Fun Time Early Childhood Academy

NEWS

Read up on past events and sign up for our newsletter so you can stay informed on how we are shaping the lives of tomorrow’s leaders.

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

In the Press

Gulfshore Business: Fun Time Academy Receives $490K NCF Grant

Fun Time Early Childhood Academy received a $490,000 grant from the Naples Children Foundation to invest in its teaching staff and strengthen early childhood education programs in Collier County. The funding will support educators at the nonprofit as it marks its 65th year serving working families through affordable, high-quality early learning and a sliding-fee tuition program. Click here for the full article.

Gulfshore Business: Fun Time Academy awarded $20K United Way Grant

Fun Time Early Childhood Academy received a $20,000 Community Investment Grant from United Way Collier and the Keys for the 2026-27 funding cycle. The grant will provide tuition assistance for underserved children, helping more working families in the Naples area access early childhood education. Click here for the full article.

WGCU: Finding Affordable Childcare

Finding affordable childcare and preschool education remains a challenge for many families. A Collier County non-profit says it offers a solution with a high-quality learning program for infants through pre-K students, with the cost depending on a family’s ability to pay. WGCU’s Jennifer Crawford explores Fun Time Academy with CEO Christen Krembs. Click here for the full video.

Gulf Coast News: Naples teacher marks 40 years of inspiring students at Fun Time Academy

Reflecting on her four decades at Fun Time, Williams said her joy comes from the children she teaches. “It was the children. It was the way the faces lit up when they finally understood something they had been struggling with. Knowing that I wasn’t just doing the job. I was shaping lives. I was giving children a safe place, a steady presence, a person who believed in them. And even when they didn’t believe in themselves,” she said.

Click here for the full article and video.

Gulfshore Life Guest List: Blue Sapphire Gala 2026

Blue Sapphire Gala at Grey Oaks Country Club marked 65 years of Fun Time Early Childhood Academy, raising more than $900,000. The evening supports access to early education, meals and enrichment for local families. Click here for the full article.

Florida Weekly - SOCIETY: Fun Time Early Childhood Academy celebrates 65 Years

On Thursday, Feb. 19, Fun Time Early Childhood Academy hosted its milestone Blue Sapphire Gala: Celebrating 65 Remarkable Years at Grey Oaks Country Club. Click here for the full article.

Gulfshore Business: NCF grants $490K to Fun Time Early Childhood Academy

Fun Time Early Childhood Academy received a $490,000 grant from the Naples Children Foundation to support teacher salaries and renew its Teaching Strategies GOLD curriculum. The investment will help the academy maintain its high-quality early learning environment and provide updated, research-based tools that foster cognitive, social-emotional and physical development. Click here for the full article.

Gulfshore Business: Fun Time Academy receives $35K Schulze Foundation grant

Fun Time Early Childhood Academy received a $35,000 grant from the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation to support tuition assistance for working families. The funding will help advance the academy’s mission to provide affordable, high-quality early learning for underserved children in Collier County, preparing them for success in kindergarten and beyond. Click here for the full article.

Gulfshore Business: Fun Time Academy receives $50K grant for tuition aid

Fun Time Early Childhood Academy received a $50,000 grant from the Collier Community Foundation to support tuition assistance for children from working families. The funding helps ensure access to affordable, high-quality early education for up to 350 children, preparing them for success in kindergarten and beyond. Click here for the full article.

Gulfshore Business: Fun Time Academy receives $15K grant for classrooms

Fun Time Early Childhood Academy received a $15,000 grant from the Christ Child Society of Naples to enhance classroom resources and expand its Conscious Discipline program, an evidence-based approach that fosters self-regulation, empathy and positive behavior in young learners. Click here for the full article.

Wink News: Collier County preschool gets $50K grant to keep education affordable for families

Fun Time Early Childhood Academy in Naples received a significant boost in its mission to provide affordable, high-quality education.

The academy, a staple in the community since 1961, was awarded a $50,000 grant from the Collier Community Foundation.

“Wow, $50,000, it’s really going to go a long way for our families,” said Christen Krembs, Executive Director at the academy.

Click here for the full article and video.

Gulfshore Business: SWFL companies, nonprofits announce new hires, promotions, appointments

Crystal Gazic joined Sanibel Captiva Community Bank as a customer service representative. Christen Krembs was appointed executive director of Fun Time Early Childhood Academy. Click here to read the full article.

Naples Illustrated: Annual Labor Day 5K Run and Walk Returns

Fun Time Early Childhood Academy and the Gulf Coast Runners Club will host the fun and family-friendly annual Labor Day 5K Run and Walk at Baker Park in Naples on September 1. Click here to read the full article.

Gulfshore Business: Fun Time Academy to Host First 5K

Click here to read the full newsletter.

Florida Weekly: Fun Time Academy Raised Over $800,000 for Affordable, Quality Early Learning

On Feb. 20, Fun Time Early Childhood Academy hosted its highly successful “Once Upon a Time: A Storybook Gala” at Grey Oaks Country Club. The event brought the community together for a memorable night filled with heartfelt conversations and fundraising supporting early childhood education. This year’s gala raised $800,000 in support of Fun Time Academy’s mission to provide affordable, high-quality early learning for underserved children from working families. Click here to read the full article.

Gulfshore Business: NCEF awards record $34M in grants to children’s charities

After a record-setting 2025 Naples Winter Wine Festival, Naples Children & Education Foundation announced on March 17 more than $34 million in grants to nearly 50 Collier County children’s charities at a reception held at The Ritz-Carlton Naples, Tiburón. Click here to read the full article.

Gulfshore Life: Naples Winter Wine Festival’s 25-Year Impact: Three Children Draw Their Dreams

As Naples Children & Education Foundation celebrates its anniversary, we visit three preschoolers who benefit from NCEF-supported early education programs. Through their colorful drawings and big dreams, they show how the foundation’s Naples Winter Wine Festival fosters lasting change. Click here to read the full article.