Tender Years Child Development Centers

Tender Years Child Development Centers offers activities that include soccer, music, and patriotic crafts. The program includes classrooms that are specially designed for specific developmental groups and uses large fenced playground areas for gross motor skill development.

• Ages: 6 weeks–12 years old
• Schedule: Monday–Friday, 6:30am–6:00pm

Tender Years Child Development Centers is a family-owned business that has been serving Central Pennsylvania families since 1984. The organization states that its mission is to provide families with child care and early childhood education programs within a comfortable, clean, healthy, and safe environment, and to care for children and their families as if they were their own. The Camp Hill Child Development Center can accommodate up to 115 children and includes a large outdoor playground and a separate toddler-only playground, and each center is custom-designed to provide an educational and home-like atmosphere with state-of-the-art playgrounds appropriate for individual age groups.

Preschool and Pre-K classes are taught by qualified and experienced teachers, and the full-day Kindergarten program is licensed by the Pennsylvania Department of Education and taught by certified teachers. All lead teachers in the nursery and toddler programs have a CDA credential or an associate’s degree or higher in education, and every Tender Years Kindergarten teacher is licensed by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. The staff is described as highly qualified and attentive, and the leadership team includes Center Director Renee Hosmer and founder Betty L. Krebs.

Tender Years Child Development Centers is licensed by the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services and holds dual licensure from DHS and the Pennsylvania Department of Education, with a PA Department of Ed licensed full-day Kindergarten. The program is Keystone STARS certified, participates in the Keystone STARS Quality Initiative Program, and is accredited by the Department of Education. Tender Years has received recognition including Best Child/Day Care Center 2022 and Best Child/Day Care Center and Best Day Care Center 2023.

Additional features include easy access to the owner, directors, and staff, nutritious breakfast provided daily, a catered hot lunch program, and professional daily cleaning at each center. The Mechanicsburg center was designed and built from the ground up in an award-winning village-style development called Walden and features large bright classrooms, large play areas, and a 5-story indoor tree house. The program is located on the West Creek Hills Elementary bus route, and community involvement has included a visit from Senator Casey to the Camp Hill Center and a request from Hershey Foods Corporation to founder Betty Krebs about opening a corporate child care center for their employees.

Parent testimonials describe the centers as warm and wonderful, with teachers who are attentive, compassionate, and who treat children as if they are their own. Families report long-term enrollment, positive experiences with the Kindergarten program, frequent outside play except during bad weather, and communication through photo and video sharing on a school app. Parents also note flexible directors, availability of lunch meals, and teachers who interact with children by talking, smiling, and playing with them.

Last updated July 12, 2026.