Infant 6 weeks – 12 months · 1:3 ratio target
$425/wk
$327/wk
$276/wk
Toddler 12 – 24 months · 1:4 ratio target
$425/wk
$327/wk
$276/wk
Young Preschool 24 – 36 months
$364/wk
$301/wk
$263/wk
Preschool 36 – 72 months · 1:9 ratio target
$332/wk
$271/wk
$243/wk
↗ the deepest rate we offer
For DGS parents
The closest school to your desk. Not just walking distance, across the street.
Of the four neighbor buildings, DGS at 751 N Street is the nearest to our front door. The address numbers tell the story: 750 N Street to 751 N Street is one crosswalk. For a state-worker parent, that's the difference between "convenient" and "structural." Three things this proximity actually changes.
Drop-off doesn't subtract from your day. Park in your usual DGS lot, walk your child across N, hand off, and be at your desk inside ten minutes from leaving the car. Most DGS parents save the equivalent of a hearing-block per week compared to commuting to a freeway-adjacent daycare.
The 12:30 nursing visit is a five-minute total trip. If you're nursing or just want ten minutes with your infant in the middle of the day, you walk over, sit on a low stool in the infant room, and walk back. By 12:50 you're in your conference room with a sandwich.
Pick-up has a real cushion. Pick-up runs through 6:00 PM. When a 4 PM agenda item runs to 5:30, you're not driving across town hoping to make the daycare's 6 PM cutoff. You're walking across the street.
751 N Street to 750 N Street.
One crosswalk. The whole proximity thesis.
A typical morning
What drop-off looks like for a DGS parent.
You park in the DGS structure at 6:55. You walk out the south entrance, across N Street at the crosswalk, and into 750 N. The elevator runs to the top floor. You hand off your child to a teacher at the door, RIE-paced, no rushed goodbye, and ride the elevator back down. By 7:10 you're at your DGS desk, coffee in hand, with the day fully ahead of you.
Some DGS parents we know skip the parking structure entirely on heavy-rain days, drop off, walk to their building, and let the rain be the rain. The whole ritual is five minutes.
Field Notes
Questions from DGS parents, answered.
Is Growing Mindfully really the exclusive preschool for DGS employees?
Yes. The VIP Rate is the deepest tuition discount we offer, and it is written into our agreement with the State of California for the four state buildings within walking distance of our front door. DGS at 751 N Street is one of those four, and it is literally across the street from our school. No other preschool in Sacramento markets a discount of this depth or specificity to DGS employees.
How far is Growing Mindfully from 751 N Street?
Two minutes on foot. We are on the top floor of 750 N Street, directly across N Street from DGS HQ. Most DGS parents do drop-off on their way into the building and pick-up walking back through the same crosswalk.
What proof do I need to qualify for the VIP Rate?
At enrollment, we verify with either your DGS-issued state ID or a recent pay stub showing DGS as your employer. That's the entire process. No application fee, no separate VIP application.
What if I work for a department housed inside DGS but report elsewhere?
If your primary work address is 751 N Street, you qualify for the VIP Rate, regardless of which agency or division you formally sit under. If you split locations, contact enrollment and we'll work it out fairly.
Are infant spots actually available?
We are now enrolling infants for fall 2026 (ages 6 weeks through 7 months). Apply to the waitlist as early as possible, pregnant DGS families regularly apply during the second trimester. VIP-eligible families receive priority consideration alongside our sibling-priority list.
Does my dependent care FSA work here?
Yes. We are a licensed California childcare facility (CDSS, Title 22), which qualifies us for both DCFSA contributions and the federal Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit. We provide receipts and EIN documentation at year-end.
What's the morning routine for a DGS parent?
Drop-off opens at 7:00 AM. Walk in with your child, hand off to a teacher at the door (RIE-paced welcome, no rushed goodbyes), and you can be at your DGS desk by 7:10. Pick-up runs through 6:00 PM, which gives you a real cushion when a project meeting runs long.
Can I do lunch visits?
Yes. We built the school so a parent at any of the four neighbor buildings can lunch with their child and still make a 1:30 meeting. For DGS, two minutes across the street makes daytime visits genuinely workable.
What's included in the VIP Rate?
Full-time tuition (Mon–Fri, 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM), two organic snacks daily, weekly yoga and music, monthly gymnastics, all classroom materials, the Brightwheel parent-communication app, and our integrated mindfulness curriculum. Lunch comes from home. We are a nut-free facility.
Is there a part-time VIP Rate?
Yes. We offer 3-day (Mon/Wed/Fri) and 2-day (Tues/Thurs) schedules at proportional VIP pricing for DGS families on hybrid arrangements.
How do I start?
Apply to our waitlist at any time. In the application, mention you work at DGS / 751 N Street and we'll route your file as a VIP applicant. We'll reach out within a few days.
Is there a DGS childcare benefit or daycare discount in Sacramento?
Yes. Growing Mindfully is the mindfulness-based preschool and daycare with a structural VIP Rate exclusive to DGS employees at 751 N Street. The discount applies to infant care (from 6 weeks), toddler care, and preschool, on every schedule we offer (full-time, MWF, TuTh). Verification at enrollment is by state ID or pay stub, no application fee. The arrangement is written into our agreement with the State of California for the four neighbor buildings.
How much does childcare or daycare cost for DGS employees?
At Growing Mindfully, the VIP Rate for DGS employees is $425 per week for infant or toddler care (Mon to Fri full-time), $364 for young preschool (24-36 months), and $332 for preschool (36-72 months). Part-time MWF and TuTh schedules are proportionally less. See the rates ledger above for the complete grid. DGS staff who work elsewhere (not at 751 N Street) qualify for our State Employee Rate, also discounted from standard.
Where can I find infant care or toddler care for DGS employees in Downtown Sacramento?
Growing Mindfully runs a true infant and toddler program from 6 weeks of age, on the top floor of 750 N Street, a two-minute walk from 751 N Street. We are RIE-informed for infants and toddlers, with a 1:3 staffing target in the infant room and 1:4 in toddler rooms. Hours are Monday through Friday, 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM. We are an eligible dependent care provider (CDSS Title 22 license).
Can I use my dependent care FSA (DCFSA) for preschool tuition as a DGS employee?
Yes. Growing Mindfully is a licensed California childcare facility (CDSS, Title 22), which qualifies us as an eligible dependent care provider. DGS employees can apply DCFSA pretax contributions toward tuition and also claim the federal Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit. We provide W-10 receipts and EIN documentation at year-end for tax filing.
What's the closest preschool or daycare to 751 N Street?
Growing Mindfully, on the top floor of 750 N Street, is the closest mindfulness-based preschool to 751 N Street, a two-minute walk. We serve children ages 6 weeks through 6 years (infant care, toddler care, young preschool, preschool) and are the only Sacramento-area preschool with a structural VIP discount written into our agreement with the State for DGS families.