VPK is a significant period where children begin to develop independence, initiate decision making, early literacy, numeration skills along with the desire to learn and to relate to others. What younger children learn in their VPK year will make a major impact on successful learning in school.

As children explore and develop relationships they build an understanding of learning what causes certain feelings and realize that others may react differently to the same situations. Because of this children begin to further progress in more complex social interactions such as joining in organized group play.

The Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program – or VPK – is a free prekindergarten program for 4-year-olds who reside in Florida and were born on or before Sept. 1 each year.