Lani Dimaano
Owner and director
Lani opened Muffin for families who work early and late. She unlocks the front door at 5:30 am, answers the phone herself and knows every family's schedule.
Full-day child care in Airway Heights
Full-day child care for families who work early and late
Muffin is a licensed center with four rooms for children 6 weeks to 5 years. Doors open at 5:30 am and close at 6:30 pm, and the day starts at a long table with paper, glue and a teacher close by.
- Infants through Fours
- Open 5:30 am to 6:30 pm
License and rooms
What you can check before you come
License
Licensed by DCYF
Child care center · WA License # 000000Verify
Adults to children
1 adult to 4 children
Infants, 6 weeks to 2 years
1 adult to 7 children
Twos, 2 to 3 years
1 adult to 10 children
Threes, 3 to 4 years
1 adult to 10 children
Fours, 4 to 5 years
Capacity
60
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 greets each child at the room door and writes the day's notes with you. We release a child only to the people you list in writing, and we ask for ID from anyone we don't know.
Sleep
Infants sleep on their backs, in their own crib, with nothing else in the crib. Twos, Threes and Fours rest on their own cot, with a blanket from home.
Allergies
Tell us about any allergy at the tour. Once you enroll, we ask again in private and post the list inside each room's cupboard door.
Clean hands
Every child washes hands on arrival, before meals and after outdoor play, with a teacher beside them.
Early and late hours
At 5:30 am and again after 5:00 pm, children from several rooms share one room with their teachers. We keep every room within its limit for children per adult all day.
Drills
Each room practices fire and shelter drills with the teachers who lead it, so the routine is familiar to the children.
Ask us about child care assistance
Sample details.
Four rooms, three schedules
Each room, by the hours you work
Pick the schedule that matches your shift. A teacher in every room says hello at the door.
| Ages | Adults to children | Full day5:30 am – 6:30 pm5 days a week | Early shift5:30 am – 2:00 pm5 days a week | Late shift11:00 am – 6:30 pm5 days a week |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Infants6 weeks to 2 yearsFloor time, bottles and naps on each baby's own rhythm. | 1 adult to 4 children | Offered | Waitlist | Not offered |
| Twos2 to 3 yearsDough, a play kitchen and the first long walks outdoors. | 1 adult to 7 children | Offered | Offered | Waitlist |
| Threes3 to 4 yearsCircle time, paint and jobs of their own. | 1 adult to 10 children | Offered | Offered | Offered |
| Fours4 to 5 yearsLonger stories, counting games and the move to kindergarten. | 1 adult to 10 children | Offered | Full | Not offered |
Fees and what each is for
- Registration
- Opens your child's enrollment file and goes in with the application.
- Holding a place
- Keeps your child's place until the first day and goes toward the first month.
- Supplies and outings
- Art materials and the occasional walk or visit; we tell you before anything is billed.
- Late pickup
- Applies after closing time; the rule is in writing at enrollment.
Places in each room and schedule change through the year; ask at the tour.
Sample programs.
Four rooms, one path
From the Infants room to the Fours
A child moves up when they're ready, and you hear about it before the move.
- 01
Infants
6 weeks to 2 yearsSkillsTummy time, floor play and first steps
Bottles and naps on your baby's own rhythm
Songs, rocking and board books
Moving upClose to the second birthday, Lakia talks with you first, and your child visits the Twos room with a teacher before the move.
- 02
Twos
2 to 3 yearsSkillsPlaying beside friends and starting to share
Dough, shakers and the play kitchen
Walks to the yard with the whole room
Moving upParvati leads the Twos and the Threes, so the next room has a familiar face in it.
- 03
Threes
3 to 4 yearsSkillsCircle time, the weather and helping jobs
Painting, cutting and gluing
Telling a story from a picture book
Moving upThe Threes spend a morning in the Fours room near the end of the year.
- 04
Fours
4 to 5 yearsSkillsWriting a first name and listening to a longer story
Counting games with blocks and beads
Taking turns and talking through a problem
Moving upIn spring, the teachers and Lani plan the move to kindergarten with each family.
Where to startBook a tour
Sample levels.
Who cares
Meet the people who open the doors
Lani speaks Tagalog and English with families, and all three speak English.
Lakia Amison
Infants room lead
Lakia leads the Infants room, from 6 weeks to 2 years. She writes each family's note at pickup: bottles, naps and the new thing a baby tried.
Parvati Mehra
Twos and Threes room lead
Parvati leads the Twos and the Threes. She sets up the art table before breakfast and keeps a basket of dress-up scarves on the low shelf.
From families
What parents tell us
4.8
64 reviews
5★52
4★9
3★2
2★1
1★0
“My shift begins before sunrise, and Lani has the lights on at 5:30. My daughter walks in like it's her second home.”
Tessa V.“We work opposite hours, so pickup is split between two of us. The teachers know who's coming and when.”
Mateo S.“The note at the door tells me what he ate and how long he slept. I never have to ask.”
Brenna L.
Sample reviews.
Through the year
Open houses, start dates and closures
Come to an open house to see all four rooms, or book a tour any weekday.
This year
February
Mid April
Open houseSpring open house
See all four rooms, meet the teachers and ask anything. Bring your child along.
Mid June
Open houseSummer open house
A second look at the rooms, with the yard open for play.
Early September
First dayFall start
New families begin, with a short first morning so the goodbye stays calm.
Late November
ClosedThanksgiving closure
Closed on Thursday and Friday.
Late December
ClosedWinter closure
Closed from Christmas Eve through New Year's Day.
Sample dates.
A day here
From the first drop-off to the last pickup
The Twos, Threes and Fours follow this day. Infants follow their own feeds and sleep.
- 5:30 am
Step 1: Doors open
Early-shift families come first. Lani or a teacher greets every child at the front door, and the lights are already on.
- 7:00 am
Step 2: Breakfast
Everyone eats together at low tables in their own room: oatmeal or eggs, fruit and milk.
- 8:30 am
Step 3: Morning circle
A song, a picture book and a look at the day. On some mornings the counting song is in Tagalog.
- 9:30 am
Step 4: Play and the yard
Art at a long table, blocks and dough indoors, then out to the fenced yard with the room's teachers.
- 11:30 am
Step 5: Lunch
A hot lunch at the table with rice, vegetables and chicken, fish or beans. Teachers sit with the children and eat the same meal.
- 12:30 pm
Step 6: Nap
Infants sleep when they need to, in their own cribs. Twos, Threes and Fours rest on their own cots, with a blanket from home.
- 2:30 pm
Step 7: Wake-up and snack
Children wake at their own pace and have a snack, then a story on the rug.
- 3:30 pm
Step 8: Afternoon play
Paint, blocks, dress-up or the yard again. Late-shift children arrive and join the room.
- 6:30 pm
Step 9: Last pickup
A teacher hands each child over at the door with the day's note. The doors close at 6:30 pm.
How to enroll
- 01
Step 1: Get in touch
Call, send a message or use the form. Lani answers, usually the same day, even if you write at the end of a shift.
- 02
Step 2: Book a tour
Come see all four rooms with your child; it takes about half an hour. Ask anything, including the tuition figures.
- 03
Step 3: Apply
Fill in the application with the room and the schedule you need. If a room is full, we put your family on the waitlist and call when a place opens.
- 04
Step 4: Register
Lani gives you the forms and you fill them in private: your child's details, health and the people who may pick them up.
- 05
Step 5: The first day
Bring a change of clothes and what your child sleeps with. The first morning is short, and we ask you to stay a few minutes so the goodbye is calm.
Families' questions
What ages do you take?
From 6 weeks to 5 years, in four rooms: Infants, Twos, Threes and Fours. The Infants room cares for babies and young toddlers up to their second birthday.
What are your hours?
Monday to Friday, 5:30 am to 6:30 pm. Besides the full day, there is an early shift and a late shift. We're closed on weekends and on a few holidays through the year.
Is the center licensed?
Yes. DCYF, Washington's Department of Children, Youth, and Families, licenses the center. You're welcome to ask to see the license at a tour.
How many children does each teacher care for?
Each room has its own number of children for every adult, set by age. We keep every room within that number all day, including at 5:30 am and after 5:00 pm.
I work rotating shifts. Can the schedule change?
Talk with Lani. Many families have a fixed schedule, and some change with a new work rotation. Tell us about your shifts at the tour and we'll work out which schedule and room have a place.
Can I see the center before I decide?
Yes. Book a tour and bring your child. It takes about half an hour, and you can come at drop-off or at pickup to see the rooms while the children are in them.
Would you like to see the rooms?
Come to a tour with your child, or call and tell us which shifts you work.