About Us
Introducing Happy Day Play:
Empowering All Families for Early Education Success!
Happy Day Play, Inc. is the family educational company behind all the various Happy Day Play initiatives: our expert development content, YouTube video shorts, eBooks, digital downloads and in-person learning experiences — each one meticulously created with the mission of transforming early education starting right at home. We believe in providing accessible parenting resources carefully curated to revolutionize the concept of “familyhood” and nurture early learning experiences for all families with children ages 0 to 5.
Happy Day Play is your ultimate partner in unlocking the full potential of your child’s early years, with you at the realm of their success! Learning should be fun, engaging, accessible and natural for all families. We are here to guide you through the magical world of early education, nurturing your child’s curiosity, and fueling their love for learning.
With Happy Day Play, you’ll gain access to a treasure trove of expert-developed parenting resources from scientific research across the globe, age-appropriate activities, and educational materials designed to stimulate your child’s cognitive, emotional, social growth and more!
We know parenthood is a beautiful, yet challenging journey. But worry not! Happy Day Play offers a thriving community of like-minded parents and caregivers who share the same joys and struggles. Connect, share experiences, and find comfort in our supportive village.
Our Methodology
Grounded in extensive global scientific research, we bring together parents, educators, and experts in early childhood development, fostering a collaborative community focused on achieving foundational and natural learning for all.
Our Mission
To empower every family and child, irrespective of their geographical location, appearance, or financial means, to embrace a bright future filled with knowledge and compassion for everyone while building a happier tomorrow.
Our Story
Happy Day Play distinguishes itself as the exclusive parent and me program in the greater NYC area that seamlessly incorporates authentic family science and family life education principles into the core of its business model, making its holisitic program and class offerings truly one-of-a-kind.
The idea for Happy Day Play derived from a simple belief – that parents and caretakers should actually feel like the experts of their children and that early learning starts at home with family members as their first educators. But in today’s modern world, that can feel nearly impossible between busy schedules, the lack of support “villages,” inaccurate or outdated information widely spread and more.
Happy Day Play was created by Kaitlynn Blyth, a Family Life Educator and member of the National Council on Family Relations. Its mission is to revolutionize how the entire family unit can best support their little ones during the crucial formative years and themselves during the same transformative time, doing so in a way that is realistic in today’s world. With a background of knowing how to effectively communicate evidence-based information to millions of parents every month while working for the digital arm of the world’s most trusted parenting and pregnancy brand, What To Expect When You’re Expecting, Blyth combined her professional knowledge with her personal experience as a mother of two to develop a unique model that filled a gap in early education.
In its inception, Happy Day Play was originally conceived as an online platform, aiming to deliver emerging childhood and family development research to busy parents in fun and easily digestible formats all while promoting educational family fun within their normal routines. Following its digital launch in May 2023, the overwhelming requests received for in-person classes that aligned with this modern family-focused vision led Blyth to consulting with various professionals, including other developmental child and family researchers from leading institutions, and created a "grown-up and me" program framework that reflected the same ideology.
As the plan to implement this framework unfolded, Happy Day Play and the JCC of Staten Island naturally discovered each other and became the perfect match to introduce this new type of learning to the community on a larger scale. With classes open to both JCC members and non-JCC members, this collaboration allows Happy Day Play to be part of the JCC of Staten Island’s reputable Early Childhood Education and Family Program offerings, ensuring this revolutionary type of learning can better reach and support families from diverse backgrounds.
Starting on September 18, 2023, Happy Day Play launched a wide variety of distinctive parent and me style age-based milestone classes and mixed-age classes at JCC Bernikow at 1466 Manor Rd and JCC Avis South Shore at 1297 Arthur Kill Rd. Class subjects include Play and More!, Music and Movement, Sensory Art, STEM, and Pre and Early Language and Literacy Development. While all classes include the traditional mommy and me class elements such as parachutes and bubbles, what truly distinguishes Happy Day Play programming is the fusion of various cutting-edge teaching methodologies. Drawing inspiration from emerging scientific insights and a rich spectrum of effective teaching methods suitable for ages 0 to 5, Happy Day Play creates an approach that not only engages the intellect and imagination of the children, but also captivates and informs the adults simultaneously, fostering a joint journey of discovery and development that transcends conventional educational norms.
After classes launched, the collective sentiment echoed a resounding acknowledgement that Happy Day Play programming was both a breath of fresh air and offered elevated learning experiences for families unlike anything else available on Staten Island.
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From Our Founder
As a mom of two adorable hooligans, deeply immersed in the chaotic "early years” of parenthood, and an absolute nerd when it comes to babyhood and childhood development, my main goal for Happy Day Play is to make the journey of parenting and raising little ones a tad easier, no matter who you are or where you come from. I wholeheartedly believe that every family deserves support and every child deserves a quality education, starting right at home with their own family as their first teachers.
With years of experience working for the world's top pregnancy and parenting brand, What To Expect When You're Expecting, combined with my own personal interests and specialized education in pre and early literacy, and being a member of the National Council on Family, I've soaked up knowledge about every little developmental milestone imaginable. Being the oldest sibling of three, surrounded by a bunch of younger cousins, and having kids gravitate towards me wherever I go (probably because I'm just a big kid at heart), I thought I had parenting all figured out when I excitedly got pregnant with my first child.
But oh boy, reality hit me like a ton of bricks after she was born. I never anticipated the lack of support, the endless juggling act, and the constant questioning that crept in even when I knew exactly what to expect at each stage. And let me tell you, even someone as confident as me was shaken to the core when I realized that I had to be the expert on my own child's growth and well-being, navigating through all the challenges. It's overwhelming, to say the least.
But hey, us moms always find a way, don't we? I managed to survive and even thrive, but truth be told, it shouldn't have been as tough as it was. No family should have to go through that. Thankfully, I am forever grateful for the support system I built over time – the village I created, the friends I made, the incredible parent-child class teachers who became like family, and my amazing husband who embraced the beautiful chaos alongside me.
Fast forward a few years, and here we are, having welcomed our second bundle of joy into the world. With each passing moment, my fascination with childhood development has only grown stronger (yes, somehow!). I've delved deep into the intricate connections between outside support, family dynamics, and a child's overall growth, uncovering the gaps in the traditional early learning model. And that's when the idea of Happy Day Play was born.
Let's face it, being a parent, all we want is the best for our little ones. But let's be real, society doesn't always make it easy for modern families. That's why I wanted to bring a touch of simplicity and joy into parenting by providing easily accessible information, injecting humor into the fog from sleepless nights, and sharing valuable insights through fun digital downloads, relatable expert articles, adorable yet informative YouTube videos, and more. I've collaborated with early childhood experts, family-oriented brands, and various businesses to show families how to infuse everyday activities with learning and create unforgettable moments. And now, due to popular demand, we'll be introducing in-person programs that bring everything together full circle.
I've often times questioned where the magic of early learning went for families. And let me tell you, there's so much more out there – innovative, educational, natural and downright fun. Other local state or city mandated programs may stick to their own rulebooks, doing what they know best and have done for years or following a standardized model - and that’s great. There is a need and are reasons why those exist. At Happy Day Play though, we will be providing a different experience unlike anything else currently offered, focused on holistic family learning and fun. Each offering is designed to wow your family, to spark that sense of wonder and make learning exciting all over again and more importantly, accessible to everyone!
So, whether you're simply looking for expert parenting tips or want to exclusively join our “mommy and me” style program in Staten Island, NY (or add us to your existing grown up and me class rotations locally), we are thrilled to have you as part of the Happy Day Play crew! Because together, we can make this magical time of parenting even more memorable and enjoyable for every family.
Kaitlynn Blyth
Founder of Happy Day Play, Inc.
Mother to Madison (5 years) and Flynn (2 years)
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