Schools near Tarpon Springs, FL

“An absolutely amazing place. I would give it 1000 stars if I could! Our son started here and just 4 months old and lots of tears have been shed having to leave as we relocate out of state. Every day this place is filled with smiles and warm hugs! Everyone in the office is amazing—Ms. Kristin and Ms. Erin take the time to get to know every single child, parent and grandparent. You’re greeted not just by name but genuine interest in getting to know you!

Special shoutout to our favorite teachers Ms. Gracie and Ms. Gemma! My son would practically jump out of my arms towards Ms. Gemma at drop offs. They were an absolute godsend in providing special care as we struggled with some feeding/GI issues early on. It’s just the best place to know that your child is not only going to be safe, healthy, engaged, and educated but also loved!”

“We love Ohana- it’s truly our second family! The women there take such great care of our children! Communication is on point and the kids are happy!! Heading into VPK in a few months and it couldn’t be smoother! Would recommend!”

“My son attends this school and my wife went to it when she was in preschool. This school is amazing. They are kind, caring, supportive, and provide a safe, nurturing environment for the children.”

“Kiddie Academy has been a wonderful daycare from the moment we walked into the building. The attentiveness of the teaches as well as the great daily communication is always greatly appreciated. Special thanks to Ms. Liz and Ms. Maria for always making my son feel loved and welcomed.”

“My son loves this place he's been there since he was 9 months and now he's 5 yrs , he loves the teachers. The teachers are amazing Ms.Jennifer , Ms. Melissa and Mr.Jared did a great job with the kids. My son had the best years with Discovery Point Trinity.”

“This facility takes great care of their kiddos. Maria runs this place well and is courteous and helpful if any problems arise. Kayla is fantastic as her right hand woman in making sure to be available for any questions or concerns and is a welcome face to see. Ashley F is amazing with these kids! She has helped many tots open up and you can really tell she puts her all into this place.”

“What is VPK
VPK for some people only means that they get to pay a lower cost for childcare. For others, it’s just a different classroom before they go to “big kid” school.
I will tell you what VPK is from a provider’s perspective. I have been providing VPK for nearly 20 years. I often hear parents say my child is so smart and ready for kindergarten even before they start a VPK program. They know their ABC’s and they can count to 100. Well, that’s wonderful but VPK is much more than academics. We certainly hope that our children will be able to identify all the letters in the alphabet and be able to one on one correspond numbers 1-10 and be able to count to 31. We would also like them to be able to write their first and last name without assistance. But these things are only a part of VPK. VPK is about getting the child and the family into a healthy routine for a successful school career for the next 13+ years. Our job is as a VPK provider is to ensure that we are preparing the entire family of what’s to come next. VPK is practice if you will. We are here to teach your child how to be away from home for hours at a time and how to cope with that. We are teaching your children how to have healthy relationships with adults and other children outside of your home. We are teaching your children how to speak up for themselves and how to ask others for help. We are teaching them independence. We are teaching them how to open their own food items, how to use the restroom without assistance and we are teaching them how to resolve conflicts. VPK is a setting with many children from many different backgrounds and comes from different rules at home. We teach your child how to follow rules outside of the home…what may be acceptable at home doesn’t necessarily mean it acceptable at school. We teach them how to express themselves appropriately when another child or adult makes them angry. We teach them how to celebrate when they accomplish something that is really hard. We teach them how to try and practice and then succeed. We teach them empathy and how to be kind to others. We not only teach the children, but we teach the entire family. We teach our families time management… how to get to school on time. How to have a successful morning before school. We teach them how to set aside time in the evening for homework, family projects and reading. We teach our families that they have rules to follow as well. They must sign forms and read messages. They must figure out how to read assessments and what they mean. They must know what their Childs’ strengths and weaknesses are in the school setting and how to manage those. We teach our families how to help their child succeed at school. They must read monthly calendars and keep up with what their child needs for school that day. They need to find a way to be a part of their Childs’ school career. All of these things… that’s what VPK is. It’s practice. It’s a full school year of practice for the entire family. Practice for the real thing. Practice for “big kid” school.
Ms. Leslie”

“Love the environment there they were very very nice people made me feel comfortable to leave my two kids there.I am very happy that I took my daughter out of top kids on central ave.”

“After having a bad experience at the first school my son went to, I was nervous about him going to another school. O2b Kids Palm Harbor has eased any worries I had! You are always greeted at the door with a smile and they know you by name. My son has been at O2b since June 2023 and has been with Ms. Rosa and Ms. Tetee. Ms. Rosa and Ms. Tetee have been nothing but so loving, caring, nurturing, and kind to my son. They treat him as if he’s one of their own and he loves seeing them when we get to school. My son has learned so much since he’s been there and I can see the progress he’s made at home. I couldn’t be happier to have found O2b and for Ms. Rosa and Ms. Tetee to be my sons teachers. We have found a family in O2b and I feel confident for our next son to be attending in the fall.”

“Best school of westchase area. My daughter goes for vpk. All teachers are very good & friendly. Specially, miss Henney & miss shree is very good teacher. She has very good experience to teach for vpk students.”

“Our family loves Bright Beginnings. All three of our children have attended this school and we have been there for almost seven years. All of the teachers have been caring and the staff is helpful. The facility is clean and well maintained. BB has been welcoming and inclusive of all different types of people and families. They have also always gone above and beyond to ensure the safety of the children in their care.”

“Smart Start is a hidden gem for the Westchase area and has been a lifesaver for my family. All three of my kids have been in smart start at some point (afterschool, daycare and summer camp), and I’ve been happy with the experience for all of them. I love that their afterschool program picks up at Deer Park, and my son’s afterschool teacher Ms. Jacque always made sure to help him get his homework done (a massive help) and treated all the kids with love and care. My youngest daughter has been in several classes as she moves into different age groups and each teacher has been great. There’s been very little turnover, but anytime a teacher is leaving they always take care to communicate things and allow time for the kids to transition to the new teacher. A couple of other things:
- they use an app to keep us in the loop and the director sees the messages and chimes in when needed.
- anytime I’ve called someone answers and is able to address my question.
- they offer several extracurricular programs (soccer, dance, Spanish)
- they have an excellent summer camp program which includes lunch and 2-3 field trips a week!
- meals are included! One less thing to think about each morning!
No school is perfect, but smart start has been perfect for us!”

“I cannot express how thrilled I have been with this pre-school. After 10 years of going to The Growing Place our 3 daughters were blessed to of had such an amazing experience there. From the moment we walked in the warm atmosphere put my girls at ease each and every time. The teachers are exceptional, patient, creative, and truly invested in each child. The school was clean, safe, and stimulating to my littles. It was a great foundation for my children's education.”

“I cannot express my gratitude enough for this school!!! They treat my entire family with so much kindness. My infant twins don't even attend YET, but their brother does.. and they always assist me with them while I pick brother up. Which to me makes my life so much easier.. to the fact that they see my amazing son for who he is and have accomplished potty training in a remarkable 3 days! I am a daycare teacher as well so I see the deep care in this place. So happy with our change! Thank you kiddie city!!!”

“I started my girls under the new staff about a month ago and I have never been happier with a childcare facility. Not only do I receive multiple updates on my children throughout the day and the cutest pictures of my children, my girls themselves tell me how much they love school and their teachers. I've also seen an improvement in behavioral senses as well. EVERY single person there has a passion for children and as a parent who is raising my cnildren in a Christian centered home I am extremely grateful for the exceptional care and faith based circiculum my children receive. Thank you to everyone at the learning ladder for all you do!!”

“My son has attended this day care from 2 years old till 5 years old! He absolutely loved coming & since being in elementary school he always asks to see Ms Liz and Ms Krissy his two favorite people. The kids always have smiles on their faces happy healthy & clean. They have worked so hard with my son who is diagnosed with ADHD & ODD and by far is the easiest kid to take care of. At one point Ms Liz and krissy weren’t at this daycare and I moved my son where they had went because of how well they care for their kids like they are their own. My newborn son will be attending as well. They are great advocates for all the children & have done their very best! I highly recommend you schedule a tour for your child to attend you will not be disappointed”

“I CANNOT say enough good things about Goddard. My daughter has only been attending for 2 months and we all already feel like family. It is so special to have a place you feel so at peace dropping your child off at. I am so thankful for my daughters teachers and all of the faculty. So welcoming, clean, kind. She has learned so much in a short period”

“Little Ones Preschool in Dunedin has been an absolute joy for child's early learning journey. The staff radiate warmth and genuine care, creating an environment where children feel not just educated but truly cherished. The curriculum is a perfect blend of structured learning and imaginative play, igniting a passion for discovery in each little one. The facilities are not only safe and stimulating but also vibrant, making every day an adventure for these young minds. Communication with the staff has been seamless, and I wholeheartedly recommend Little Ones Preschool to parents seeking an enriching and nurturing start for their little learners. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️”

“This place is amazing! We moved here from the west coast and of course, was very nervous about putting my grandson in an unknown setting without knowing many people to get feedback from. A neighbor had highly recommended New Horizons on Omaha. I scheduled a tour and was very impressed with the cleanliness, organization and structure to the day. I decided to enroll my grandson and the registration process was very easy and straightforward. I was nervous about how my grandson would adapt as he had never been in a daycare/school setting. Drop offs were hard/rough as he was getting adjusted so I reached out to the administrator to have a conversation about my concerns. She was able to talk right away, which I appreciated. I felt bad that I was leaving a toddler having a tantrum and we came up with some things to try to ease the drop off process and I felt 100x better after our conversation. Alex is amazing about being available to meet, come up with solutions and answer questions.
You can tell that the staff truly cares about these kids. They are accommodating (even for needy kids such as my grandson who needs some extra love, snuggles and reassurance) and I feel at ease when I drop my grandbaby off, that he’s in great hands! I highly recommend for anyone who is looking for a clean, safe and structured environment for their little ones!”