Play-based
education rooted
in science.
UF Early Childhood Collaboratory at Baby Gator serves the community of today, tomorrow, and the future.
Program Overview
UF Early Childhood Collaboratory has three centers on campus:
UF ECC at Lake Alice is located on the corner of Village Drive and Museum Road, across the street from beautiful Lake Alice. This center serves infants ages 6 weeks to 5 years old whose parents are either University of Florida (UF) faculty, staff, or students. Lake Alice is NAEYC accredited, offers VPK (Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten), and is a school readiness center.
UF ECC at Newell Drive is located adjacent to UF Health. This center serves children ages 6 weeks to young 3 year olds whose parents are students or faculty in the College of Medicine, College of Health and Health Professions, and the College of Pharmacy. Newell Drive is in the process of renewing its NAEYC accreditation and is a school readiness center.
UF ECC at Diamond Village is located behind Shands Hospital on Diamond Village Road on Diamond Village Family Student Housing grounds. This center serves children ages 3 to 5 years old whose parents are students or faculty in the College of Medicine, College of Health and Health Professions, and the College of Pharmacy. Diamond Village offers VPK and is a school readiness center.
Enrollment
UF ECC is an inclusive center and enrolls children who have at least one parent or guardian associated with any college or department of The University of Florida or UF Health. Undergraduate students must be full-time (12 or more credit hours for Fall and Spring semesters). UF ECC at Newell Drive and UF ECC at Diamond Village were developed in partnership with the Colleges of Medicine, Public Health and Health Professions, and Pharmacy. Parents who are undergraduates, graduate students, interns, residents, post-docs, fellows, and faculty of these colleges have priority for spaces in these two centers. Children from the Gainesville community whose parents are not associated with UF may be enrolled on a space available basis. Siblings of enrolled children are given priority on the waiting list. Children may be placed on the waiting list after conception.
