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Florida VPK

VPK Providers in Lakeland, FL

VPK is Florida's free pre-K for children who live in Florida and are 4 by September 1. Pick a provider below, then apply for a VPK certificate on the state's Family Portal.

VPK providers in Lakeland
60
daycare centers
59
in-home daycare
1
take infants
43
State license records

All VPK providers in Lakeland

Showing 1 to 30 of 60

Providers on paid plans are listed first, then A to Z by name. We do not rank daycares.

  17. Child care centerFlorida VPK

    Explore Point

    4.6· 32 reviews

    2825 Shepherd Rd, Lakeland, FL

    Infants to school-ageAccepts subsidy
    CallDirections
30 of 60
How this list is made: Lakeland providers whose Florida license record says they offer Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK). Public schools also run VPK classes that may not be on the child care license list; your school district or early learning coalition lists them.

All 60 VPK providers in Lakeland, A to Z

Florida VPK

How VPK works

by September 1 of the school year
Age 4
Children who live in Florida and are 4 on or before September 1 can enroll that school year. A child born from February 2 to September 1 may wait and enroll at age 5.
for the VPK hours
Free
A provider may charge for care outside VPK hours, such as the rest of a full day or extended care.
in the school-year program
540 hours
Or 300 hours in the summer program before kindergarten. Each provider sets its own days and hours, so ask.
Apply for VPK on the Florida Family Portal

Cost

What daycare costs in Lakeland

Full-time infant care in Polk County has a median of $230 a week at a center and $200 at a home daycare. A year at the center median is 20% of the county's median household income. Each daycare sets its own price, so call to ask.

Infant

Center$230
Home daycare$200

Toddler

Center$155
Home daycare$165

Preschool

Center$140
Home daycare$145

Polk County median, full time, per week. Source: U.S. Department of Labor, National Database of Childcare Prices, 2022.

Before you enroll

Choosing a VPK provider in Lakeland

  1. 1

    Get the certificate first

    Apply on Florida's Family Portal for a VPK Certificate of Eligibility, then take it to the provider you choose.

  2. 2

    School year or summer

    Ask whether the provider runs the school-year program, the summer program or both, and on which days and hours.

  3. 3

    Ask about the rest of the day

    VPK hours are free. Ask what the provider charges for care before or after VPK hours.

  4. 4

    Visit a classroom

    Ask how many children are in the class and how the day runs.

Nearby

Florida VPK in nearby towns

Auburndale11 · 9 miMulberry7 · 10 miPlant City26 · 11 miBartow6 · 13 miEagle Lake3 · 13 miLake Alfred3 · 14 miWinter Haven39 · 14 miDover6 · 17 miZephyrhills15 · 20 mi

More in this area

More daycare in Lakeland

All daycares in Lakeland132Christian Preschools & Church Daycares in Lakeland21Preschools & Pre-K in Lakeland108Head Start in Lakeland7Infant Daycare in Lakeland88In-Home Daycares in Lakeland20Montessori Schools in Lakeland3Affordable Daycare in Lakeland82Early Morning Daycare in Lakeland22After-School Care in Lakeland118Bilingual Daycare in Lakeland3

Questions

Questions

How many VPK providers are in Lakeland?

60 VPK providers are listed in Lakeland. Public schools also run VPK classes that may not be on the child care license list; your school district or early learning coalition lists them.

What is VPK?

Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) is Florida's free pre-K for 4-year-olds, run by the Division of Early Learning through local early learning coalitions. Children go to a VPK provider of the family's choice: a center, a school or a family child care home.

Who can enroll in VPK?

Children who live in Florida and are 4 on or before September 1 of the school year. A child born from February 2 to September 1 may wait and enroll the next year at age 5.

Is VPK free?

Yes, for the VPK hours. A provider may charge for extra care, such as the rest of a full day.

School-year or summer VPK?

The school-year program has 540 hours of instruction. The summer program has 300 hours and is for the summer before kindergarten. Each provider sets its own days and hours.

How do I get a VPK certificate?

Apply on Florida's Family Portal. Your local early learning coalition reviews the application and, if approved, sends a Certificate of Eligibility that you take to the VPK provider you choose.

Are these daycares licensed in Florida?

Every listing here comes from the Florida child care license records.