A day care academy in Oak Harbor is offering a service that many parents may find valuable.

Beginning this month, Nurture With Care Kids Academy started a new drop-in program that provides flexible child care options.

The program was launched at the academy’s two locations in Oak Harbor by married duo Ashish Batwara, the owner, and Nidhi Gupta, the director, who noticed a need on the island for occasional, short-term care without a full-time commitment, Batwara said.

“I did a survey last year and I got pretty exciting responses from parents about the drop-in care,” he said.

The flexible drop-in program offers kid-free time for busy parents who need to make appointments, run errands, take self-care days and attend meetings, Batwara said. He noted that it is also a helpful resource for parents who are on a deployment or are single parenting.

Last year, the county’s lack of child care providers in the area led the Island County Opportunity Council and the Center for Retention and Expansion of Child Care to host a “child care world cafe” to help identify gaps and possible reasons behind the problem. From 2019 until 2023, the capacity for children at child care facilities decreased by nearly half, according to data from Child Care Aware of Washington.

A flexible drop-in program will likely help many families.

In cash-only installments, for $10 an hour, for a minimum of four hours, parents of kids from 12 months old to 7 years old can drop their children off during the academy’s regularly scheduled programming, Batwara said.

The kids will join classes already in session, Batwara explained. This allows teachers to carry on as normal with their planned enrichment.

“Your child enjoys the same safe, nurturing environment and engaging activities as our full-time students,” the program advertises.

Early learning curriculum focuses on strengthening key developmental areas through age-appropriate activities that feel like play but build essential skills, according to the academy’s website. The older kids receive a before-and-after-school program that combines core learning, homework help and play, it states.

Despite attending less frequently than full-time students, drop-in students will be incorporated seamlessly into the academy’s environment so they can feel included.

“Whenever we have a drop-in, we will provide extra help to the teacher,” Batwara explained. “That teacher has extra help and at the same time, the child feels more comfortable.”

Depending on public interest, the owners are considering expanding drop-in care hours to nights or weekends.

Learn more about the drop-in program at nurturewithcarekidsacademy.com/drop-in-care. Call or text 360-682-8920 to reserve a spot.