Hla Myint
Director
Hla grew up in a Karen family and started Rattle so children from Burma and Nepal could learn in a room where they hear home. She speaks Karen, Burmese and English.
A nonprofit child care center in Rome
Child care where Karen, Burmese and Nepali are spoken
A boy hugs his mother at the classroom door while a teacher waves hello. That is how every day starts at Rattle, with a teacher who greets your family in the language you speak at home.
- Ages 6 weeks to 5 years
- Open Monday to Friday
What you can check
The license, and what we do each day
Rattle is licensed and inspected by New York's Office of Children and Family Services.
License
Licensed by OCFS
Child day care center · NY License no. 000000Verify
Adults to children
1 adult to 4 children
Infants, 6 weeks to 2 years
1 adult to 5 children
Twos, 2 to 3 years
1 adult to 7 children
Threes, 3 to 4 years
1 adult to 8 children
Fours, 4 to 5 years
Capacity
65
Ages 6 weeks to 5 years
Staff checks and training
- Background checks
- CPR and first aid
- Safe sleep training
- Mandated reporter training
- Food handler training
Safety routines
Drop-off and pickup
A teacher meets each child at the room door. We hand a child over only to the people you list in writing, and we ask for ID from anyone we don't know.
Allergies
Tell us about any allergy at the tour. Once you enroll, we ask again in private and put it on the room's list.
Safe sleep
Babies sleep on their backs, in their own cribs, with nothing else in the crib. Older children rest on cots after lunch.
Clean hands
Every room washes hands on arrival, before meals and after outdoor play.
Drills
Each room practices fire and weather drills with the teacher who leads it.
Notes home
At pickup a teacher tells you how the day went, in your language, and the Infant room keeps a note for each baby.
Ask us about child care assistance
Sample details.
The four rooms
Four rooms, three ways to attend
Pick the room for your child's age, then the schedule that fits your work.
| Ages | Adults to children | Full day6:00 am–6:00 pm5 days a week | Half day8:00 am–12:00 pm5 days a week | Part week8:30 am–3:00 pmMonday, Wednesday and Friday |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Infants6 weeks to 2 yearsLullabies from home are welcome, in any language. | 1 adult to 4 children | Offered | Not offered | Not offered |
| Twos2 to 3 yearsPicture books, blocks and the first art table. | 1 adult to 5 children | Offered | Offered | Waitlist |
| Threes3 to 4 yearsCircle time, counting games and a reading corner. | 1 adult to 7 children | Offered | Offered | Offered |
| Fours4 to 5 yearsStories, songs and learning to write a name. | 1 adult to 8 children | Offered | Full | Offered |
Fees and what each is for
- Registration
- Opens your child's file and goes with the application.
- Holding a place
- Keeps your child's place until the first day and goes toward the first month's tuition.
- Supplies
- Paper, paint and the things that wear out with use.
Places in each room change through the year. Ask at the tour.
Sample programs.
Our team
The people in your child's room
Every room has a lead teacher you'll meet at the tour.
Sushma Poudel
Twos and Threes lead
Sushma moves between the Twos and Threes rooms, so children already know her face when they move up. She speaks Nepali and English.
Thida Win
Infant room lead
Thida cares for our youngest children and sings them the lullabies their families sing at home. She speaks Burmese, Karen and English.
Through the year
Open houses, a potluck and closures
Come to an open house to see all four rooms, or book a tour any weekday.
Through the school year
Early September
Open houseFall open house
Walk through the four rooms, meet the teachers and ask your questions in your own language.
October
EventFamily potluck
Bring a dish from home and eat with the teachers and the other families.
Late November
ClosedThanksgiving closure
Closed Thursday and Friday.
Late December
ClosedWinter closure
Closed for the winter holidays. Every family gets the exact days in the fall.
Early March
Open houseSpring open house
See the rooms again and meet the teachers your child will have next year.
Mid April
Sample dates.
Languages spoken here
Bring a friend who can translate to the tour, and we'll go as slowly as you like.
In our rooms
- Karen
- Burmese
- Nepali
- English
How to enroll
Get in touch
Call, text or write, and tell us your language. Someone answers within a day.
Book a tour
See the rooms and meet the teachers. A tour takes about half an hour, and your child and a friend who translates are both welcome.
Apply
Complete the application with us at the front desk, and we'll read every question with you if you like. If the room is full, we put your child on the waitlist.
Register
Once there is a place, you sign the enrollment forms and the state's health forms with a teacher beside you to explain each one.
The first day
Your child visits the room with you first. On the first morning a teacher meets you at the door, and you can stay as long as your child needs.
Questions families ask
Which languages do your teachers speak?
Karen, Burmese, Nepali and English. Hla and Thida speak Karen and Burmese, Sushma speaks Nepali, and every teacher speaks English. If your family speaks another language, tell us at the tour.
Can I bring someone to translate at the tour?
Yes, please do. Bring a friend or relative who can translate, and we'll go as slowly as you like. Your child is welcome too.
What if my child doesn't speak English yet?
That's fine. Teachers use songs, pictures and gestures along with your child's own language, and English comes along a little each day.
How old do children have to be?
We care for children from six weeks old until they start kindergarten, in four rooms: Infants, Twos, Threes and Fours.
Do you take families who get child care assistance?
Many of our families do. Bring your letter or your questions to the tour, and we'll go through how it works, step by step.
Is Rattle licensed?
Yes. New York's Office of Children and Family Services licenses us, and we'll show you the license at the tour.
Is there a waitlist?
When a room is full, we put your child on its waitlist and call you when a place opens, in your language if you ask.
What should we bring on the first day?
A change of clothes, a water bottle and anything that comforts your child, such as a small blanket. We'll talk through the rest at the tour.