Boothbay Harbor’s Meadow Mall will soon house a new daycare when Little Critters Daycare opens.

After receiving nods from the state fire marshal and Boothbay Harbor, owner-operator Crystal King has just one more credential to go – the state license – before she can welcome youngsters. Work is underway to convert what was the Framers Gallery retail space to an interior suitable for children.

King, her husband, Michael and their two children moved to Boothbay last August from northeastern Pennsylvania. Asked what brought them to the area, she explained she was working in healthcare insurance in Pennsylvania. The couple decided to move here because they were “in love” with the area. They found a house online, bought it and moved in two months later.

King first thought of buying a local restaurant that was for sale, but without a background in food, she realized it wasn’t for her. While looking for work and day care for her two small children, she encountered long waiting lists for local facilities and “I realized that the area needs more daycares.”

In October, King and her husband decided to go forward with the daycare and the space at the small mall was acquired in November. King applied for her license with the state in December and has been working with Rachel Olmstead of Clear Health Advising as she nears opening date for her business. Healthcare consultants are required by the state for any daycare with more than 13 children on site. King also works with Christine Clayton, the Lincoln County representative of Maine Department of Health and Human Services.

King did extensive research to make sure operating a daycare was feasible for her. As she explained to the Boothbay Register, “I wanted to make sure that the workers aren’t just babysitters but are more like teachers.” Because of this, the staff members are educated in early childhood development and understand what she is expecting from them. “I want children to develop and be ready for school,” she explained.

King and her children will be on site every day, but she said the teachers are the lead and will create the curriculum. Her goal is to provide play-based learning that helps youngsters transition well when they head to school. The daycare will also offer communications via Brightwheel, an application that allows teachers and parents to share the child’s activities during the day.

The daycare will accommodate 20 children with four openings for ages 6 weeks to 2 years, eight openings for ages 3-4 years and eight openings in the after school program for ages 5 years to 12 years. King said she has received calls from parents and, although she hasn’t formally accepted children yet, she has started a call list.

Children attending Little Critters Daycare will receive two healthy snacks as well as lunch provided by parents. King is following Maine Center for Disease Control guidelines on COVID-19. King plans to include programs with her neighbor across the hall, the Community Center, so elderly volunteers can read to the children and host arts and crafts lessons with them. King plans to hold an open house for the community once the facility is finished and she receives her license.

For more information, contact King at 837-1747 or visit https://www.littlecrittersdaycareme.com/