When teacher work days come along, school kids breathe a sigh of relief. For working parents, however, scheduling can be something of a problem.
“Basically, when the kids have out of school, parents sometime don’t have anything to do with them and can’t afford to take time off of work,” said Ashley Chase, office manager of the Washington Therapy Center. That’s where the therapy center steps in, offering parents with children ages 4 and up an opportunity to drop their children off at the center’s Fun Day — a place for arts, crafts, snacks and more. Fun Days run from 9 a.m. until 12 p.m. on scheduled days of the year.
The center, located on Third Street in downtown Washington, is a division of OT Plus, Inc. Both facilities provide occupational and speech therapy on a regular basis, but their employees extend services to the general public with Fun Days and summer day camps.
Chase said the Fun Day setting is educational: the children are instructed to make a variety of arts and crafts with assistance from adult and teenage volunteers.
“The therapist who runs it — she just enjoys doing it,” Chase said.
In January, attendees made sock puppets, had face painting sessions and did some yoga. This week’s Fun Day falls on Thursday, so in honor of Valentine’s Day, the children will decorate heart-shaped cookies among other entertainments, Chase said.
While Thursday’s Fun Day is already full, Chase said the next one is scheduled for March 8.
Class size is limited to 30, so organizers require preregistration for Fun Day. Washington Therapy Center is located at 139 W. Third St. For more information, call 252-975-1993.