally, parents must provide:

• Two sets of extra clothing
• Family picture
• Two labeled pacifiers (if desired)
• Clean bottle for each feeding
• Diapers/pull-ups
• Wipes
• Blanket and soft nap toy (over 12 months, if napping)
• Non-aerosol sunscreen UPV 15 or higher to leave at the facility (seasonal)
• Appropriate clothing for the season
  • Oct-March please bring: thick and waterproof winter mittens, a winter hat that covers the ears, snow pants, winter snow boots, and winter jacket. No scarves, but balaclava style hats/facemasks are encouraged.

$6.50 per hour for regular rate

$7.50 per hour for Extended care/drop off

$235 per week Full-time Infant (6 weeks to 17 months)

$220 per week Full-time toddler (18 to 35 months)

$210 per week Full-time Preschooler (3 to 5 years)

Fees are subject to change.

Reservation Hours: Reservations are based on your class schedule. Reservations can be made for up to an hour before and an hour after your class time. A reservation for at least 30 minutes before your class begins is required. We offer 3 hours of care per credit. To access full-time care, you must be enrolled at least half-time. Full-time availability is at the discretion of the site coordinator. Parents may utilize part-time hourly care for up to 35 hours per week. At 36 hours of care, parents are required to sign a full-time contract. Out-of-class credits such as internships, practicums, online courses, or research credits are worth three hours per credit and can be scheduled at a time that works best for you, depending on availability.

Extended and drop-off care is exclusively reserved for currently enrolled children.

Drop-off care is scheduled by calling within 24 hours of, but more than two hours before care is need to check availability. Payment is only required for the time that the child is present.

Extended care can be scheduled more than 24 hours before it is needed by signing a contract. Payment for extended care contracts is required whether or not the child is present. Extended care contracts can be charged or canceled up to a week prior to the contract date.

USDA Child and Adult Care Food Program

The Wellness Center Child Care participates in the Child and Adult Food Care Program (CACFP), a federally funded program administered by the USDA. The program provides regulations which promotes good nutrition and balanced meals for children.

A breakfast, lunch, and afternoon snack is provided daily. Lunches are served family style as a teacher sits and eats with the children, encouraging them to serve themselves and engage in meaningful conversation. Children are encouraged to try new foods, but not forced to eat or taste food. Special attention has been given to increase meals with whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables while decreasing high fat content foods.

We provide iron-fortified infant formula and other infant appropriate foods. Parents of infants (0-12 months) may choose to provide their own milk and foods. We feed infants on demand.

Parents are required to supply enough disposable diapers and wipes for their child’s length of stay at the Child Care.  Parents who do not provide diapers will be charged $1.00 for each diaper used and $0.50 for wipes. If your child requires use of a cream, the parent must provide this as well.

We believe that children learn best through play and we see our role as providing an engaging environment and warm, caring relationships. Children have the opportunity to participate in activities planned by the staff each day. This may include story time, open-ended art projects, movement and musical activities, games, dramatic play, baking, indoor and outdoor play.    

Outdoor Policy
It is important for all children to play outside daily. If your child is too sick to participate in outdoor activities, they should remain away from the child care. Please provide appropriate clothing for the weather daily. With the Fargo climate, please bring a thick warm coat, snow pants with buckles, waterproof and lined boots, waterproof mittens (no gloves please), and a hat or balaclava that covers the child's ears during the winter months. Due to licensing regulations, scarves are not allowed, so please consider a balaclava which is a hat that comes down around a child's neck/chin. In the warm months, please provide a bottle of labeled sunscreen.

In accordance with the City of Fargo, we provide 60-90 minutes or large motor activities daily. If conditions do not warrant outside activity, the child care utilizes Wellness Center gym space.