Lackland AFB Youth Center: What Military Families Need to Know

If you’re new to Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, the Youth Center is one of the first stops worth making. It’s the base’s hub for school-age care, teen programs, and the kind of after-school activities that make a PCS move easier on kids.

Here’s what’s currently open, who qualifies, and how to get your child enrolled.

Where It Is and How to Contact It

The JBSA-Lackland Youth Center sits at 2361 Selfridge Ave., Bldg. 8420, San Antonio, TX 78236. You can reach the front desk at 210-671-2388 for enrollment questions, program schedules, or general information.

Current Hours

Hours run on a few different tracks depending on the program:

• General center hours: Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• AETC Resiliency Days: 6:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• School Age Care: Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Resiliency Days by reservation only)
• Pre-Teen & Teen Center: Monday–Thursday, 3–7 p.m.; Friday, 3–8 p.m.; Saturday, 1–6 p.m.
• Weekends and holidays: Closed, except for the Saturday teen hours listed above

Check the JBSA Today events calendar before you visit, since holiday and Resiliency Day schedules shift throughout the year.

What the Center Offers

The Lackland Youth Center is part of the Air Force’s Child and Youth Programs, and it splits its offerings by age group:

• School Age Care for kids roughly 5 to 12, covering before- and after-school supervision plus school breaks and summer camp
• Pre-Teen and Teen Center programming for older kids, with open recreation, a dedicated teen space, and structured activities in the evenings
• Sports and recreation leagues, including seasonal youth sports through JBSA’s broader sports calendar
• STEM, arts, and enrichment activities, run alongside the school-age program

At peak times, like the start of summer break, the center has historically seen several hundred kids passing through daily, so it’s worth enrolling and reserving spots early rather than showing up and hoping for space.

Who Can Use It

Youth programs at Lackland are open to children of active-duty military, DoD civilians, and other eligible sponsors affiliated with Joint Base San Antonio. Eligibility and fees are tied to the sponsor’s status, so the front desk is the best source for confirming whether your family qualifies and what the cost will be.

How to Enroll

Enrollment for Air Force Child and Youth Programs is centralized. The fastest path is usually:

1. Create or update your family’s profile through the Department of the Air Force’s Child and Youth portal at dafchildandyouth.com.
2. Call or visit the Lackland Youth Center to confirm space availability for the specific program you want.
3. Bring required documentation, such as your military ID and your child’s immunization records, when you finalize enrollment in person.