Growing Kids operates two daycare and preschool centers in Valparaiso: Campbell Street and Eastport Centre. Both are NECPA accredited, hold Indiana’s Level 4 Paths to QUALITY rating and serve children from six weeks through age 12. Campbell Street opens at 5:45 am and Eastport Centre at 6:30 am; both close at 6:00 pm, Monday through Friday. Families can choose the north-side Campbell Street campus or Eastport Centre’s east-side location with an indoor playland.
Looking for infant care? Confirm your room’s drop-off time with the center; the infant program page lists a 7:00 am opening.
| Centers in Valparaiso | 2 |
|---|---|
| Addresses | Campbell Street: 3400 N Campbell Street, Valparaiso, IN 46385 Eastport Centre: 751 Eastport Center Dr, Valparaiso, IN 46383 |
| Phones | Campbell Street: (219) 462-7777 Eastport Centre: (219) 477-5858 |
| Hours | Campbell Street: Monday to Friday, 5:45 am to 6:00 pm Eastport Centre: Monday to Friday, 6:30 am to 6:00 pm |
| Ages served | 6 weeks to 12 years |
| Programs | Infants, Toddlers and Young Preschool, Preschool, School Age Care, Camps |
| Accreditation | NECPA (National Early Childhood Program Accreditation) |
| Quality rating | Paths to QUALITY Level 4, Indiana's highest |
| Closure days | 8 per year |
| Tour | 30 minutes, children welcome; book online or call |
Monday to Friday, 5:45 am to 6:00 pm
The Campbell Street campus is the earlier of the two Valparaiso doors, opening at 5:45 am for parents with an early shift or a South Shore train to catch. Outside there are six play structures and a garden, so every age has its own space. Inside, an observation window lets you watch your child in the classroom without interrupting the room.
Monday to Friday, 6:30 am to 6:00 pm
Eastport Centre is off US 30 on the east side with onsite parking and shopping, groceries and gas in the same development. It has larger classrooms with dedicated learning centers and outdoor playgrounds designed for each age and stage, plus an indoor playland built for gross motor development on days the weather does not cooperate.
Both Valparaiso centers run the full program ladder, so a child can start as an infant and stay through elementary school without changing buildings.
| Program | Ages | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Infants | 6 weeks until walking | Low ratios, your feeding and nap schedule, daily updates. |
| Toddlers and Young Preschool | Walking to 3 years | Learning through motion and movement, first friends, early language. |
| Preschool | 3 to 5 years | Learning Beyond Paper curriculum built for kindergarten readiness. |
| School Age Care | 5 to 12 years | Before and after school care plus full days on snow days, delays and breaks. |
| Camps | 5 to 12 years | Summer and school break camps with weekly themes. |
Two centers, one standard. Campbell Street and Eastport Centre carry the same NECPA accreditation and the same Level 4 Paths to QUALITY rating, so the choice comes down to which side of town you drive, not which center is better.
Security designed by people who do it for a living. Growing Kids' safety protocols were designed with a child care security company run by former Secret Service agents. One locked, monitored entrance, biometric check-in and check-out, cameras in every classroom and an emergency call system in every room, coordinated with local police and fire departments.
Main Street. At the heart of each center is Main Street, a child sized mini town where kids play through real life, running a cafe, a post office and a store.
Indoor play that counts. Eastport's indoor playland means gross motor time happens every day, including the stretch of Northwest Indiana winter when the playground is under snow.
Accredited, not just licensed. Indiana licensing is the floor. NECPA accreditation and a Level 4 Paths to QUALITY rating are earned on top of it. Both Valparaiso centers participate in CCDF vouchers and On My Way Pre-K.
Open when schools are not. Eight closure days a year. Two hour delays, snow days and in-service days are covered for school age kids.
Tuition at Growing Kids depends on your child's age, the days you need and the center, so the accurate number comes from the center you are touring. Call Campbell Street or Eastport Centre and ask for current weekly rates, or request them when you book a tour.
Several things can bring the cost down. Both Valparaiso centers accept Indiana CCDF child care vouchers and participate in On My Way Pre-K, which provides free prekindergarten for families who qualify. Families who set up weekly AutoPay earn a weekly tuition discount. The Refer-a-Friend program typically credits $100 to the referring family and $100 to the new family, with no cap. Growing Kids also has child care benefit arrangements with a number of area employers, so ask HR whether yours is one of them.
Families come to the Valparaiso centers from across Porter County and the east edge of Lake County. Campbell Street serves the north and west sides of Valparaiso, Wheeler, Portage and families commuting to the mills and the South Shore line. Eastport Centre serves the east side, Washington Township, Kouts, Hebron and the US 30 corridor toward Wanatah. Chesterton and Porter families have their own Growing Kids center on 11th Street.
There are two. Campbell Street (3400 Campbell Street) is on the north side. Eastport Centre (751 Eastport Center Dr) is on the east side off US 30. Both serve the same ages and hold the same accreditation.
Campbell Street opens at 5:45 am and Eastport Centre at 6:30 am. Both close at 6:00 pm, Monday through Friday.
Yes. Both centers accept babies from six weeks old until they are walking, with low teacher to child ratios and your own feeding and nap schedule. Infant rooms fill first, so join the waiting list early.
Yes. Both centers are accredited by the National Early Childhood Program Accreditation (NECPA) and hold a Level 4 rating from Indiana's Paths to QUALITY, the highest level the state awards.
Rates depend on age, schedule and center, so the center gives you a current quote. Growing Kids accepts CCDF vouchers, participates in On My Way Pre-K, offers an AutoPay discount and a Refer-a-Friend credit. It also has benefit arrangements with several area employers.
Yes. The School Age program covers children 5 to 12 before and after school, plus full days on two hour delays, snow days and breaks. Ask the center about transportation to and from your child's school.
Yes. Eastport Centre has an indoor playland built for gross motor development, and both centers have age separated outdoor playgrounds for the rest of the year.
One locked entrance that is always monitored, biometric check-in for parents, security cameras in every classroom and an emergency call system in every room. The protocols were designed with a security firm run by former Secret Service agents.
Eight. Growing Kids stays open on most school holidays and on weather days when schools close.
Book online at growingkids.com/book-a-tour or call the center directly, (219) 462-7777 for Campbell Street or (219) 477-5858 for Eastport Centre. Tours take about 30 minutes and children are welcome.
Pick the Valparaiso center on your route and book a 30 minute tour. Bring your child, see Main Street and meet the teachers.
