Choosing a preschool means choosing a partner in your child’s early development. At YMCA Preschool Academies, we are honored to be that trusted partner. With so many demands on today’s families and an increased focus on early learning, parents need support they can count on. Our academies are committed to holistically nurturing child development by upholding our mission to help children build healthy relationships and grow in self-reliance through the Y’s core values of caring, honesty, respect and responsibility. YMCA Preschool Academies are more than a place to learn—they are a place where potential takes root.

At the Y, we believe early childhood is a powerful window of opportunity. Early learning lays the foundation for long-term academic, social and emotional success. That’s why our state-licensed, full-day programs are grounded in a research-based curriculum that nurtures the whole child—socially, emotionally, physically and cognitively. We provide resource-rich programs that meet or exceed state standards and help young children forge developmental assets—the building blocks that shape children into caring, responsible and successful members of society. From circle time to science exploration, outdoor play to phonics, every activity is intentional and impactful.

Our teachers are more than caregivers. They are early learning professionals who bring both heart and expertise into the classroom. Many of our educators are long-tenured, and all are deeply committed to their profession—continually advancing their knowledge through ongoing professional development training, ensuring they bring the most current and effective learning strategies to their classrooms. At each of our three conveniently located academies—located in Largo, Lealman, and south St. Petersburg—our early educators create classroom communities where every child feels valued, uplifted and supported.

• Social Emotional: Teaches your child to manage emotions, establish positive relationships and participate cooperatively in group settings

• Physical: Teaches your child traveling and balancing skills, while developing gross motor skills and refining fine motor strength and coordination

• Language: Teaches your child to listen to and understand increasingly complex language, expressing his/her thoughts and needs

• Cognitive: Teaches your child problem-solving and learning skills, emphasizing the ability to remember and connect experiences while classifying information effectively

• Literacy: Teaches your child to demonstrate phonological awareness and knowledge of the alphabet, while comprehending and responding to books and other texts

• Mathematics: Teaches your child to use number concepts and operations while exploring spatial relationship and shapes

• Science & Technology: Teaches your child to use scientific inquiry, demonstrating knowledge of the characteristics of living things, objects, materials and Earth's environment

• Social Studies: Teaches your child to demonstrate knowledge about self and other people while demonstrating simple geographic knowledge

• The Arts: Teaches your child to explore visual arts, musical concepts, dance and drama

• Language Acquisition: Teaches progress in listening to and understanding English while demonstrating knowledge in speaking the language