What holidays or breaks are you closed for?
Playto observes a set of holidays and breaks each year when our centers are closed. In total, we close for approximately 15 days per year. The majority of these closures are on major federal holidays, and we also include a few professional development days for our staff. Here’s a general breakdown of what to expect:
- Federal Holidays: We are closed on most standard federal holidays. This typically includes New Year’s Day (January 1st), Memorial Day (late May), Independence Day (July 4th), Labor Day (early September), Thanksgiving Day (and often the Friday after Thanksgiving), and Christmas Day (December 25th). We may also close for some holidays like Martin Luther King Jr. Day or Presidents’ Day, depending on our annual calendar (some centers do, some might not — we’ll provide specifics each year). Essentially, if banks and public schools are widely closed on a day, there’s a good chance we are too.
- Winter Break: We usually close for a couple of days around Christmas Eve/Day and possibly New Year’s Eve if those fall on weekdays, to allow our staff time with their families during the winter holidays. The exact dates can shift year to year (for example, if Christmas falls on a Wednesday, we might close Dec 24th and 25th; if it’s a weekend, the closure might be observed the Friday before or Monday after).
- Professional Development Days: We schedule around 4 days per year for staff training and development. These are full-day closures dedicated to improving our program – teachers might attend workshops, renew their CPR/First Aid, plan curriculum, or deep clean and organize their classrooms. We typically space these out (for instance, one each quarter). Often they’re attached to a holiday or long weekend for convenience; for example, taking the Friday before Labor Day as a training day. We announce these well in advance so you can plan accordingly.
- Additional Days: There may be one or two other days, such as the day after Thanksgiving (Black Friday) as mentioned, or maybe a spring holiday (like Good Friday) depending on our annual plan. Some centers might close for a day in late August for a teacher work day to prepare for the new school year. We keep the total around 15 days.
At the start of each calendar or school year, we will provide all families with a holiday/closing calendar that lists the exact dates we will be closed. This is usually given out on paper and via email, and posted on our website or parent board. We try to align our calendar with common closures to minimize inconvenience (for instance, many parents have off on federal holidays too). We also understand childcare is a year-round need, so we do not have week-long breaks like some preschools might; aside from the above listed days, we are open and operating. If ever an emergency arises that forces an unexpected closure (like severe weather or building issues), we would communicate that immediately, but that’s rare.
We encourage families to keep this holiday schedule handy when making your own plans. If you have any questions or need clarification (say, “Will you be closed the day before Independence Day if the 4th is a Thursday?”), just ask us! We aim to finalize the calendar well in advance. And on our professional development days, know that our staff is working hard behind the scenes to bring the best to your children when we reopen. Thank you for understanding that even our dedicated teachers need those days for training and rejuvenation, which ultimately benefits the kids.