Operation Little Learners

Operation Little Learners at Armed Services YMCA Hampton Roads is a FREE 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 2-hour-long 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 1: NOB Chapel | M & W | 12:15pm-2:15pm

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

Session 3: New Gosport | T & Th | 9:30am-11:30am

Session 4: NW Annex Chapel | T & Th | 10:00am-12:00pm

Session 5: Dam Neck Chapel | T & Th | 12:15pm-2:15pm

Session 6: Midway Manor |T & Th | 9:30am-11:30am

Session 7: Oceana CYP | T & Th | 9:30am-11:30am

Session 8: TCC Joint Library | M & W | 9:30am-11:30am

Session 9A: Langely Library | M & W | 10:00am-12:00pm

Session 9B: Langely Library | M & W | 10:00am-12:00pm

Session 10: Willoughby Bay | T & Th | 9:30am-11:30am

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

Session 12: Norfolk Pointe | M & W | 9:30am-11:30am

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. Child must turn 18 months before the start of the program.

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.

Create your account here: https://operations.daxko.com/Online/5315/MembershipV2/MembershipTypes.mvc?_=638466208388671075

This will allow you to register for the OLL program of your choice. Please add all family members into your “Household 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/partner, you will use “Military Spouse/Partner- Civilian” Option to register (3rd option down)  Use the designated drop-down menus and enter all the empty boxes.

Head to: https://operations.daxko.com/Online/5315/ProgramsV2/Search.mvc?keywords=Hampton&fbclid=IwAR1TgNqwBPyAeh0gp3hFA0ChWhiwPQQCamHRgg937DAXrrDl2Kd9Zy1JOl8 and select your OLL session/event. When you go to checkout, please be sure to register for ALL attending participants. Every head counts!

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! Liberty Military Housing residents will receive a bonus school pack- contact Mrs. Tessa for pickup information!

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.

If you are using the virtual class to fulfill this requirement, you must have graduated from our in-person class in the past YEAR (2023/2024). 

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.