HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — The Tampa YMCA is set to address the community’s childcare needs by opening two new licensed preschools. One will be located in Tampa Heights, and the other in Carrollwood.
The preschools will open in August and will align with the Hillsborough County Schools schedule. They will provide full-day care from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with options for before and after care as well.
“I call myself a Y baby. I grew up at the Y,” said Tonina Rodriguez, the Director of Operations of Early Learning at the Tampa YMCA. She mentioned that both parents and children are eagerly anticipating the new preschools.
“We definitely have younger siblings who are looking forward to it. Parents are excited. We heard comments like, ‘Oh, this is great,'” Rodriguez said. “As we made phone calls to interested families, they were very excited about this opportunity.”
Rodriguez gave a tour of one of the indoor classrooms, highlighting various learning areas. “Here we have the art area where children practice their creative expression and fine motor skills through painting and holding crayons,” she said, pointing to the table lined with new supplies. “Here we have the block area, where they build using their gross motor skills and express themselves through play.”
Children will also learn to share, take turns, and develop social and emotional skills. The dramatic play station allows kids to dress up as community workers, play house, or use puppets. “We can change this area based on the study. When I was a teacher, I made it a tire shop because we were learning about wheels and tires,” Rodriguez explained.
In the math and science section, children will learn pre-math skills such as counting and number recognition.
The Tampa Heights location can accommodate 71 children ages 2 to 4, while the Carrollwood preschool can host 49 children.
“This is our literacy area where we teach social-emotional skills daily,” Rodriguez said. “We ask the children, ‘How do you feel today?’ and teach them about different emotions.” It’s also a quiet area where kids can enjoy a book alone or with a classmate or teacher.
Rodriguez noted that the decision to open these preschools came after observing a shift in the Tampa Bay area, with more development and more families with both parents working. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2023, 32.6 million families in the U.S. had children under 18, and in 67% of those families, both parents were employed.
“We created a safe place for children to learn how to calm down, breathe, and understand that it’s okay to be upset or angry,” Rodriguez said. “We teach them conflict resolution and how to regulate their emotions.”
Both YMCA members and non-members can register their children for the preschool, and registration is now open.
Rodriguez also showcased the outdoor area, where kids will learn, play, and expend their energy. “Releasing energy is crucial. After a certain amount of time doing activities, children need a brain break,” she said. “They learn through play, but they also need to release energy to be ready for the next activity.”
There is a one-time annual enrollment fee: $35 for members and $50 for non-members.