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Unlike Your Surly Babysitter, This 'Playcare' Won't Care if You're Late

By Ariel Cheung | April 21, 2015 5:02am
 Take a Break Playcare features toys and play areas for children, including a miniature sports area and a video game lounge.
Take a Break Playcare features toys and play areas for children, including a miniature sports area and a video game lounge.
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Provided/Christine DeLoach

SOUTH LAKEVIEW — Childcare services can be a pain, whether it's the long-term contracts of daycares or the surly teenage babysitters who binge on your potato chips and grumble when you don't return home on time.

Take a Break Playcare, a new facility opening Saturday, aims to ease parental woes and provide care without the hassle.

Provided/Christine DeLoach

The "playcare," 2855 N. Lincoln Ave., provides drop-off service for children aged 3 months to 13 years. From an infant playroom to a video gaming lounge for older children, the playcare offers supervised care when parents need a break.

"They have these kid clubs in Mexico and Las Vegas, and we needed something like that where we live. That's how this idea came up; I was trying to solve my own problem," said owner Christine DeLoach.

Take a Break differs from a typical daycare in that it doesn't require a set schedule or contract for children to spend time at the center. Parents must pay for at least two hours of care, with hourly rates of $12 or $13.50 for infants. Weekly packages and sibling discounts are also available.

During its opening house from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, discount packages will be available. The center is open seven days per week, with care available until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays, and has capacity for 75 children.

Provided/Christine DeLoach

DeLoach, a mother of two, said the playcare is an ideal service for parents and guardians who are tired of an endless rotation of babysitters or possibly in the middle of searching for a new daycare. Whether they need some time to run errands, tackle a work project or enjoy a night out, there's no need to book an appointment in advance or worry about getting back on time.

"That's when we can fill the void. If your sitter is sick, the nanny goes out of town, we're here for back-up care. We're always having babysitting issues, all trying to share sitters. I really needed some place where I could just take my son that will be reliable and safe," DeLoach said.

Take a Break is licensed as a children's services facility, and staff members are CPR and first-aid certified. The center has video surveillance and offers activities like arts and crafts and snack time.

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