Tender Years, Inc. Child Development Centers
Tender Years Child Development Center, 50 E Chocolate Ave, Hershey, PA 17033
About
Tender Years, Inc. Child Development Centers offers on-site extracurricular activities such as soccer and music. The program includes both full day and half day (a.m. or p.m.) options.
• Ages: 6 weeks–12 years old
• Schedule: Monday–Friday, 6:30am–6:00pm
Tender Years, Inc. has been family owned and operated since 1984 and has been serving Central Pennsylvania families for 35 years. The mission of Tender Years, Inc. 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 Hershey Child Development Center accommodates up to 135 children, with classrooms specially designed for specific developmental groups and a large fenced playground area for gross motor skill development, along with a separate toddler-only playground.
Preschool and Pre-K at Tender Years, Inc. are taught by qualified, experienced teachers, and the 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 leadership team includes Center Director Megan McCann and Founder Betty L. Krebs.
Tender Years, Inc. is licensed by the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, accredited by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, and participates in the Keystone STARS Quality Initiative Program. The academic curriculum meets Pennsylvania Early Learning Standards, and Tender Years Academy programs are licensed by the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services and/or the Pennsylvania Department of Education. The program offers DHS-licensed Preschool and Pre-K, a PA Department of Education–licensed Kindergarten, Afternoon Kindergarten Enrichment, Before and After School Enrichment Programs, and Summer Camp Programs, with licensed and accredited Kindergarten available in Camp Hill, Hershey, and Mechanicsburg featuring a small class size of 15 students taught by a certified teacher. Each center is custom-designed to provide an educational and home-like atmosphere, with children separated into age and developmentally appropriate classrooms, state-of-the-art playgrounds appropriate for individual age groups, and each center professionally cleaned on a daily basis. A nutritious breakfast is provided daily, and children have access to a catered hot lunch program.
As Tender Years, Inc. continued to grow, Hershey Foods Corporation contacted Founder Betty Krebs about opening a corporate child care center for their employees. Tender Years, Inc. has won Best Child/Day Care Center 2022 and 2023 and Best Day Care Center 2022 and 2023.
One parent, Alyssa T., described Tender Years, Inc. as the best childcare center in the area, praising the attentive and compassionate teachers and noting that her boys love attending. Another parent, Ramya Vaidyanathan, shared that their family has been associated with Tender Years Mechanicsburg for four years, highlighted the Kindergarten program during COVID, and noted that their child became an excellent reader in a few months and enjoys outdoor playtime and photo/video updates through the school app. Other parents, including Amanda J., Christina Patterson, the Newkam Family, and Vanessa L., described positive experiences with the teachers, Kindergarten curriculum alignment with public schools, communication and progress reports, warm environment, and the availability of lunch meals.
Last updated July 14, 2026.
• Ages: 6 weeks–12 years old
• Schedule: Monday–Friday, 6:30am–6:00pm
Tender Years, Inc. has been family owned and operated since 1984 and has been serving Central Pennsylvania families for 35 years. The mission of Tender Years, Inc. 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 Hershey Child Development Center accommodates up to 135 children, with classrooms specially designed for specific developmental groups and a large fenced playground area for gross motor skill development, along with a separate toddler-only playground.
Preschool and Pre-K at Tender Years, Inc. are taught by qualified, experienced teachers, and the 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 leadership team includes Center Director Megan McCann and Founder Betty L. Krebs.
Tender Years, Inc. is licensed by the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, accredited by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, and participates in the Keystone STARS Quality Initiative Program. The academic curriculum meets Pennsylvania Early Learning Standards, and Tender Years Academy programs are licensed by the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services and/or the Pennsylvania Department of Education. The program offers DHS-licensed Preschool and Pre-K, a PA Department of Education–licensed Kindergarten, Afternoon Kindergarten Enrichment, Before and After School Enrichment Programs, and Summer Camp Programs, with licensed and accredited Kindergarten available in Camp Hill, Hershey, and Mechanicsburg featuring a small class size of 15 students taught by a certified teacher. Each center is custom-designed to provide an educational and home-like atmosphere, with children separated into age and developmentally appropriate classrooms, state-of-the-art playgrounds appropriate for individual age groups, and each center professionally cleaned on a daily basis. A nutritious breakfast is provided daily, and children have access to a catered hot lunch program.
As Tender Years, Inc. continued to grow, Hershey Foods Corporation contacted Founder Betty Krebs about opening a corporate child care center for their employees. Tender Years, Inc. has won Best Child/Day Care Center 2022 and 2023 and Best Day Care Center 2022 and 2023.
One parent, Alyssa T., described Tender Years, Inc. as the best childcare center in the area, praising the attentive and compassionate teachers and noting that her boys love attending. Another parent, Ramya Vaidyanathan, shared that their family has been associated with Tender Years Mechanicsburg for four years, highlighted the Kindergarten program during COVID, and noted that their child became an excellent reader in a few months and enjoys outdoor playtime and photo/video updates through the school app. Other parents, including Amanda J., Christina Patterson, the Newkam Family, and Vanessa L., described positive experiences with the teachers, Kindergarten curriculum alignment with public schools, communication and progress reports, warm environment, and the availability of lunch meals.
Last updated July 14, 2026.
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