A traditional Hawaiian blessing marked the opening of the YMCA of Honolulu's newest early learning center on windward Oahu this week, as staff and newly enrolled families toured freshly renovated classrooms inside St. John Lutheran Church along Kailua Road. The ceremony celebrated more than just a ribbon cutting — it marked the revival of a site with deep roots in Kailua's early childhood education history, now reborn to help ease one of the state's most persistent family pressures.
Kahu Kekoa Kordell officiated the blessing alongside leaders from the YMCA of Honolulu and St. John Lutheran Church, according to Hawaii News Now. The property served as the home of the former Le Jardin Preschool for more than six decades, and the YMCA says its move into the space ensured neighborhood families retained access to essential childcare services after Le Jardin relocated its preschool program to its main campus. The station reports the YMCA completed extensive renovations and licensing approvals before opening its doors.
A Site Steeped in Kailua History
The building's history runs deep. Le Jardin Academy's own records show the St. John Lutheran Church property served as the original site of Le Jardin Preschool for over six decades, starting in 1961 when founder Madame Henriette Neal opened a single-room school for 12 children, according to Le Jardin Academy. Le Jardin moved its preschool program to its main campus.
After Le Jardin's preschool moved to its main campus, the YMCA moved into the space to help maintain childcare access for neighborhood families. The new YMCA Kailua Infant & Toddler Care Center and Preschool now provides full-day care and early learning Monday through Friday. Its infant and toddler program serves children ages 6 weeks to 2 years, 7 months, while the preschool program serves children ages 2 years, 8 months to 5 years, per Hawaii News Now.
Curriculum Blends Play and Structure
Hawaii's minimum caregiver-to-child ratio for licensed group centers is 1-to-3 for infants, with a maximum group size of six, according to regulatory data compiled by the Center for American Progress.
Hawaii News Now reports that the center's overall approach combines nurturing care with YMCA core values and youth development principles, with infant and toddler programming focused on sensory exploration, music and play, and preschool programming using a research-backed curriculum designed to foster independence, social-emotional development and kindergarten readiness.
Cost compounds the shortage. A 2026 municipal childcare study published by Beverly.io found that full-time center infant care in Honolulu averages $25,320 annually, consuming nearly 30% of median household income and making Honolulu the third most expensive city for infant care among 250 U.S. cities evaluated. Under Hawaii's Ready Keiki initiative and Act 46, state leaders have set a target to provide universal preschool access for all 3- and 4-year-olds by 2032, a goal estimated to require more than 400 new classrooms statewide, Honolulu Civil Beat reported in 2024.
YMCA Early Learning Programs
The Kailua center is part of the YMCA of Honolulu's early learning and preschool programs on Oahu.
Following the blessing ceremony, staff and newly enrolled families toured the updated learning spaces, Hawaii News Now reported. The YMCA Kailua Infant & Toddler Care Center and Preschool has open enrollment, and families can get more information by calling 808-678-4296.
