Directions to 1400 N Broad Street Philadelphia, PA 19121
1400 N Broad Street Philadelphia, PA 19121
Today's hours: Hours:
Branch Hours
7 AM - 6 PM
All hours

Why Choose Y Early Learning?

There's so many reasons to choose one of the Y's early learning programs for your child! We have highly-trained and certified staff who care about the well-being and development of our child.

They understand the stages of development for children our care and structure the experience to help them meet the necessary milestones. 

Check out our early learning video to learn about our specific programs.

Our Programs

Infant Program

Infant Program

Ages: 6 weeks - 12 months

We provide infants with a safe and nurturing environment filled with opportunities to grow, thrive, and explore the world around them with the care of loving professionals. Individual attention for your child and a stimulating atmosphere help develop the skills of grasping toys, language, and exploring movement. Activities are incorporated without disrupting our infants’ daily routines.

Toddler Program

Toddler Program

Ages: 25 months - 36 months

Our toddler program nurtures and encourages your child’s natural curiosity in a fun and active learning environment. Highly trained teachers plan daily activities that encourage an enthusiastic exploration of the world. Within the consistent structure toddlers crave, children enjoy a daily balance of quiet activities, spirited music, movement, and plenty of outdoor climbing, running, and jumping.

Before and After School Care

After School Care

Grades: K - 6th

The Y’s Before & After School Enrichment (BASE) Program helps fill a gap for working families by keeping kids safe when not in school. Through a combination of recreational and teacher-led activities, we are able to complement what kids are already learning in the classroom. School-age kids balance learning and fun while developing social skills and engaging with positive adult role models.

Pre K Counts

Pre-K Counts

Ages: 37 months - 5 years

Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts provides quality full-day preschool to eligible 3 and 4 year olds at no cost. This program is for families earning up to 300 percent of the federal income poverty level (such as a family of four earning $93,000) who may also be English language learners or have special needs.

PHLpreK

PHLpreK

Ages: 37 months - 5 years

The PHLpreK program offers free, high-quality preschool to children who are 3 or 4 years old who reside in Philadelphia County. There are no income or employment requirements. Interested families can apply for placement in this program.

School Age Care

Full Day School Age Care

Ages: 5 - 12

Wondering what to do with your kids when school is closed but you still have to work? The Y provides care when your child’s school is closed, including most in-service days and holidays. Your child will engage in social and educational activities along with plenty of physical activity while at the Y.

*Completed forms must be obtained prior to attending. Registration for the 2024-2025 school year opens August 15.

BASE Pricing

The Y aims to offers affordable options for your family to get access high-quality child care. Plus, our passionate staff will make you feel at ease when your child is in our care.

Find pricing for the programs offered through your local school district by clicking the button below, and get started with your registration!

Find Pricing

Frequently Asked Questions


Early Learning Care

All Y Early Learning Centers feature the following measure to ensure the safety and well-being of our participants:

  • Protected entryway with key fob system
  • CCTV cameras in all classrooms and hallways
  • Full-time director on site with additional layers of leadership oversight and operational support
  • Regulated and licensed by the state and participate in state Quality Rating Systems

In a typical day, children are provided with hands-on, playful, developmentally appropriate experiences both indoors and out. Instruction builds upon prior learning and developed skills as children age up through the program, ensuring readiness for learning and entry into Kindergarten.

Children go outside every day, when the temperature is between 25 – 90 degrees, and there is no active precipitation or advisory to stay indoors.

Daily communication is provided through Tadpoles, a home and school app that supports two-way communication and sharing of resources, information, and photos.

All staff meet or exceed state requirements and have access to continuous education and training.

Please provide any necessary personal care items for your child, including: diapers, wipes, a change of clothing and naptime bedding. For infants, please supply a crib sheet. Please contact your local center for additional details, including snacks and meals. 

Our tuition rates vary based on which offering you select. Please contact us at gpychildcare@philaymca.org or (215) 220-9199 to learn more about our offerings and pricing.

We believe that everyone in our community should have the opportunity to benefit from Y programs. Our financial assistance program is central to our mission. Learn more about financial assistance.

After School Care

Step 1: View the programs on this page

Learn more about our before and after school program offerings and locations to find the right program for your family.

Step 2: Access your Y account online

When you are ready to register, login to your Y account online.

Login

Step 3: Find your desired program

  • Once you login, click on the Register tab at the top of the page. Choose your Current Location – click on “Change” (or enter school name in “Keyword Search”)
  • Choose Child Care from the Categories
  • Find the program you need and expand the list of programs for your specific location.

Please note: when you register for child care online, you will be registered for a child care package that includes the entire year of care and any applicable registration fees.

Step 4: Register

  • Click on your desired program option and click Enroll
  • A pop-up screen will guide you through the rest of the registration process:
    1. Confirm your selected program
    2. Select which child on the account you are registering. Helpful tip: you can only register one child at a time. If you plan to register more than one child, we do offer a sibling discount, however, this cannot be applied to online registration. Please call us at (215) 965-4316 to register and receive this discount.
    3. Complete any additional information

Please note: Each program will show how many children are registered out of the maximum number allowed for the program. If a program is at maximum capacity, you will only be able to add your child to the program waitlist.

Step 5: Payment

  • If you are finished all your registrations, click Pay Now. Reminder: If you plan to register more than one child, we do offer a sibling discount, however, this cannot be applied to online registration. Please call (215) 965-4316 to register and receive a discount.
  • The Setup Payment tab displays the schedule of payments due at the time of registration and your future payments that will be due.
  • Select the stored payment method or add a new payment method. The payment method selected will be used for your payments today and your scheduled payments. You can change the scheduled payment method later by contacting the Y or through your Y account.
  • Once your payment is processed, you’ll be offered an option to View or Print a Receipt in the Payment Complete tab.

Third Party Funding – SUBSIDY ACCEPTED!

The YMCA accepts funding from the Early Learning Resource Centers (ELRC) in Pennsylvania, Burlington and Camden Counties Community Action Partnerships in New Jersey, as well as Child Care Aware for military families. Please contact us with your Caseworker Name and ID number so that we may add this to your account.

Additional Notes & Information

Financial Assistance: If you plan to apply for financial assistance through the Y, please apply before registering for child care. Learn more about financial assistance:

Learn More about Financial Assistance

 Outstanding Balances: If you have an unpaid balance on your account, you will be unable to register for child care. To settle any outstanding balances, please call our team at (215) 965-4316.

Thank you for choosing the YMCA for your family’s child care needs and we look forward to serving you and your family throughout the school year!

Confirmation and Next Steps

Payment Receipt: You can access your orders and payments at any time online in the My Account section > Payment & Balances for receipt details or to see a list of payments.

Additional Paperwork: The primacy account contact will receive a confirmation email from the Y within a few minutes of your registration that will include a link to My Forms, which is accessible directly in your Y account. You can complete all the required forms and waivers, including immunization records, emergency contact forms, and health history information. This paperwork must be completed before your child’s first day of care (estimated time to complete is 30 minutes). For more information, view our Forms Help Guide.

Confirmation and Next Steps

Payment Receipt: Once your registration is processed, you will be sent a receipt to your primary email address on file. You can also access your payments at any time via your online account in the My Account section > Payments and Balances (for receipt details).

Additional Paperwork: Completing your required forms is now easier than ever! You will receive a confirmation email from the Y within a few minutes of your registration that will include a link to My Forms, which is accessible directly in your YMCA online account. You can complete all the required forms and waivers, including immunization records, emergency contact forms, and health history information. This paperwork must be completed before your child’s first day of care and we estimate the paperwork will take about 30 minutes to complete.

For more information view our Forms Help Guide.

Your child can expect a day of fun and learning!

Sample Schedule

Check-in and Welcome Activity
Snack (Provided by the YMCA)
Homework Assistance
Outdoor Play (weather permitting)
Enrichment Activity 1
Enrichment Activity 2
End of Day Small Group Interest Centers

Activities Included: Arts, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math), Leadership Development, Literacy, Service Learning, Health and Wellness

Your child will be guided by our trained, caring, and dedicated staff.

At the Y, we believe that our staff is our greatest resource. Our team all have prior experience working with children and have school-age-specific training to ensure they not only provide your child with a fun experience but a safe and educational one as well.

To ensure your child is in safe hands, all staff members must also pass through a rigorous series of background checks including FBI Fingerprinting, National Child Abuse Registry, National & State Sex Offender Registry, and full reference checks.

All staff providing before and after school care receive training on key topics like child abuse recognition and prevention, CPR and first-aid training, character development and group dynamics, diversity and inclusion training, and SO much more!

We believe that everyone in our community should have the opportunity to benefit from Y programs. Our financial assistance program is central to our mission. Learn more about financial assistance.

Our child care team is happy to work with school administrators to bring high quality programs to new schools. School administrators who want to take steps to having Y programs at their district can click the button below to submit interest.

Get Started

Contact Us

Have additional questions about child care or registration? Reach out to our team!

Phone: 215-220-9199

Email: GPYChildCare@philaymca.org