No. We are a drop-in/short-term child care facility as described under North Carolina G.S. 110-86(2)(d). We are required to register our facility with the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services, but we are not (and are not required to be) licensed or regulated by the Department.

No reservations or long-term commitments are required to use our drop-in child care. We accept children on a first-come, first-serve basis until we reach our facility's permitted capacity (don't worry, it's a lot). Certain programs such as after school care, day and summer camps, etc., do require reservations and pre-payment. You can learn more about those programs here and here.

Yes, your child can stay longer than 4 hours on occasion, but not on a regular basis. N.C. regulations define "a regular basis" as "at least one time per week," so it's okay if your child needs to stay longer with us every once in a while. However, to remain compliant and keep us out of trouble, we ask that you please limit those occasions, on average, to less than once per week. Good news - the 4 hour time limit does not apply to our spring and summer camp programs and other recreational activities!

We strive to maintain a 1:10 ratio or better at all times. We schedule our staff based on anticipated peak demand periods, and if we find ourselves busier than expected, we utilize an on-call system to activate additional staff as needed.

As part of our check-in process, we'll ask you to let us know who we should expect to pick up your child at the end of their stay. Please note that any person picking up a child must a) be registered in our system ahead of time, and b) provide a valid, government-issued photo ID. If there is any doubt, we may ask the person picking up your child to verify additional information on the account. In the event of an emergency, you may call to request a pickup change by providing the name of your child(ren), the approx. time of check-in, and other information on your account. The person picking up your child must a) be registered in our system ahead of time, b) provide a valid, government-issued photo ID, and c) know the security password established on your account. To the extent practical, we also ask that you be available for a callback verification when the pickup individual arrives.

Socks with rubber treads are highly recommended in our facility, but not required. We have socks available for purchase if you need them. If your child wears diapers, we ask that you leave a small supply of diapers and wipes with us at check-in. If you forget, that's okay ... we'll provide diapers and wipes for a small fee. Please do not bring special toys or valuables from home, as these can easily become lost or broken in a child care setting. We have plenty of toys, activities, play equipment, and other items to keep your child happily engaged for hours. For your child's safety, we do not allow the use of personal electronic devices (cell phones or tablets) in our facility. Personal devices may be left in the child's bin at the front desk or kept in the child's backpack, but your child will not be allowed to use the device except as required to communicate with parents or guardians (under staff supervision). We have tablets with age appropriate content available for your child's use while visiting our facility. KinderStop is not responsible for toys, electronics, or valuables that become lost, damaged, or stolen while your child is in our care.

While our hours are subject to change, we are generally closed (or on shortened hours, as indicated) for the following holidays: Easter Memorial Day Independence Day Labor Day Thanksgiving Eve (shortened hours) Thanksgiving Day Christmas Eve (shortened hours) Christmas Day New Years Day

For a number of reasons, we cannot permit KinderStop employees to babysit for KinderStop clients in the home. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation in this regard.