I am a stay-home dad for a seven-year-old girl and a two-year-old boy. I'm looking for parents in the area for a care-share starting June 22nd.
I want to keep my kids active this summer, and so my plan is to take the kids downtown each morning, either to the Baltimore Zoo, Port Discovery, or the Maryland Science Center. Weather permitting, we will hit the Aberdeen Family Swim Center each afternoon. I have room for another two kids, and my kids would love the company.
I chaperoned my daughter's field trip to the zoo earlier this year, and it really is a great place to walk around and enjoy the summer. In addition to watching the elephants, lions, and polar bears, the zoo has a number of hands-on or interactive activities. In the morning we will be able to help groom the goats. After lunch, we can catch Creature Encounters with the zookeeper. And of course, we can hand-feed the giraffes.
At Port Discovery, we will enjoy the permanent exhibits, such as BGE Studio Workshop or splash about in the Wonders of Water. Visiting exhibits this summer include LEGO Castle Adventure and Nano, showing kids science at the nano scale. But of course the best part of Port Discovery is KidWorks - a massive three-storey indoor tree house.
I loved the science center when I was a kid, and besides the dinosaurs and planetarium, there are a lot of cool exhibits (Cells, Life Beyond Earth, Newton's Alley, PowerUp, SciLab, etc). We probably won't hit the IMAX every trip, but it's always fun.
Occasionally we will just go to the playground and we may go to the movies every once in awhile (Pixar's Inside Out starts this weekend and the new Minions movie comes out in July).
We'd then spend the rest of the day swimming and splashing at the pool. I will provide towels, pool noodles, and other toys (and floaties or swim vests if needed).
I will be packing lunch each day (sandwich wraps, fresh fruit, crackers, and juice pouches), but I will probably be getting ice cream and other treats to beat the heat. Please let me know in your reply if your children have any relevant allergy or dietary needs. Dinner is a flexible option as well, but any care after 6pm will need to be discussed.
Kids would need to bring sneakers, swim suit, and a change of clothes, just in case (we have squirt guns and we will probably be using them). A car seat must be provided for younger children.
I'm looking for $25 day or $100 a week (flat fee, not per child) just to help cover gas, lunch, parking, and any treats or extras. Preference to anyone that needs care for the whole summer.
