Child care providers are reporting much lower-than-expected enrollment in day programs for the first "furlough Friday" tomorrow, an indication many parents are opting to keep their kids home.

Two of the largest daycare programs being offered for public school students — an estimated 170,000 of whom will be out of classes on furlough Fridays — still have plenty of space left. As of yesterday, Kamaaina Kids had only about 300 kindergarten to fifth-graders enrolled in its Friday programs, which will be offered at 20 sites statewide starting tomorrow. The organization was expecting to enroll more than 700 public school children.

The YMCA, meanwhile, has 226 children registered for its 10 furlough Friday sites.

Child care providers say there are likely many factors related to the low turnout at the programs, many of which are using curriculum and trained educators to try to make up for the missed school time. For one, they said, the cost of day care, especially for more than one child, is out of reach for many families. Some parents also appear to be waiting it out to see if threatened court action scraps the furlough plan, or at least puts it on hold for a while.

Lots of parents are relying on grandparents or other relatives to watch their little ones.

And some are even taking the day off themselves.

Miriam Cullen, the mother of three elementary school children, said she and her husband, Louis, are using vacation to alternate Fridays off so one of them can always be home with the kids. She said the family couldn't afford to put all three kids in day care programs for the duration of the state Education Department's furlough Friday plan, which will shut public schools down for 17 Fridays starting tomorrow to save money.

Cullen, a supervisor at a bank, added that she'll have to work extra time to make up for the vacation days she's using. "It's very frustrating," Cullen said, as she picked up her kids yesterday at Wilson Elementary School.

Wayne and Phyllis Ibara have a 7-year-old son, Isaac, who attends Wilson Elementary School, and they said yesterday that they have fairly flexible schedules, so they'll be able to keep him at home. Wayne Ibara, a pastor at Makiki Christian Church, and his wife, who teaches classes at a city park in the afternoons, added that they are trying to link up with other parents so that one or a few of them can take a group of kids in shifts on days off.

"We're kind of playing it by ear," said Phyllis Ibara.

Some child care providers are surprised at the low enrollment in their programs, and several are expecting a last-minute rush today and tomorrow morning. They also believe that the numbers will go up after the first furlough day as parents rethink keeping kids at home, grapple to deal with their schedules or can't find other caregivers.

"It's going to grow," said Larry Bush, president and chief executive officer of YMCA Honolulu.

The YMCA and Kamaaina Kids will both accept last-minute drop-offs tomorrow.

Mark Nishiyama, co-founder and vice president of Kamaaina Kids, said part of the low enrollment is probably the cost. Kamaaina Kids is charging $25 a day for its furlough Friday program. But, Nishiyama said, that adds up.

"It's (the furlough Friday plan) something that doesn't come at a good time," he said.

Some other organizations are charging anywhere from $30 to $50 for daylong programs.

The Boys and Girls Club is offering day programs for kids 7 to 17 at five sites for $25 a day.

So far, only about 40 kids are signed up.

Jim Gagne, chief operating officer for the Boys and Girls Club of Hawaii, said the numbers surprised him, especially because enrollment during regular school vacations is much higher.

"My first fear when we put together these programs was we were going to max out right away," he said. "Boy, that sure hasn't been the case at all."

He said that during spring or winter break, one clubhouse alone can get well more than 100 kids in a day program.

Other, smaller programs for furlough Fridays are also struggling to fill seats.

The Hawaii Children's Discovery Center in Kakaako has just five students enrolled for a middle- to high school-focused program to teach kids robotics or computer design. The classes may have to be canceled if more students don't sign up. Meanwhile, a science-learning program at the center, capped at 20 children ages 5 to 8, has four seats left. Loretta Yajima, president and CEO of the center, said the turnout is disappointing because both programs are designed to give students a chance to make up for the lost school day. "There's so much concern about the loss of instructional days," she said.

The Hawaii Nature Center has 12 students signed up for its furlough Friday program.

The center could accommodate up to 40 kids in the class for 6- to 11-year-olds.

"It's been pretty slow," said Casey Carmichael, director of Oahu operations at the center.

Some parents said they are planning their own home-schooling, rather than putting their children in programs.

Amanda Blodgett, the mother of a 6-year-old, said she's very concerned about what her son will miss.

Blodgett works at home as a language instructor. So on furlough Fridays, she plans to be the teacher.

"Taking away 17 days from the kids, I think it's not right," she said.

Sadayoshi Shimizu also works out of his home, as an IT consultant.

But he's not so sure he'll be able to home-school his kids.

Tomorrow, he said, he'll have both of his children — 9 and 12 years old — home with him.

When asked what the three will do, he laughed and said, "I have no idea."