a groups of preschool age children sit quietly on floor mats while their teacher reads to them

DoW Child Development Centers

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Where Military Children Grow, Learn & Thrive

In partnership with the Department of War (DoW), the Armed Services YMCA (ASYMCA) provides early childhood education exclusively for military and DoW civilian families to meet military child care needs in high-demand areas of the country. Offering tuition based on a DoW sliding scale, the ASYMCA’s Child Development Centers ensure affordable access to high-quality care regardless of income.

At our CDCs,  you’ll find bright classrooms, caring teachers, and joyful little learners — all working together in a safe, structured, and loving environment. Built to support our community’s youngest heroes, our centers offer full-day care and early childhood education for children ages six weeks to five years old.

What Makes Us Special

The Armed Services YMCA Child Development Centers (ASYMCA CDC) are more than just child care centers — they’re a nurturing home away from home designed with the needs of military families in mind. From our colorful infant rooms to our hands-on pre-K spaces, every detail is thoughtfully crafted to spark curiosity, build confidence, and help your child explore the world around them.

Find a DoW CDC Location

We understand the unique lifestyle of military families — because we’re built for you. Our center provides stability, flexibility, and peace of mind, whether you’re deploying, transferring, or balancing life on the home front.

Our age-appropriate curriculum supports social, emotional, and cognitive development to help children succeed in kindergarten and beyond. We learn through play, guided discovery, and daily exploration.

With a secure environment, enriching classrooms, and outdoor play areas, children are free to explore and grow under the care of trained professionals.

Tuition is based on a DoW sliding scale, ensuring access to high-quality care regardless of income.

As part of the ASYMCA and DoW’s pilot program, we’re proud to bring expanded child care access right into the neighborhoods where our families live and work.

Mission & Purpose

The ASYMCA provides affordable, accessible, high-quality early childhood education to military and DoW civilian families, to meet the military child care needs within the communities they serve.

Babies play with colorful toys in a colorful classroom

Benefits for Military Families

Affordable child care improves financial stability and family resiliency by reducing the financial burden of child care on military families.

Access to child care enables service members to focus on duties and spouses to pursue employment or higher education.

High-quality child care gives children an advantage by focusing on cognitive, social, and emotional skill development.

Enrollment & Orientation Information

Learn about the enrollment process and orientation using the links on the info cards below, then get started by heading over to militarychild care.com.

A military father crouches on the floor at the ASYMCA CDC in Norfolk while his small twin daughters climb onto his shoulders and into his arms

Enrollment Process Guide

The ASYMCA CDCs accept enrollment via MilitaryChildCare.com using DoW child development center priorities. Learn how to sign up, manage your profile, and initiate enrollment by downloading our handy step-by-step guide.

Download the Enrollment Guide
A smiling little boy hugs his navy father goodbye in the lobby of the Norfolk CDC during drop off

Pre-Orientation Briefing

Download our Pre-Orientation Guide to learn more about the next steps in the enrollment process, including required documentation and what to expect from orientation.

Download the Briefing
A mother in a navy uniform passes her daughter to an ASYMCA child care specialist

Visit Our Document Library

Families who have accepted an offer for child care at an ASYMCA Child Development Center can visit our document library to download required forms.

Get Required Documents

Ready to Get Enrollment Started?

Whether you are an experienced hand at using MilitaryChild care.com, or you’re new to the process but have the info you need, if you are ready to get started with enrollment, head on over to MilitaryChildCare.com now:

Start Enrollment Now!

 

Still have questions?

Call or email us by heading over to our location finder to find contact information for the location near you.