‘Little Squiggles’ childcare center unveiled on new Walmart corporate campus

Affordable and accessible child care was the top issue Walmart corporate employees raised when asked what they wanted on the retail giant’s new corporate campus in Bentonville. The retailer responded by including a childcare center on the new campus, which is still under construction.

The Little Squiggles Children’s Enrichment Center will open on May 6. The 73,000-square-foot center includes two identical buildings, each about the size of a Walmart Neighborhood Market. The buildings are joined by a courtyard that allows parents to have lunch or interact with their children during the day. Each side has 19 classrooms with outdoor play and discovery spaces.

Walmart declined to share the cost of building Little Squiggles, but the cost was underwritten by a $225 million gift from the Walton Family in April 2022 for the childcare center and a whole health fitness center, which opened in January.

Little Squiggles is at 210 and 310 S.E. P St., adjacent to Central Boulevard and across the street from the fitness center. Laura Floyd is the executive director of the center, which is managed and staffed by Bright Horizons. Floyd said the center can accommodate 500 children between the ages of six weeks and 6 years and pre-kindergarten. Bright Horizons is based in Watertown, Mass., and operates 600 U.S. childcare centers.

When fully staffed, Bright Horizons will employ between 110 and 120 providers. Floyd said about 300 kids were enrolled before the opening. She expects the center to fill up in the coming months.

Little Squiggles is open to all age-eligible children of Walmart employees. However, according to Walmart, priority will be given to corporate employees. The cost per child ranges from $1,258 per month for infants to $1,237 per month for toddlers, $1,130 for preschool and $1,117 for kindergarten prep. There is also a one-time $75 registration fee.

Walmart said that as Little Squiggles reaches capacity, that could free up space for facilities like the Helen Walton Children’s Enrichment Center in Bentonville, which allows income-based fees for families needing assistance.

The center also has a full commercial-grade kitchen where snacks and meals are prepared for the students. There are also separate quarters for special dietary preparations for those with allergies, gluten intolerance and other needs.

Walmart Chief People Officer Donna Morris said Walmart corporate employees add about 300 babies each year. Cindy Marsiglio, senior vice president of real estate for Walmart, said having the on-site childcare will benefit parents like Tyler Thomason, corporate manager of global communications, who waited six months for a spot to open in the infant class. He showed up two hours before opening in the hopes of getting his daughter in the class in 2021.

She said Walmart employees struggle to find affordable care near where they work, given the region’s capacity constraints. Walmart said the new center will add 15% more capacity to the region and be the largest childcare facility in Arkansas.