Our new Kido contest is sponsored by Pawtucket Day Child Development Center.

School is almost out. Do you know what your children are doing this summer yet? Pawtucket Day offers programs designed specifically for toddlers, pre-schoolers, and children before and after school up to age 12, including all-day camp during the summer. In their modern building and large, secure play yard, children learn from teachers educated in child development. The chef serves breakfast, lunch and a snack every day. This “hidden gem” is located on a secluded one-way street in Pawtucket, convenient to Route 95.

Click to enter the contest and see details regarding prize!

Our previous summers have included a mix of necessary childcare and warm weather family fun. In order to carve out some time for my work, we arranged for my boys to spend part of each week at the fabulous home daycare they had attended since they were 18 months old, and then we enjoyed a family membership to a swim club and many visits to local beaches and trips to see family on Cape Cod and in Maine. Now that my boys are six (almost seven this summer), they have outgrown the home daycare—but since I still work, some form of childcare is a necessity. My job as an online publisher and freelance designer allows me the luxury of flexible work hours, so I am in the market for a camp or childcare that will take us through the summer but does not require a five-day-a-week commitment. Not so easy, I have discovered.

I would like to share my research and insight, and I welcome your ideas on what to do with children during the summer in regards to childcare. (There will be lots more opportunities to trade tips on fun summer activities and family daytrips in other posts.)

Summer options for children include: go to summer camp; continue the year-round childcare/daycare they already have; hire a nanny, au pair or babysitter; join a swim club with a babysitter; spend time with grandparents; or swap childcare with friends. Let me know if I am forgetting anything.

Which one of these ideas or combination works best for your family will depend on your child’s personality, your work schedule, and your budget. Here is a list of helpful suggestions to make this process a bit easier:

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Looking for a playground in Providence? Want to have a picnic in Bristol? Check out the new Kidoinfo Parks + Playgrounds guide. Where is the closest toy store? How about a list of preschools? Our Resource section is brimming with information about Shopping, Education and Childcare and many more resources to follow. Kidoinfo makes it easy to find what you need. Tell your friends. Visit often.