Welcome to The Growing Patch

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Hello!  My name is Heather.  I am the owner of The Growing Patch at St. Mary's Episcopal Church in Dade City, FL.  I have a degree in Early Childhood Education and an endorsement for Reading K-12.  I have 18 years of teaching experience (Kindergarten and First Grade) and now I have been teaching classes at The Growing Patch for 3 years.  

     

About Us
The Growing Patch is a warm and welcoming child learning center, dedicated to inspiring curiosity, creativity, and a love of learning in young children. Located at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, our center provides engaging, hands-on educational experiences designed for children ages 2 years to 8 years — all alongside their caregivers.

Our Programs
We offer a variety of enrichment opportunities to support early learning and homeschool families, including:
Toddler Time – A joyful introduction to learning through stories, music, movement, and sensory play.
STEM Classes – Exciting science, technology, engineering, and math activities that spark critical thinking and discovery.
Homeschool Enrichment – Creative, structured classes that complement homeschool curriculums through hands-on projects and social interaction.
Holiday & Seasonal Specials – Themed classes celebrating special occasions with crafts, experiments, stories, and fun seasonal surprises.

Our Philosophy
At The Growing Patch, we believe that children learn best through play, exploration, and connection. Our classes are designed for children to attend with a caregiver, creating shared experiences that strengthen bonds and foster a lifelong love of learning.

     

Latest News
Coming soon!

Registration for June classes will begin soon!  Here's a sneak peek at our June calendar:

 

Sprout & Play | Ages 2–4 | 9:30–10:30 AM

Each Sprout & Play class includes a craft, music & movement, free play & social time, and story time — all in our cozy, small-group setting.

  • June 5th: Join us for a colorful toddler class inspired by the book Let's Paint a Rainbow! Children ages 2–4 will enjoy story time, rainbow painting craft, music & movement, sensory play, and free play fun.
  • June 26th: Join us for a dreamy cloud-themed toddler class inspired by Little Cloud! Children ages 2–4 will enjoy story time, cloud-inspired sensory play, movement activities, a cloud craft, and free play fun.

 

NEW! Make & Take Summer Series 

This summer, children ages 4–8 are invited to create, design, and explore during our brand-new Make & Take Summer Series!

Each workshop includes hands-on creating, personalized projects, and a beautiful take-home creation your child will be proud of.

  • June 15th from 2:30-3:30: Summer Totes: each child will decorate their own canvas tote using fabric markers, stencils, paint, and personalized designs.  These totes will be perfect to take on summer outings!
  • June 29th from 2:30-3:30: Stars & Stripes Glow Lantern Jars: each child will decorate their own Stars & Stripes lantern jar with patriotic colors, stars, and a battery tea light for a fun summer keepsake to take home.

 

NEW! Storybook Summer Camp

Join us for a magical summer series where favorite children’s books come to life through hands-on activities, STEM challenges, crafts, games, sensory play, movement, and imagination-filled adventures!

Each themed class will feature a beloved story and interactive experiences designed especially for ages 5–8. Children won’t just hear the story… they’ll LIVE it!

  • June 10th from 10:00-11:30: In this Froggy Goes to Camp themed class, children will bring the story to life through camp games, crafts, STEM challenges, movement, and hands-on summer fun!
  • June 24th from 10:00-11:30: In this The Watermelon Seed! themed class, we’ll read this hilarious story, explore real watermelon facts, complete hands-on STEM activities, create watermelon-themed art, and more during this engaging literacy-rich summer experience!
Contact Us

The Growing Patch at St. Mary's Episcopal Church

37637 Magnolia Ave, Dade City, FL 33523