About Us : News
Kids Cottage pleases parents, too
By PATRICIA V. RIVERA
The News Journal
11/23/2005
Lori Schell never intended to become a businesswoman when she left her full-time teaching job three years ago to care for her newborn son.
But as the needs of the stay-at-home mom went unmet, her entrepreneurial spirit soared.
"We kept having play groups in each others' houses and it was just getting old," said Schell, now the mother of two. "That's when I thought, 'Wouldn't it be nice to have a place where we could gather or even leave the kids for a couple hours.' "
Schell, 32, of Rehoboth Beach, sought assistance in developing a plan from her friend, Taryn Burris, 30, a special-education and middle-school teacher in Milford.
Their vision turned real with the opening in September of Kids Cottage, a multifunctional $1 million facility off Del. 1. Here parents can drop off their kids for a few hours or for movie night on Friday or Saturday, stay and play with their toddlers in a different environment, enroll their youngster in the structured preschool program, sign up for classes or simply enjoy an uninterrupted conversation with other adults in the upstairs parents' cafe. The center stays open until 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
Later this month, Kids Cottage will offer traditional day care for 20 children. Schell calls it "playcare" and limits it to 20 children between the ages of 2 and 12. The fee is $195 a week.
"We don't want to turn into a day care center. We want parents and kids to see it as a fun place, and perhaps parents can use it as a reward," she said.
Their approach works for Karen Sirotniak, a Rehoboth Beach mother of three. She drops off her children at least once a week to run errands or enjoy a quiet dinner.
"When I pick them up, they don't want to leave," she said.
The 20 part-time staff members have educational backgrounds, interests and experiences that meet or exceed the Delaware licensing requirement, Schell said. They continuously develop new and exciting activities.
The Kids Cottage's 12,000-square-foot, two-story white building houses a tiny village with colorful facades that take children and adults into various theme-centered rooms. At the heart of the center is a large indoor playground. There also is an outdoor playground equipped with ride-on toys, sand, quiet shaded areas and a basketball court. Children also can enjoy the computers, TV and video games in the media center. The facility is available for birthday parties.
Drop-in child-care fees start at $9 an hour ($5 for each additional child in the same family). The cost of other programs varies.
Burris said they want to develop more programs for parents. They offer yoga and sewing classes for adults.
"Our ultimate goal at Kids Cottage is to provide a social and activity hub for families in the area," she said.
Contact Patricia V. Rivera at 856-7373 or privera@delawareonline.com.
