Growth and Development
Growth And Development in Orlando
In Orlando, many parents in the Dr. Phillips community start work early and finish late near the theme parks and Sand Lake Road. You need care that covers those hours. You also need a clear picture of how your child is growing. Ladybird Academy of Dr Phillips has served Dr. Phillips families since 2013. Our care follows your child from the infant room at 6 weeks through toddler milestones, Pre-K and kindergarten readiness.
Licensed and Accredited
How Child Development Works for Families in Orlando’s Dr. Phillips Corridor
Families from Bay Hill, Williamsburg and the Turkey Lake area use our 6:30 AM to 6:30 PM weekday hours to keep early learning on track without changing their workday. We hold Florida Gold Seal Quality Care, plus A.P.P.L.E. and N.E.C.P.A. accreditation. Activities across your child’s day are planned to build skills, from grasping a toy to sounding out a word.
Child development in Florida starts with licensing. The Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) licenses child care centers. Gold Seal Quality Care is a DCF award for licensed centers that also hold a recognized accreditation, which is a review by an outside group that checks how a program runs. Ladybird Academy of Dr Phillips holds both A.P.P.L.E. and N.E.C.P.A. accreditation. N.E.C.P.A. looks at how adults and children interact and how the school works with parents.
Two state programs shape the path for many families. VPK (Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten) is free for eligible 4-year-olds, and we offer it during the school year only. School Readiness (formerly 4C) helps eligible working families pay for care, and we accept it.
Many families who move to Dr. Phillips and MetroWest from the Northeast and Midwest have never heard of VPK or Gold Seal. Without friends nearby to ask, they lean on reviews and credentials. We explain both terms in plain words so you know what you’re choosing.
- Serving since 2013
- Care from 6 weeks
- Open from 6:30 AM
- Quality Gold Seal
Dr. Phillips sits beside Orlando’s tourism and hospitality corridor. That includes Universal Orlando, International Drive, hotels and Restaurant Row on Sand Lake Road. When a parent’s shift starts early, a 6:30 AM drop-off keeps breakfast, naps and learning time on schedule. A 6:30 PM pickup does the same at the end of the day.
ZIP 32819 is largely a dual-income, professional household market, and most homes are owner-occupied. These parents often plan to stay with one school for several years, so they check credentials, staff names and curriculum before they sign. Our Director, Ms. Yliana Gomez, has more than 15 years in childcare. She joined the school as a VPK teacher when it opened in 2013, later served as Assistant Director, and became Director in 2015. Ms. Gomez holds a National CDA (Child Development Associate) credential from the Council for Professional Recognition in Washington, D.C., as well as the Florida Director Credential.
Learning is tied to named materials. We use the Abeka curriculum for literacy and Saxon Math for early numeracy, so you can see what your child is working on, not just hear that they “learned through play.”
Ready for OCPS
Transition to Kindergarten for Future Orange County Public Schools Students
Our transition to kindergarten work prepares 4- and 5-year-olds in Dr. Phillips, Bay Hill and Williamsburg for Orange County Public Schools kindergarten.
In our Pre-K Classroom, your child works through Abeka phonics and Saxon Math. They practice early math skills like counting, sorting and comparing. They also practice the classroom habits kindergarten teachers notice first: following a group direction and sitting through a short lesson. Free VPK for eligible 4-year-olds runs during the school year and covers this readiness year.
Social-emotional learning matters just as much. Children practice taking turns, naming their feelings, and handling a new routine without a parent in the room. A child who reads well but can’t wait their turn may still struggle in the first weeks of kindergarten.
Preschool graduation marks the move to kindergarten, but you don’t have to wait until then to see progress. Our app sends real-time updates, and you can message your child’s teacher directly to follow along week by week.
Rain or Shine
Sensory Play Built for Central Florida Heat and Afternoon Storms
Sensory play activity help infants and toddlers build fine motor skills and body awareness. Children explore textures, sand, water and sound, and these activities tie to developmental milestones.
Central Florida summers bring heat and frequent afternoon thunderstorms, so sensory play moves between our water play area and indoor rooms like Playtown and the art room. Hurricane season runs June through November. On storm days, indoor sensory activities keep the routine steady, so a change in weather doesn’t mean a lost day of play.
In the infant room, your baby spends the day with the same teachers. Because they stay with the infant group all day, they learn each baby’s cues and likes. Parents often name our infant teachers in reviews. You can watch sensory time through our live classroom cameras.
Four Learning Rooms
Enrichment Activities in the Science Lab, Art Studio and Computer Lab
Enrichment activities at Ladybird Academy of Dr Phillips give preschoolers more than basic care. Our building has four on-site learning rooms:
- Art Studio for painting, drawing and hands-on projects
- Science Lab for simple experiments and observation
- Library for reading and quiet listening
- Computer Lab for early technology skills
The program mix includes science activities, cooking activities, social studies and language learning. Children start conversational Spanish at age 2. Infants and toddlers learn sign language before they have many spoken words. Ballet Dance and Soccer add movement and build coordination and listening. Soccer also teaches teamwork.
Many two-income households near Dr. Phillips Boulevard can’t drive a child to separate classes after work. Here, enrichment happens inside the school day. Cooking teaches measuring. Science teaches cause and effect. Ballet teaches rhythm and body control.
Home and School in Step
Potty Training Assistance Around 6:30 AM to 6:30 PM Workdays
Potty training assistance in our toddler classes is built for parents who work hospitality or corporate shifts near Sand Lake Road and the I-4 interchange. With weekday hours from 6:30 AM to 6:30 PM, much of the training happens at school. That’s why teachers and parents need to follow the same routine.
Some children resist training or slip back after a big change, like a new sibling or a move. Our behavioral support helps teachers work with you to adjust the plan. If a question comes up during the day, you can message your child’s teacher through our app. Using the toilet on their own is a self-care skill that builds the independence children need for Pre-K.
In Our Library
Storytime Sessions in Our On-Site Library, Just Off Sand Lake Road
Storytime sessions in our on-site Library serve toddlers through Pre-K, including children from families still settling into Orlando after a move. Storytime often includes read-alouds, picture walks, rhyming games and retelling. A picture walk means looking through the pictures first and guessing what the story is about.
Storytime supports the Abeka phonics path toward kindergarten readiness. Rhyming builds the sound awareness children need to read. Children also hear new words, build the stamina to listen longer, and practice asking and answering questions about a story.
The Library gives children a calm indoor space on hot or stormy Central Florida afternoons. We also host family engagement events for parents.
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Read-alouds
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Picture walks
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Rhyming games
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Retelling
Playtown and Pretend
Creative Play Centers for Toddlers in the Dr. Phillips Community
Creative play centers help toddlers and young preschoolers learn to share, plan and pretend. Our “Playtown” dramatic play room gives children room for pretend play, and creative centers and our art room round out the space.
Pretend play builds language, problem-solving and social-emotional learning. Two children playing store must agree on who is the shopper and who runs the register. That small talk is real practice in sharing and planning.
Families in Bay Hill, Williamsburg and the Turkey Lake area get structured creative play sessions during long weekday care. Guided play often means asking questions, such as “What will you build next?”, rather than directing every step. The tradeoff is that play can look messy, but children learn more when they solve the problem themselves.
Schedule a classroom walk-through. Come see Playtown, the art room and our classrooms. Our open-door policy means you can visit anytime during operating hours with no notice needed.
Outside All Year
Year-Round Outdoor Play Under Shaded Equipment Near Turkey Lake
Outdoor play at Ladybird Academy of Dr Phillips is part of the day across our age groups. Children take part in playground activities, gross motor games, water play and soccer. Gross motor means the large movements of running, climbing and jumping. Outdoor time builds balance, coordination and risk judgment: a child learns how high is too high to climb by trying small steps with a teacher close by.
Our Summer My Way Summer Camp for ages 5 to 11 takes two field trips per week. Stops include Bill Frederick Park at Turkey Lake.
Also Included
Additional Growth and Development Services We Handle
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VPK (Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten), free for eligible 4-year-olds, school year only
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School Readiness (formerly 4C) for eligible working families
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Step Up Program
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Full-time child care and full-day preschool
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Infant care from 6 weeks and infant feeding
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Toddler care and toddler classes
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Flexible scheduling with 6:30 AM to 6:30 PM weekday hours
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After school care with homework help and bus service to Palm Lake Elementary and Bay Meadows Elementary
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Preschool transportation and safe pick up and drop off with key fob check-in
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Breakfast, lunch and an afternoon snack cooked on site by our own cook
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Kids summer camp, week-long summer camp and field trips
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Behavioral support in child care
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Family engagement events
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Preschool enrollment and child care enrollment
Southwest Orlando
Where We Work Across Orlando
Ladybird Academy of Dr Phillips serves families across southwest Orlando from our school at 6809 Daisy St, Orlando, FL 32819.
Dr. Phillips is our home community in ZIP 32819, known for oak-lined streets and access off Dr. Phillips Boulevard. Bay Hill families are close by, and Williamsburg parents can use our before-school drop-off from 6:30 AM. Sand Lake and Restaurant Row employ many hospitality and corporate workers with early or late shifts. The Turkey Lake area and MetroWest include families near Bill Frederick Park, many of them recent arrivals to Orlando.
We are 2.6 miles (about 13 minutes) from Universal Studios, which makes us the closest day care to Universal Studios Orlando.
- Dr. Phillips
- Bay Hill
- Williamsburg
- Sand Lake
- Turkey Lake
- MetroWest
Start enrollment or book a tour. Visit Ladybird Academy of Dr Phillips at 6809 Daisy St, Orlando, FL 32819, or call (407) 412-6908. You can also email drphillips@ladybirdacademy.com. We are open Monday–Friday 6:30 AM–6:30 PM and closed Saturday and Sunday.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions About Growth and Development in Dr. Phillips
What Dr. Phillips parents ask us about VPK, Gold Seal, kindergarten age and outdoor safety.
Still have questions?
Our team is happy to help. Call during school hours or send us an email.
(407) 412-6908 drphillips@ladybirdacademy.comFlorida VPK is free for eligible 4-year-olds who live in Florida. VPK stands for Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten, a state program that many families from other states haven’t used before. At Ladybird Academy of Dr Phillips, we offer VPK during the school year only. Ask us how VPK fits into our full-day program for your child.
Florida Gold Seal Quality Care is an award from the Florida Department of Children and Families for licensed centers that also hold a recognized accreditation. Ladybird Academy of Dr Phillips holds both A.P.P.L.E. and N.E.C.P.A. accreditation. For your child, that means outside groups have reviewed how our program runs, beyond basic state licensing.
School Readiness, formerly called 4C, is a state program that helps eligible working families pay for child care. Families apply through the local early learning coalition. Ladybird Academy of Dr Phillips accepts School Readiness, and we can walk you through how it works with enrollment.
Florida requires a child to be 5 years old on or before September 1 to start kindergarten that fall. Plan your child’s VPK and Pre-K year around that date. If your child’s birthday falls close to the cutoff, talk with us early so the readiness year lines up.
Our before and after school bus serves Palm Lake Elementary and Bay Meadows Elementary in Orange County Public Schools. Those are the only two schools on our bus route. After school care includes homework help, snacks and outdoor fitness.
Ladybird Academy of Dr Phillips keeps outdoor play safe with shaded playground equipment, a water play area, and indoor rooms for storm days. Summer camp adds Monday water days for cooling off. When afternoon storms or hurricane season weather arrives, children move to the Library, Playtown and the art room so the day keeps its routine.
Schedule a Tour
Come See Where Their Adventure Begins
Walk the classrooms, meet our team and bring every question on your list. You’ll know quickly whether Ladybird Academy of Dr. Phillips feels right for your family.
- See the classroom for your child’s age
- Meet the teachers and our director team
- Learn how check-in, cameras and daily updates work
Prefer to talk? Call (407) 412-6908
Thank you!
Your tour request is on its way. Our team will contact you soon to confirm a time. Need us sooner? Call (407) 412-6908.
