For anyone traveling with children, it can sometimes be a struggle to find a decent day care center to drop them off while you take a day to yourself for skiing. As many past visitors of Bansko know, there are not many options to choose from. New for the 2016/17 season is “Bansko Childcare”, a service which supplies caregivers in the comfort of your own accommodation. No need to drop them off anywhere, just say when and where and the caregivers come equipped with toys and games.
We got in touch with Venessa, who owns Bansko Childcare to find out more about the services she and her team provide.
Vanesa (on the right) and Diana from Traventuria
What made you decide to open a childcare service in Bansko?
Bansko is sadly lacking in childcare services for children from babies to developing young people.
What previous experience do you have doing this?
I am a mother of 2 wonderful boys who are older now (13 & 16 years old) and I have been actively involved with young people for many years in education and care. I was a childminder in England and have been doing this ad-hoc for a number of years in Bulgaria.
Can you pre-book a caregiver or get one on the spot if anyone is available?
We strongly advise that you book in advance to avoid disappointment. We can be booked at short notice but this is subject to staff being available of course because our carers take care of little ones in the comfort of their own apartment or hotel.
How many caregivers do you have on hand and do you have sufficient staff for the February mid-term or are you fully booked?
The Bansko Childcare team consists of 5 ladies, again all mothers. We are not fully booked yet but places are going fast.
What is the price and how is it formed?
Prices are dependent on the number of hours and carers needed. As an indication, our prices can be as low as BGN 15 per hour.
Which is a favorite game that you play with preschoolers?
We love painting and getting messy with arts and crafts, we do clean up after ourselves. We also like to sing and dance. We don’t just play inside, we also like to go outside, weather permitting, and play in the snow building Bansko’s Best Snowman or sledding.
What ages do you accept? Must they be potty trained?
We accept children from 6 months old and we would ask parents to supply their own pampers. Other brands of nappy are also acceptable
Do you offer night services?
We most certainly do.
What do the children eat during the day?
Our little ones have a mid morning snack of fruit or toast or yogurt and a drink of either milk or water. Lunchtime is usually a hot meal which would be something like chicken and rice or chicken & vegetable soup with bread and a desert and there is also a mid-afternoon snack the same as the morning. We like to promote healthy eating but will always listen to parents as to what they want for their little ones to eat. For the little ones who are not yet able to eat finger foods and are still on baby food, we ask parents to bring their own.
What languages do you serve?
All our carers speak English. They also speak Bulgarian and Russian
Tell us more about your staff qualifications.
All Bansko Childcare staff are mothers which is excellent experience. I personally have experience of working with children having taught English here in Bulgaria in the mainstream schools. I have also worked as a teaching assistant in the UK with special needs children and adults. All our carers have/will have basic first aid with infant resuscitation and all have/will have CRB.
To find out more and/or book a caregiver for your child, you can visit Bansko Childcare’s website:
https://www.banskochildcare.com/
Ski & Board Traventuria is a leading provider of lift passes, equipment rental, airport transfers, and ski school for the Bansko area. To book your next ski vacation in Bansko with us, please check our website – www.skibansko.bg
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