Every champion
starts here.
Founding families get founding rates locked in for life.
Weekly early childhood classes for kids from infancy through age 6. Where little ones learn through play and grownups connect with other families. Structured learning, movement, and play, taught by credentialed educators at The Hitter's Edge in Whitehall.
In Partnership With
Hosted at The Hitter's Edge3679 Eberhart Road, Whitehall PA
Built by a mom who couldn't
find what she wanted
for her own son.
Alex Valenzuela knew Mac was ready for something more. A curious, active toddler who loved being around other kids, but most preschools wouldn't take him because he was too young. Meanwhile, baby Stevie was just 7 months old and already taking it all in. Alex wanted one place that could meet both of her kids exactly where they were, real curriculum, room to move, and a program that could grow with them from infancy all the way through age 6. She couldn't find it anywhere in the Lehigh Valley. So she built it herself.
CHAMP Academy lives inside The Hitter's Edge in Whitehall, taught by credentialed early childhood educators. The same care Alex puts into raising Mac and Stevie is the care every kid gets in our classes.
The promise
An early childhood program,
done with intent.
CHAMP Academy is a growing lineup of weekly classes and family events for kids from infancy through age 6, all under one roof at The Hitter's Edge in Whitehall. Every class blends structured learning, movement, and play into 45 minutes that meet your child exactly where they are.
“Structured enough to actually teach. Playful enough that kids love coming back.”
We're intentionally not licensed childcare. CHAMP is an enrichment program, which means parents and caregivers stay nearby, bonding with their littles and connecting with other families along the way. Think of it as the first real classroom your child will love, on your schedule. Flexible memberships and pricing mean you can join in a way that fits your life.
Hosted at The Hitter's Edge, our 14,000 square foot facility in Whitehall. The same space that's helped thousands of Lehigh Valley kids build skill and confidence, now built for the next generation of champions.
Three stages. One program.
Every CHAMP class is grouped by age and developmental stage, so your child gets the right experience for where they are right now.
6 weeks – 18 months
Tiny Champs
A parent-and-baby class built around sensory exploration, music, movement, and early bonding. Calm, curious, and full of firsts.
Smaller class sizes for our littlest champs.
18 months – 3 years
Little Champs
Toddlers explore movement, language, and play with a credentialed educator guiding every session. Big personalities, bigger discoveries.
3 – 6 years
Big Champs
A structured class blending early literacy, social skills, movement, and creative play. Built to get them ready for what comes next.
The weekly lineup
Nine classes. Every week. All included.
Every CHAMP membership includes all nine classes. Same teachers. Same space. Nine different ways to learn through play. Your free trial gives you one to try.
Baby Champs
A warm, welcoming space made just for our tiniest champs. Gentle, sensory-rich experiences that bond babies with caregivers and support early development.
Messy Makers
Hands-on, sensory-rich art where the process matters more than the product. Open-ended creative stations where little hands get gloriously messy and big imaginations run wild.
Mini MVP Play
Free play with a purpose. A rotating mix of toys, independent exploration, and connection with other kids. The unstructured magic that powers early development.
Quiet Moments
A gentle, calming class made for slowing down. Soft crafting paired with a sensory wind-down in a dimly lit space with gentle music.
Tiny Tastebuds
A multi-sensory food adventure. Sniffing, peeling, stamping, and tasting. Kids get curious about flavors, textures, and sometimes very stinky smells.
Story Explorers
Read-aloud adventures with songs, movement, and hands-on play. Kids sway, wave, and breathe their way through every story.
Rhythm & Rhyme Music
A joyful, high-energy music class where little ones sing, shake, drum, and dance their way through every session. Sing-alongs, hands-on instrument play, and full-body movement build early language, listening, coordination, and confidence. Big sounds, big smiles, big learning, all set to a beat.
Tee Ball
Grip it, swing it, run! Kids get introduced to the basics of baseball and softball through tee ball fundamentals: hitting off the tee, fielding, base running, and cheering each other on. Built for little athletes who are just figuring out what their bodies can do, and taught in the same space where the big kids train.
Obstacle Course
Little bodies, big challenges. Kids crawl, climb, jump, and balance their way through age-appropriate obstacle courses designed to build gross motor skills, body awareness, and the confidence to keep going when it gets hard. Every course is a little different, because champions love a new challenge.
Every class is 45 minutes and included with your CHAMP membership. Core enrichment classes run Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday mornings. Tee Ball is on Saturdays, and Obstacle Course runs select Wednesday evenings. We add new classes and times often, so check our live scheduler for the latest lineup and availability.
Two ways to CHAMP.
Included with membership
Core Classes
Our regular weekly lineup, included with every CHAMP membership. Messy Makers, Story Explorers, Quiet Moments, Tiny Tastebuds, Mini MVP Play, Baby Champs, and Rhythm & Rhyme Music. The everyday rhythm of learning, movement, and play your child can come back to week after week.
Add-on to membership
Semester Classes
4 to 8 week deep dives designed for every stage, from baby-focused programs for our littlest champs to skill-based classes like alphabet, phonics, and counting for older kids. Same group, same teacher, real growth your child can build on week after week. Available as an add-on to membership.
The framework
Every class. All five pillars.
CHAMP isn't just our name, it's our curriculum. Every class is built around the five pillars that shape how little kids actually grow.
Confident
Courage to try, fail, and try again.
Holistic
Mind, body, and emotion together.
Academic
Letters, colors, counting, and early literacy.
Mindful
Breathing, body awareness, and feelings.
Play
Free play and structured fun.
Five pillars woven into every single 45-minute class. That's the difference between play that fills time and play that builds champions.
- Infant–6Ages served
- 45 minute classesWeekly cadence
- Up to 15Educator + assistant
- Whitehall, PAThe Hitter's Edge
Meet the team.
The grown-ups behind CHAMP.
Alex
Founder, CHAMP Academy · Owner, The Hitter's Edge
B.A. Linguistics & Education
- Favorite color
- Purple
- Hype song
- “Zoo” — Zootopia 2
- Kids Book
- The Going to Bed Book
- Snack
- Wild Berry Skittles
- Superpower
- Turning "I can't" into "watch me"
I built CHAMP because I wanted somewhere to take my kids that had it all in one place. And somewhere moms could grow alongside each other, not just sit on the sidelines.
Meagan
Program Director
B.S. Education · PreK-12
- Favorite color
- Blue
- Hype song
- “Shake It Off” — Taylor Swift
- Snack
- Dunkaroos
- CHAMP pillar
- Play
- Spirit animal
- Social butterfly
My favorite part of working with little ones is getting to watch my own daughter grow and learn alongside other CHAMP KIDS
Carley
Director of Curriculum & Instruction
M.Ed. · PreK-4 Certified
- Favorite color
- Yellow
- Hype song
- "I Gotta Feeling" - The Black Eyed Peas
- Kids Book
- The Giving Tree
- Snack
- Popcorn
- Spirit animal
- Golden retriever
I want every CHAMP kid to feel like they have the person I needed when I was little
Memberships
The only early childhood program in the Lehigh Valley led by credentialed educators that you can join month-to-month.
No tuition commitment. No long-term contract. Just real programming, on your schedule.
- Founding — First 15 spots
4X a Month
$129$89/monthBest for
Single child, one consistent weekly routine
About $22 per class. Four classes per month.
- Most popularFounding — First 15 spots
Unlimited
$199$149/monthBest for
Single child, 2 to 3 visits per week
As low as $13 per class at full use.
- Founding — First 15 spots
Family Unlimited
$279$189/monthBest for
Families with two or three kids ages 0 to 6
Up to 3 kids in the same household. Just $63 per child at three kids.
Founding rates lock in for life as long as your membership stays active. Limited to the first 15 founding families per tier.
Your free trial class
Free trial classes are available Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday mornings, with more days and times coming soon. Pick any core class and your first one is on us. As soon as you complete the form we'll email you a code for your free class!
Be first in line.
Lock in founding pricing.
Founding families get first access to enrollment, schedule selection, and a locked-in rate for as long as your child stays in the program.
Memberships start at $89/month for founding families.
Questions