SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) – With schools closed for multiple days, parents are seeking new activities and childcare solutions to manage the extended break.
Cody Walker, a local parent, has turned to tabletop games to keep his children occupied.
“We have been playing Dungeons and Dragons at home. I got out just like, you know, kind of a standard pen and paper book, and we got out dice, and we’ve just been doing that,” Walker said.
However, Walker acknowledged the challenge of maintaining engagement over time.
“After a while, you just can’t do it anymore,” he said.
Libraries provide change of scenery
Many families have visited local libraries seeking a change of environment during the closures.
Ricky Young, another parent, explained his family’s approach to breaking up the routine.
“We got to do something to break up the monotony of being sitting at the house and doing nothing except reading or watching movies. So we came to the library and get new books, new movies, new things to do,” Young said.
Discovery Center offers educational alternative
The Discovery Center in Springfield has seen increased traffic from families looking for activities during school closures.
Riana Clark, vice president of education at the Discovery Center, said the facility provides various learning opportunities.
“We do education in a number of different ways, informally, formally, and traditional education. We try to make all types of learning fun and we want everyone to enjoy doing it for their entire life,” Clark said.
The center schedules programs around school days and can serve as a gathering place for families or provide childcare for working parents during closures. For members, the cost is $36 per day; for non-members, $40 per day.
Clark said demand for childcare services increases immediately after school closure announcements.
“Yesterday, as soon as SPS made the notification that they were going to be out, I had three phone calls. I actually had messages in the morning just letting me know, hey, if you guys decide to offer care, please text me, e-mail me, let me know,” Clark said.
The out-of-school programs run Tuesday through Sunday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Clark said they do have extended hours, which can help families out. With notice, children can come to the center as early as 7:30. Then, in the evening, the extended hours are 4:00 to 5:30 p.m., but that evening extension does come with an $10 additional fee.
Additional childcare options available
Parents unable to take time off work have other childcare options available. The Pat Jones YMCA in Springfield offers childcare during school closures.
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