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Kira Gallant (back left) and her assistant, Ashlynn Leeman pose with nine campers and Gallant’s black Labrador, Cooper, at Kira’s Day Camp in Newcastle. |
By Tim Badgley
A new child care service, Kira’s Day Camp, is now open in Newcastle under the direction of Kira Gallant in her home at 57 Hassan Ave., just off Route 215 (Ridge Road).
The day camp will operate year-round, providing child care services to children from ages 5 to 10. During school vacation periods, snow days, and summer vacation, hours of operation will be from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. When school is in session, her day camp will be open from 3 to 5 p.m.
Gallant lives with her 8-year-old son and two dogs in their home, which has a spacious walk-out basement that she recently renovated into a child play space for the day camp.
There is plenty of room for the day campers to ride their bikes, take walks and be able to just run, Gallant said.
“I live off the main road so kids are able to bring their bikes and be safe without dealing with road traffic,” Gallant said.
Gallant is an ed tech in the Alternative Classroom Education Services program, or ACES, at Great Salt Bay Community School. She wanted to be with her son during the summer rather than send him to a child care center.
When a number of her close friends told Gallant they also did not want their children spending the summer months outside of a home environment, the idea to open a day camp in her own home was born.
Gallant said that with her school job it is easy for her to provide care after school and during vacation periods.
During her high school years, Gallant worked for the Central Lincoln County YMCA day care.
“I’ve always wanted to work with kids and always enjoyed being around kids,” Gallant said.
“The parents of the children who come to my day camp like the idea of a small group of kids of no more than 12,” Gallant said. “They want a comfortable home base for their children and not a child care center.”
This summer Gallant said she is teaching skills in playing well together through team-building games and on-site water activities like a slip-and-slide and a sprinkler system to ride bikes through.
“We are trying to teach the kids the importance of working together as a team and to get along while playing games,” Gallant said.
Gallant, along with her assistant, Ashlynn Leeman, have led field trips to the beach and plan several more outings throughout the summer.
Gallant said she still has some remaining days open for the summer and will now accept bookings for the coming school year.
“It’s going great so far,” Gallant said. “The days fly by and we’re busy all day long.”
For more information about Kira’s Day Camp or to schedule child care services for the summer and school year, call Kira Gallant at 380-8988 or 586-5632.
