Getting Started     

At Your Convenience

Childcare phenomena offers recreation and exploration for your kids — time for you
by Scott Hoover

How often as parents have you had plans — shopping, dinner with friends or just to see a movie — but you just couldn’t find a babysitter? There is a new childcare phenomena sweeping the Valley to alleviate this problem and offer childcare — and much more — anytime you need it.
 
Fitting Your Needs
Across the Valley, childcare facilities are taking advantage of the transient nature of the Valley, to offer parents childcare any time you need it, as well as recreation and fun for your children.
Shellie Berry is the founder and owner of Recess Kids Club, LLC (aka Recess or RKC), a progressive, supervised, indoor recreation and exploration play center for families.

Berry, a happily married mother of three, came up with Recess after moving to Gilbert from Colorado in 2004. She had no family in the Valley to depend on for childcare; however, immediately she needed her toddlers safely supervised and happily occupied, so that she could accomplish necessary tasks such as unpacking the moving boxes!

“When I first arrived, I found no short-term, drop-in child care,” she says. “Fortunately, a reputable learning center was close by and our family afforded the costly, weekly tuition. Unfortunately, we were paying for more than what we needed, but there were no other options.”



Berry decided it was time to offer parents a “come any time” place for children to play while parents go on their way.

“So long as there are children, working parents and families, there is a need for childcare,” says Berry. “However, the child care trend is shifting. Parents are demanding short-term child care options with flexible hours of operation and ‘pay as you go’ options. They are eager for childcare that is certified, secure and safe, qualifications not guaranteed by the babysitter down the street. Recess is the catalyst for this trend, and still delivers entertaining childcare. We have created an environment where children desire to be, taking them off the streets and into a safe haven of fun! In the long term, we feel convenience and affordability will be what distinguishes our progressive childcare business from the average facility.”

Recess currently has 264 registered children with its busiest times on the weekends, summer months, and school breaks. But lately, hassle-free birthday parties and private events have evolved and become even more popular at Recess Kids Club.

“We offer parents an opportunity to go out in the evening and on Saturdays, go to their own doctor’s appointments or whatever they need,” notes Berry. “Additionally, there is no pressure to leave a child longer than needed because parents pay as the kids play! In regards to amenities we offer an arcade and gaming room, indoor basketball court, football field, movie theater, computer room and more.

“Recess Kids Club offers free play and provides activities and amenities that foster social skills, encourage large and small motor play, increased learning and creativity through role play, dress-up, arts and crafts,” adds Berry. “Infants and toddlers each have their separate rooms and there is space for kids of any age to nap or rest quietly.”

Recess does not charge tuition, but they do offer memberships and prepaid hours. Berry says memberships provide parents with their lowest hourly rates, as well as reservation privileges.
“This no tuition/open door concept keeps our rates low and gives parents the flexibility to bring their child in to play whenever they want to,” she says. “Parents are not committed to a certain day of the week or specific time of day that their child can play. However, those parents that do desire to have guaranteed space for their child may purchase a membership.”

Berry says the most important aspect for parents is that they are only committed to pay for the hours their child plays.

“We want you and your child to feel at home at Recess and we are confident, once you pay us a visit, that you will feel that way,” she notes. “We want to meet every parent’s needs for child care. Some parents need child care daily; some need it after school, and some just on the weekends and still others only need it in emergencies or sporadically. We are proud to accommodate all of these cases.”  K&S