Friday, September 30, 2011
By christine keeling
austintown
A new day care caters to parents working the night shift.
Barrel of Monkeys, a 24-hour, seven day-a-week child-care and preschool center, will have a carnival during its open house Saturday at its 640 South Canfield-Niles Road location.
A bounce house, clowns, potato-sack race and food will be available from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with tours of the 5,200-square-foot facility continuing until 7 p.m.
“My son kept reading about different opportunities and found nothing like this was offered in the area,” said Eric Bohr of Austintown. He is co-owner of the facility with his son, Aaron Bohr, and his sister, Melissa Bohr.
General Motors employees, nurses and service workers often have a hard time finding child care during the evening hours, he said.
The center will follow the Ohio Academic Content Standards and offer a play-based learning environment. Children age 6 weeks to 14 years will be accepted.
“We will allow children to explore their environment freely and safely,” said Miranda Russo, administrator for the day care.
Children will have a “chill out” zone where they can play video games, with a parent’s permission. Infants will receive “tummy” and outdoor play time.
Bedtimes will be age appropriate, with bedding washed daily and mattresses sanitized after each use.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner will be catered by Antone’s.
“We are going to make it as close to home as possible,” said Russo. “And have a nurturing and educational environment.”
Special holiday activities are planned.
A New Year’s Eve party for enrolled children is scheduled from 7 to 10 p.m. so parents can work or go out.
Russo said employees of the center will be required to be certified in CPR and first aid, as well as undergo background checks by Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification Investigation and the FBI.
To ensure safety, the center will feature a 24-hour surveillance system and use a fingerprint clock-in system for parents.
“We are going to strive to be a Step Up To Quality two-star-rated center,” said Russo.
The rating system was created by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services’ Bureau of Child Care and Development and is a voluntary system that awards up to three stars to day-care centers that have met requirements, such as low staff-to-child ratios and specialized education.