Opening a new business has been child's play for one York mum... as MAXINE GORDON discovers.

WHEN Sahar Omar opened her new city-centre business it was the realisation of a two-year dream. The York mum-of-two gave up a high-flying career as a telecoms engineer to set up the city's newest creche, Your Angels. It is, however, more than a creche, she stresses. It is also the city's first children's activity centre - aimed at providing stimulating fun and games for the under-11s.

"I want to provide a stimulating, safe and creative place for children," enthuses Sahar. "I've approached it from the point of view of what children would like from a place like this."

This child-focused approach is the driving force behind the venture.

Housed in a three-storey historic property in Walmgate - the former York Advertiser office - the centre has been decorated in bright colours and features a downstairs caf and secure play area. Upstairs are three rooms, suitable for painting, playing and story telling. One has a corner stage with lots of costumes for children to dress up in.

Sahar admits it was easy to dream up the blue print for Your Angels: it was the sort of place she wished had existed for her two children, daughter Fayrouz, ten, and son Kareen, seven, when they were smaller.

Call it a mother's instinct, but Sahar was convinced there was a market for a child-care centre offering more than a traditional creche.

She spent two years researching the field. She'd take her children to various creches and activity centres and ask for their feedback. From this she drew up a business plan and won the backing of her bank manager.

Of course the real test is whether parents and more importantly children like the place. So far, just two weeks since opening, the signs are very encouraging.

"We opened on a Saturday and had 21 children come through the door. Not one wanted to leave. That was the best thing and made me very positive that it's going to be a success," says Sahar. She has already built up some regular clients and hopes word of mouth will help spread news of the centre.

While Sahar focuses on managing the centre, she has employed four staff qualified in child-care to work with the children.

She is also hoping to set up a weekly session for children with special needs, with help from the York organisation Snappy.

Open Monday to Saturday from 9.30am-5.30pm, parents can use Your Angels purely as a creche facility, dropping off their offspring while they go elsewhere. Alternatively, they can stay and join in the activities, or leave their children to play while they enjoy some refreshments in the pleasant caf.

Each week will have a different activity theme, with lots of games, books, and activities based around it. For this half-term week, the theme is the circus, and children will be making clown hats and head-dresses, painting clown faces and playing at being different animals.

Your Angels will also host birthday parties, tailored to your specific requirements and a chosen theme.

"Basically, we will take the old-fashioned games like pass the parcel and musical chairs, but give them a twist," explains Sahar. "For example a space party would include moon walking, and we would reflect the theme in the food too.

"Children are very sophisticated and they like to be treated as adults. We try to treat them as such and lay the table properly with napkins and name cards. We believe in treating them as people in their own right."

Party groups will be limited to between eight to 12 children and will cost £6.95 a child.

Your Angels will accept children from babies up to 11 years old. General charges are £3.75 for one hour, £7 for two and £10 for three, with discounts if you have more than one child. The price includes all materials and refreshments for the child, including drinks and snacks, and parents can choose between biscuits, fruit or vegetables as treats.

Also on offer is 'Tot Time', drop-in parent and toddler activity sessions for children aged up to three, combining play, story telling, arts and crafts, music and song. A one-hour session costs £3 and includes refreshments for parent and child.

Sahar hopes that if Your Angels proves a success in York, she could expand the idea elsewhere.

"I'm hoping to open a chain," she admits.

"But it's early days yet. I want to see this succeed first and provide a level of service to make customers happy to come in."

- Your Angels, Walmgate, tel. 01904 731531.