First Discoveries Academy

First Discoveries Academy is a nature-inspired early learning program where children spend time caring for goats, digging for worms, and exploring the playground every day. The program serves children in preschool, kindergarten, and elementary school as a microschool with up to 60 children in a close knit School Family. It also offers Discovery Club enrichment classes for homeschool and a Summer Camp for children ages 3 to 10, including a FREE Summer VPK Program for children entering kindergarten.

• Ages: 3–10 years old
• Schedule: Traditional school day options Monday–Friday, plus extended day and summer camp schedules

First Discoveries Academy was established in 2008 and has been at its current location since 2015. The program offers preschool/VPK for three- and four-year-olds, a private school program for kindergarten and elementary age children, and part-time or hybrid programs for kindergarten and elementary school children. It follows the Eco-Healthy guidelines published by the Children's Environmental Health Network. The stated mission focuses on supporting and nurturing children’s development through early learning programs that emphasize creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving in a caring, supportive environment with opportunities to make choices and interact with teachers, other children, and materials, with the early years described as creating a lasting foundation for future learning. First Discoveries Academy is accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), and nationally less than 10% of preschools and kindergartens have achieved this level of quality. The program serves families in Brandon, Valrico, Lithia, and Fishhawk.

Last updated June 1, 2026.