Beach Babies expands to Rehoboth Beach
Beach Babies Child Care has opened a new facility in Rehoboth Beach.
Opening Oct. 19 off Route 24 behind Justice of the Peace Court 2, Beach Babies is now looking to provide quality child-care for families in the Rehoboth and Millsboro areas. The original Beach Babies, on Route 1 in Lewes, opened in September 2001.
Co-owner Debbie Toner, who owns Beach Babies with her husband, Tom, said, “We have a lot of families that come from this area. We service Milton and Lewes families at the other center, and this center is a nice opportunity to service those families down here.”
Debbie Toner started Beach Babies out of her house. As the business grew, she twice upgraded buildings to accommodate demand. The Lewes location now services about 100 families, while the new Rehoboth center is already up to 40.
Beach Babies provides care and educational programs for children as young as 6 weeks up to school age. The educational programs are tailored to specific age groups.
Families pay a weekly fee for care, which includes a healthy breakfast, lunch and snack, as well as playtime on one of the center’s three playgrounds. For infants, Beach Babies provides formula and cereals. Playgrounds have been built to accommodate different age groups.
Beach Babies has a curriculum coordinator who makes sure all children are meeting developmental milestones, based on their ages.
“The ultimate goal for one group may be for a child to roll over or chasing a ball. The preschool age groups work on their letters and their writing,” Toner said. “They may be fingerpainting in one room and they might be doing something a little more advanced in another.”
Each of the instructors at Beach Babies – there are 12 right now – has a background in early childhood education, Toner said. Preschool and aftercare programs are also available. Children also rotate activities – up to four a year – including “Jump Bunch,” “Music,” “Spanish” and “Computer Tots.”
Toner said, “The satisfaction is knowing, number one, that they are in a program where they are having a good time, but they are also getting a good educational background, in a fun way. Knowing that parents can go to work and know their kids are in a safe place and they don’t have to worry.”
The center is open from 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information on Beach Babies Child Care in Rehoboth, call 302-645-5010.
Ryan Mavity covers Milton and the court system. He is married to Rachel Swick Mavity and has two kids, Alex and Jane. Ryan started with the Cape Gazette all the way back in February 2007, previously covering the City of Rehoboth Beach. A native of Easton, Md. and graduate of Towson University, Ryan enjoys watching the Baltimore Ravens, Washington Capitals and Baltimore Orioles in his spare time.
