Early Childhood Education in Orlando: Infant to Pre-K Learning at Ladybird Academy of Dr. Phillips

Ladybird Academy of Dr. Phillips runs full-day programs for infants, toddlers, 2s, 3s, and 4-year-olds, with each age group in its own classroom. We offer full-day programs only. That fits families who need full-time care, though it may not suit families who want a few hours a week.

Infant care starts at 6 weeks, and feeding is included throughout the day. Parents often name our infant room teachers in their reviews. These teachers stay with the same age group all day, and we keep ratios at all times, so your baby sees the same faces from drop-off to pickup.

Potty training tends to go more smoothly when home and school follow the same routine. Tell our toddler teachers what you do at home so your child hears the same words in both places.

From there, your child moves into full-day preschool and then our pre-K classroom, which ends with preschool graduation.

Dr. Phillips sits near Orlando's theme park and hotel corridor, where many parents work early, late, or shifting hours. Our 6:30 AM to 6:30 PM weekday hours and flexible scheduling are built for those jobs.

Ladybird Academy of Dr. Phillips is a Florida VPK provider and accepts School Readiness for families who qualify. Both programs help pay for early learning, but they work in different ways.

VPK (Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten) is free for eligible 4-year-olds in Florida. At our school, VPK runs during the school year only, so plan ahead for summer care before kindergarten starts.

School Readiness (formerly 4C) is support for families who qualify. If you used 4C in the past, School Readiness is the same idea under a new name.

Our transition to kindergarten work focuses on what your child will need on the first day of school. We watch for developmental milestones, the skills most children reach by a certain age. We practice social-emotional learning, such as taking turns, sharing, and handling big feelings. And we build early literacy and math, including letter sounds and number skills from Abeka and Saxon Math.

Kindergarten readiness is more than knowing letters. A child who can wait in line, ask for help, and follow a two-step direction often settles into a new classroom faster.

Florida VPK is often unfamiliar to families who have moved to Bay Hill, the Turkey Lake area, and Dr. Phillips from other states. Call our front desk and we can walk you through VPK at our school.

Outdoor play at Ladybird Academy of Dr. Phillips continues all year, because Central Florida has no winter break from childcare needs. Our playground has shaded equipment and safety surfacing. On hot days, our water play area helps children cool off while they play.

Afternoon thunderstorms are common in Orlando summers, and hurricane season runs June through November. When weather keeps children inside, learning moves to our indoor spaces:

Our Germ Free Zone handwashing stations help children wash up when they come in from outside.

Summer My Way Summer Camp serves children ages 5 to 11, with a state theme each week. Mondays are water days, and campers take two field trips each week. One trip takes Dr. Phillips campers to Bill Frederick Park at Turkey Lake, a local park many Dr. Phillips families already know.