Operation Little Learners

Operation Little Learners at Armed Services YMCA Hampton Roads is an educational program that acts as a much-needed platform to help support and build confidence in parents in their roles as their child’s first teacher. This program guides and provides tools to parents to enhance key areas of early childhood development and offers an opportunity for parent-child bonding.  This class also provides the setting for both parents and children to make new friendships and feel part of a community, which is critical in the lives of military families. Additionally, parent-child bonding can predict a child’s ability to develop healthy relationships, handle conflicts, and have an overall higher quality of life well into adulthood. The classes provide a variety of activities that enhance cognitive, emotional, social, motor, and other skills of children ages 18 months through 5 years old.

Frequent moves due to military orders are unique stressors of military family life. These moves can come without warning and without control over future location. The move can often cause economic hardships and feelings of isolation. Coupled with potential short-term deployments by the service member, military life can result in the military family feeling untethered without the support of their own family or an established local network to rely upon. Many junior-enlisted active-duty spouses are young, new parents, away from the familiarity of their home community.

This class provides the setting for both parents and children to make new friendships and feel part of a new community. From a physiological and sociological perspective, we know a parent’s bonding with their little one can predict the child’s ability to develop healthy relationships, handle conflicts, and have an overall higher quality of life well into adulthood. As such, the Armed Services YMCA has created Operation Little Learners, which fosters a connection to a community of support, as well as fun and engaging activities to ensure that parents and their child/children learn ways to grow together as a family.

Session G: Little Creek | M & W | 9:30am-11:30am

2156 Wellings Court, Virginia Beach VA, 23455

Session H: Norfolk Point | M & W | 9:30am-11:30am

428 Ingram Loop, Norfolk VA, 23505

Session I: Willoughby Bay | T & Th | 9:30am-11:30am

8180 O’Conner Cres, Norfolk VA 23503

Session A: Larchmont Library | M & W | 11:00am-1:00pm

6525 Terminal Blvd, Norfolk VA, 23508

Session B: JEBLC Library | M & W | 12:15pm-2:15pm

1481 D Street, Building 3016, Fort Story VA, 23511

Session C: Ft Story Library | T & Th | 9:30am-11:30am

Omaha Beach Road, Building 864, Fort Story VA, 23511

Session D: NW Annex Chapel | T & Th | 9:30am-11:30am

3405 Relay Road, Chesapeake VA, 23322

Session E: Ft Eustis Library | T & Th | 9:30am-11:30am

313 Washington Blvd, Fort Eustis VA, 23604

Session F: Dam Neck Chapel | T & Th | 9:30am-11:30am

1884 Terrier Ave, Building 503, Virginia Beach VA, 23454

Younger siblings are ALWAYS welcome to join. If you have an older child, they may join us on non-school days or if you have a homeschooler that wants to tag along, please contact the Director to confirm availability. Every head counts, so siblings must register too!

You must be an active-duty military family with a child between the ages of 18mos-5 years.

Unfortunately, no. Our grant funding only covers active-duty military families. We are a military community that faces a unique set of challenges, so we have created a place just for AD families. Veteran families, thank you for your service, however, our group is reserved for active-duty families.

Our Early Education Director, Tessa Davis, will be happy to answer any questions you have.  Tessa can be reached at 757-363-1884 or TDavis@ASYMCA.org

Yes. HOWEVER, please allow new families to register for this fantastic class first. If you have done our program
before, we give you a timeframe where you can re-register, if space is available. See the registration page.

Head to our website, and on the top right corner you will see a button that says “Sign In”. Click that link. Scroll down to “Operation Little Learners” which is under Military Program. Since you are
new, it will have you create a free WebTrac account.

Enter all members in your household, including spouse and other children’s data. Your military affiliation is your
family’s and not yours personally. As a civilian spouse, you will still use your military spouses status which
include branch and rank. Use the designated drop down menus and enter all the empty boxes.

Go to our website and click on “Sign In” in upper right corner. Search under Operation Little Learners. Search for the class/event that you want. Add it to your cart. Add all members of your household that will be joining, adult(s) and child(ren) to the class/event.

We meet 2 times a week for 2 hours each day for 13 weeks per session. This curriculum-based program builds
early social and cognitive skills. Join your child in a classroom environment filled with fun educational activities.
This is an opportunity for you to help guide your child through the learning stations, join them in singing songs,
crafts circle time and recess!

We also offer a virtual program that is an email link sent 2x a week for you to follow along at home if none of
our locations/days/times work for you or you prefer online learning. No zoom here! Registration for this option
is required and qualifies you to get in on our free monthly events as well!

Log in to your account, just like you did to register for an event. Select “My Account” then “My History” to view
the activity details. To cancel, “My Account” then “Cancellations”. Select the event(s) you need to cancel. Select
“Proceed to checkout.” Select “Continue” and it will give you confirmation of the cancellation.
Any time you “checkout” you will receive an automated email with the details attached.

You must be a CURRENT SCHOOL READINESS PARTICIPANT in order to get these tickets and events and you
must register for them the same way you enroll in the class. Older siblings may purchase tickets when noted on
the monthly newsletter. Events are published the 15th for the following month and registration goes FAST! Add
your family to the waitlist as we pull from this often. Please cancel on your end if you can no longer attend our
classes/events so we can pass these spots to those on the waitlist.
FaceBook is the best way to get this information and to be a part of our community.
Join us today at facebook.com/groups/868091417024015

The parent & me part is what makes our program a success and as such, you must stay with your child.
You may never leave your child unattended. We have fabulous facilitators who help guide you and your kiddo
through the learning activities but you will guide their behavior and assist them in the crafts and all throughout
the class.

No. This is parent & me program for active-duty military families. Military life is crazy and we are a community
that lends a hand, so in the event that something comes up where you need another care giver to join or you
need to bring another military kiddo you are watching as a “one-off”, just contact the director for approval.

One of our fantastic partners is LMH. Their locations are reserved ONLY for their residents and their insurance
does NOT permit non-residence. We ask that our LMH residents join the closest LMH location and free up our
other spaces since there are no residential restrictions on other OLL classes. The top classes that are listed on
the site are for “ALL ACTIVE-DUTY” and do not have any residential restrictions so any AD OLL families may
join. These wonderful locations, including libraries & chapels have partnered with us to provide these services.

NO. As much as we like sharing, germs are not something we want to spread. If you discover you have a
communicable disease, DOH requires you to notify us so we can proceed correctly.