Exploring Together: Layla’s House Explorers Club 

A group of people pose for a picture. They are holding children's books.

Champions is excited to have just graduated participants of Layla’s House 2024 Explorers Club! We are proud of our young explorers and all they have accomplished this summer.

Explorers Club, hosted by Layla’s House, is an 8-week summer program designed to ignite curiosity and foster a love for learning in both children and their parents. The program is designed for children aged 3-5 and serves families from both within and outside the Sulphur Springs community, reaching and welcoming families from diverse backgrounds. This year, the program had 43 families, and 50 children registered for participation.

The program aids participants in enhancing their core skills in communication, personal-social interactions, fine motor abilities, gross motor coordination, and problem-solving techniques. These skills are developed through engaging activities and exploration, contributing to their overall growth and development.

This year marks the club’s10th anniversary. Since its inception, the program has been a cornerstone of summer learning for many families.

Explorer’s Club takes parents and children on a journey of discovery, guided by Champions for Children’s child development specialists. The club’s goal is to create a learning environment that is both fun and educational. By offering a variety of hands-on experiences and interactive adventures, the program fosters curiosity, helps children build new skills, and works to strengthen family bonds.

This year the Layla’s House program ran from June 3 to August 2. The summer program revolved around four themes to include zoo, aquarium, arts, and community. Each theme spanned two weeks, offering a mix of themed activities, field trips, and enriching interactions with community partners. Activities focused on S.T.E.A.M. (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math), and designed to provide a well-rounded and enriching experience for all.

Tanohah Leon, Child Development Specialist at Layla’s House, acknowledged that partners were integral to contributing to the success of the summer program. Partners included ZooTampa at Lowry Park, The Florida Aquarium, Community Stepping Stones, Tampa Police Department, Tampa Florida Fire Rescue, and the Sulphur Springs Museum.

On August 2, the program finished with a graduation ceremony, celebrating the achievements of the young explorers and their families.

This year’s program offered several notable highlights.

Tanohah shared that one of the notable highlights this year was the involvement of a parent volunteer who participated in the program as a nurse during community week. She said this marked the first time a parent volunteered without having a child enrolled in the program, bringing a unique perspective and expertise to our activities.

Tanohah additionally noted an introduction to healthier snack options.

A Heartfelt Thank You

Thank you to all the families who made this year’s Explorers Club such a special experience. Their support and involvement were invaluable, and Champion’s and Layla’s House are grateful for the positive impact they had on the program.

Of the program’s success, Tanohah said, “As we celebrate the success of this year’s Explorers Club, we look forward to many more years of exploration, learning, and growth. Here’s to another decade of discovery and the lifelong impact it brings to our families.”

Learn more about Layla’s House at cfctb.org/laylashouse.