Frequently Asked Questions
Stop & Play is licensed as a childcare facility by the Florida Department of Children and Families. We are also licensed and permitted by Miami-Dade County to accept children from 12 months-12 years of age. The Florida Department of Education approves us to offer the VPK (voluntary pre-kindergarten) program.
Stop & Play offers a preschool program with a fixed enrollment capacity from 7:30 am-1:00 pm Monday-Friday.
In addition to our educational programs, we also offer drop-in childcare Monday-Friday 7:30 am-6:30 pm and Saturdays 10:00 am-4:00 pm.
We are pioneers in bringing the concept of on-demand, “resort-style” hourly childcare to South Florida. We have flexible, unconventional options while offering consistent, traditional options to suit any family’s needs.
No, you don’t need to make a reservation for hourly drop-in care available every Monday to Friday 7:30 am to 6:30 pm, and Saturday 10 am to 4 pm. Reservations are required for Parents’ Night Out, Camps and Enrichment classes.
You can use your package of hours Monday-Friday 7:30am-6:30pm and Saturdays 10:00am-4:00pm including on camp days.
Yes! Our Preschool follows the Miami-Dade County public school calendar, so on the days that MDPS are closed, our preschool is closed, but we are still open for camp days and drop-in care!
The only days that Stop & Play is closed are Sundays, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, New Years Day, and Independence Day. We have special holiday hours on Thanksgiving eve, Christmas Eve, and New Years Eve.
We have a very diverse community that includes many different dietary restrictions, not to mention allergies and intolerances therefore, we do not provide food. You are responsible for providing food for your child and we ask that you send your child
with nut-free snacks and meals.
It is important to note that we cannot serve popcorn or whole grapes to children under 4 years of age. Please send enough food (and a little extra just in case!) for the time that your child will stay with us. You should also include a refillable water bottle
that we can refill with filtered water throughout the day.
For your convenience, we have snacks and beverages for purchase at the front desk should you ever need a last minute solution! Snack times are at 10am, 2pm, and 4pm and lunch is at 12pm.
While we don’t require your child to nap, if your child needs a nap, we offer a quiet/nap time to 1pm-3pm. We cannot accommodate naps outside of this window of time. We have cots for our nappers, but each child MUST bring a fitted crib sheet, blanket, and any comfort items that they may need. A sheet is required by law and we have some for purchase at the front desk if you ever forget yours.
We always go above and beyond the legal requirements for staff:student ratios as set forth by DCF.
You are always welcome to come by for a tour Mon – Sat. Just give us a call to find out the best time to stop in.
Yes, we change diapers. Please bring enough diapers, wipes, and extra clothes. You will receive a diaper note for each diaper change.
12 months (sorry, no crawlers)- 10 years
We are an hourly, on-demand, drop-in childcare facility. You can pay by the hour as a non-member or as a member. Members benefit from purchasing packages of hours that get them better rates and don’t expire.
The answer is not so black and white. The mixed-age classroom is like a family: the older students nurture and show empathy and motivate the younger ones. The benefits of mixed-age learning have been well-documented by educational experts. There is also a wide range of developmental levels that are not always consistent with chronological age. We also like the idea of allowing older and younger siblings to interact while they are at Stop & Play. That being said, we do separate the children enrolled in our preschool program by age group. Afternoons are mixed-age groups. We will divide the kids into two groups by age range unless we have high attendance. The kids will also share communal snacks and meals.
Our maximum capacity is currently 71 children at any given time. However, for children between the ages of 12mo-24mo, we will only accept six at a time. Therefore, we STRONGLY recommend that you call before you drop in if you plan on dropping off a child in this age range. Due to the nature of our model, kids will be coming and going all day, so we feel confident that we will always have a space for you.
No. You are never late. Arrive when it’s convenient for you. We have ongoing activities every day, and your kids can jump right into whatever is happening. Go ahead and sleep in. Take your time. Better late than stressed.
We have snacks and mealtimes built into our schedule throughout the day, so whenever your kids are here, there will be the opportunity to eat.
We usually order pizza or pasta since this is a crowd-pleaser. If you have a dietary allergy or restriction, you can type that into your online reservation, and we know with enough time, we can order something special for your child. Or you are free to send your own meal.
We have a great mix of facilitated activities and free play. Our Play Facilitators present the activity and materials supervise and assist. We encourage the kids to make choices, problem solve, create, explore, collaborate, and execute ideas. We do not force children to participate, and we do not expect them to participate in a specific way but rather to contribute in their own unique style. We are more focused on the process of discovery versus the final product.
We have 2.5 hours (minimum) of outdoor time each day. Many of our activities require us to be outside to get out more. A large body of research recommends that kids get outside for several hours each day for health and developmental benefits:
We do not. You can apply it to your kids before dropping them off.
Our idea is for you to take a break when you need it or to have a backup plan for childcare or a flexible alternative that fits into your family’s lifestyle. We are not a parent/child play facility. Because we will have children being dropped off, all adults in our play areas must pass a national background screening and be documented in our database.
We only allow our staff and background-checked volunteers to be in our playrooms for safety. That being said, we will have several special events for the entire family, and you will be invited to stay and play at those. We also allow for rental of our space on Sundays for b-day parties and private playdates.
A: You know yourself and your child best. If you think that you or they will have separation anxiety, we recommend that you stay within 10 minutes away to call you if we need you. You can also start with shorter visits and work up to longer stays.
We also have a co-working space to use and remain on the premises. You can reserve the room for $5/hour (7:30 am-1:00 pm) on our website, and you can use our wi-fi and have coffee while the kids enjoy supervised Play with us in a separate area.
Q: When can I use my package of hours?
A: You can use your package of hours Monday-Saturday, any time before 7:30 pm. This includes camps. You cannot use packages on Parents’ Nights Out.
We debated for a very long time about whether or not to allow access to our cameras. We decided that we shouldn’t grant access to the privacy of our guests and their children. Some parents do not want their children photographed or filmed, and if we give access, we cannot control whether or not someone takes a screenshot and shares images from our facility.
Yes! Our Preschool follows the Miami-Dade County public school calendar, so on the days that MDPS are closed, our preschool is closed, but we are still open for camp days and drop-in care!
The only days that Stop & Play is closed are Sundays, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, New Years Day, and Independence Day. We have special holiday hours on Thanksgiving eve, Christmas Eve, and New Years Eve.
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