Olalla Bay Family Child Care

Olalla Bay Family Child Care is a family based childcare and was first licensed in Shasta County, California in 1981 DBA Cozy Kids Childcare. We received our national accreditation from the National Association of Family Childcare Providers in 2006 and again in 2009. We were also awarded a 5-star rating by the Quality Rating Improvement System or QRIS in 2019.
   After a devasting wildfire in July of 2022 destroyed our home and business, we relocated to the Kitsap Peninsula in the beautiful Pacific Northwest to be closer to family. We are now located in Olalla just 6 blocks from the Olalla Bay Market and Landing and are licensed in the state of Washington.
   Carol is the primary caregiver for the children in our care. She has earned A.S. degrees in Human Development and Social Sciences from Shasta College, a B.S. in Human Development from Pacific Oaks College, and a Master's degree in Education with an emphasis in early learning and education from Liberty University. She also completed 15 units of post graduate studies in educational leadership at Liberty. She has completed several hundred hours of continuing education through local, state and national training and conferences in the areas of child behavior and development, FCC business practices, health and safety, nutrition, and early childhood curriculum. She holds a current Child Development Site Director's Permit from the State of California’s Department of teacher credentialing and has experience in center based as well as family childcare. Carol is committed to high quality care and education for every child and has been active in several community efforts including the Local Childcare Planning Counsel and Quality Rating Improvement System (QRIS). She is currently an adjunct instructor teaching online in the early childhood education department at Shasta College in Redding, Ca.
John, Carol's husband, is a recently retired critical care nurse of 35 years, and often helps out as an assistant when he is not building, maintaining or repairing our learning environment to keep it clean, safe, and interesting for the children we care for.

We offer a play-based curriculum and take great care in offering a variety of developmentally appropriate activities, both indoors and outside. Our main emphasis is that children are allowed to grow at their own pace and to learn in ways that help them become more confident as learners. Our goals are to help children learn about themselves and the world around them and to encourage children to feel good about themselves and capable as learners.

We have been greatly influenced by the work of Maria Montessori and Rudolf Steiner aka the Waldorf philosophy and incorporate many of their ideas into our curriculum. Both nature and everyday life skills are an important part of our curriculum, as well as Creative Curriculum for Family Childcare. We also include Second Step (a violence prevention program taught in many of the North State Schools), gardening year round, animal husbandry, Healthy Beginnings, Kindermusic, and Zoophonics. In addition, all enrolled children have the opportunity to participate in the Raising a Reader Program with a selection of books to take home weekly.

All children have daily opportunities to explore developmentally appropriate activities in the following areas;
Language
Math
Science
Dramatic play
Art
Music
Blocks & Construction
Guided movement activities
Outdoor Play and Exploration

All meals and snacks consist of only wholesome & natural foods (organic as much as possible) and are served family style. Our monthly fees include all supplies including curriculum, blankets, pillows, nap mats, cribs for infants, wipes, and house brand formula. We encourage cloth diapers and breast feeding and will do all we can to accommodate these choices.

Hours are Monday- Friday 6:00 AM -5:00 PM. Extended care will be available until 6 PM most days with advance notice and an added hourly charge. At this time we are only accepting school age children who are enrolled at Olalla Bay Elementary, and all school age children will ride the bus to and from school. We will follow the OBE school calendar and be open the days they are open.
We require an initial interview and a visit with your child before enrollment. The first interview is by appointment only after childcare hours, and it is preferred that both parents are present if possible. We have learned that this is the best way to find the most appropriate fit for a child's individual temperament and to make sure we are able to meet your child's needs.