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More short-term day care centers planned
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A new drop-off center for the young children of busy parents is making its debut in Mesa.
Recess Kids Club opened Nov. 18 at Dana Park Village Square, 3426 E. Baseline Road in Mesa, and early reports indicate it has the potential for becoming a growing business in the East Valley.
"We're already planning on opening more centers," said Shellie Berry, the owner and founder who knows firsthand about coordinating the lives of parents and children.
Berry and her husband, Bertrand Berry, an Arizona Cardinals defensive end, have three children: Alana, 8; Desiree, 7; and Bertrand II, 3.
Berry decided on the new business when she, her husband and their then two young children moved to Gilbert from Colorado in 2004.
"I needed someone to watch my children while we unpacked, but there was no short-term care available anywhere in the East Valley," Berry said. "And, like many newcomers to Arizona - which is a transitional state - we had no family living here to call for help."
Recess Kids Club is a 5,700-square-foot facility that contains various rooms, including space for infants and toddlers, a play town, a movie theater and an indoor basketball court for older children.
"We're similar to traditional day care centers, but we offer short-term care extending into the evening," Berry said. "The open-door concept keeps our rates low and gives parents the flexibility they need."
The licensed center has six employees who have passed background checks and who are trained in first aid and CPR. Infants and youngsters age 2 to 12 are welcomed to stay for up to a maximum of four hours a day, said Berry.
Cots are available for naps and snacks are free. Meals cost $5 and are served during lunch and dinner times. Diapers are changed.
Costs range from $6 to $15 an hour, depending on the age and the number of hours the child is at the center. Parents are also charged a $25 membership fee.
"Our goal is for children to have fun while their parents go out," Berry said. "Moms and dads need a break, even if it's only for a few hours."
The center is open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and until midnight Fridays and Saturdays.
Berry is a graduate of Texas A&M University with a degree in psychology. For information, call 1-888-672-6116 or visit www.recesskidsclub.com.
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