Happy Day Play
Helping families learn, play, and connect with trusted, research-rooted fun
We're NYC's only family life education-based learning company supporting the whole family across our classes, home, school, community, and the destinations, shows, and products they choose, for kids from birth to age 10.
Family Music
Baby Sing & Sign
Sensory Art
Family Open Play
Montessori
Summer Program
Early Literacy
Crafternoon
STEAM
Party Entertainment
School Visits
Family Events
Family Music Baby Sing & Sign Sensory Art Family Open Play Montessori Summer Program Early Literacy Crafternoon STEAM Party Entertainment School Visits Family Events
UPCOMING EVENTS
Sat 10/17 at 10:30: It’s the Great Pumpkin Party, Charlie Brown
Sat 11/21 at 10:30: Thanksgiving Parade Extravaganza 2026
Sat 12/19 at 11:00: Early Noon Years Ever Family Party 2027
THE PROBLEM WE SOLVE FOR FAMILIES
Parents have more options than ever, with no easy way to know what's worth their time, money, and trust. Advice conflicts, classes and events don't always fit a family's budget or schedule, and recommendations don't always put families first. We flipped the script!
Everything we do, from classes, events, parties, and school visits to content and recommendations, is grounded in modern family science and childhood development research, and YOU get to decide what's best for your family.
WHAT WE OFFER
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![Grown Up and Me Classes]()
Grown Up & Me Classes
Walk-in, pay as you go classes in music, art, play, literacy, STEAM and more. Ages 0 to 5. Best of all, just one price per immediate family.
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![A young girl and an adult woman are sorting numbered plant pots, with the girl placing a plant in a pot labeled '3' while sitting on the floor next to a tray of colorful cards.]()
Early Learning Programs
Multi-week commitment based series. Family First Montessori Experience and Happy Trails Grown Up and Me Adventure Club. Ages 0 to 3.
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![childrens birthday party entertainment NYC]()
Party Entertainment
On-the-go party packages at your venue + fully hosted parties at Simply Gather Events. Ages 0 to 10. Staten Island, NY, NJ.
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![family fun events]()
Family Fun Events
Seasonal celebrations like Mom Prom, Daddy Derby, Peter Rabbit Party, and more. Special ticketed experiences for the whole family!
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![school visits and field trips]()
School Visits and Field Trips
We bring a customized Happy Day Play experience to your school or center. Age appropriate and engaging. Ages 0 to 9.
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![Pop-Up Private Playdates Staten Island, NYC, NJ]()
Pop-Up Private Playdates
A custom Happy Day Play experience brought directly to your home or chosen venue. Perfect for small groups or special holidays.
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![Community Giveback]()
Community Programming
Each season, we host a free event with a family-focused partner, so family life education can reach even more families. Hosting a community event of your own? We offer affordable programming options.
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![business partnerships]()
Business & Brand Partnerships
We partner with brands on pop-up events, sponsored classes, fully branded experiences, content collaborations, and more, all designed to connect with families in ways they remember.
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![family destinations]()
Family Destination Reviews
We review family destinations, experiences, and outings across NY, NJ, PA, and CT through a family and developmental lens, with honest age by age breakdowns and family bonding at the center of it all.
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![A woman and a young girl sitting at a kitchen table, looking at a smartphone together, with breakfast food and cups on the table.]()
Expert Articles & Resources
Evidence-based family-focused written content on childhood development, parenting, and family life education.
How old is your little one?
Every class is made age-appropriate using our extensive background in childhood development. Find the perfect fit in one tap.
Grown-up & me classes for every loved little learner
$25 per family. Siblings included. No reservations. No memberships. No cancellation fees. Just show up, learn, play, and bond whenever it works for your family. Discounts available for 10-class passes and 6-class passes.
SIGNATURE WALK-IN CLASSES
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Family Open Play Class
NYC’s only certified family open play. Let your child move freely, explore safely, and build confidence through themed open play activities designed to support for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers alongside their favorite grown-up! Big helper older siblings welcome!
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Family Music Class
A weekly musical adventure where your whole family connects, moves, and learns together. Each week brings a new theme, live ukulele and the most fun music class ever!
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Baby Sing and Sign Class
Give your baby a voice before they can speak through music, baby sign language, and moments that bring you closer through intentional connection.
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Sensory Art Class
Spark creativity, sensory exposure, and family bonding in this hands-on, full-body art class for little ones and their favorite grown-ups!
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Family Crafternoon Class
Spark creativity and quality time through traditional arts & crafts done together as a family after school hours!
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Family STEAM Class
A monthly grown-up and me science adventure where young minds and curious families explore, build, and discover together. From babies to big kids, it’s a fun time for all!
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Mazel Tots Early Literacy Class
A monthly grown-up and me literacy adventure where little learners and their families sing, rhyme, and explore PJ Library books together.
Children’s Party Entertainment for Ages 0 to 10
With two options to party with us, we ensure affordable, out of the box, and memorable entertainment for your child’s special day! Starting at just $250 for our basic on-the-go package.
Our out of the box entertainment gets every guest involved, grown-ups too. Families book us year after year for birthdays, religious ceremonies, moving-up celebrations, and more.
Meet the Founder: Kaitlynn Blyth
Kaitlynn Blyth is a Family Life Educator (FLE), award-winning parenting content strategist, and mom of two living in NYC.
Between her many years at What to Expect and her own life as a mom, she saw a gap the whole industry kept missing. Families had endless trusted information at their fingertips, with no one connecting it to how they actually live.
So she built Happy Day Play to close it.
She's a member of the National Council on Family Relations, and you may have seen her quoted in Parents, Newsweek, The Bump, Care.com, and more.
Family Science–Informed Learning
Happy Day Play founder, Kaitlynn Blyth, is a proud member of the National Council on Family Relations (NCFR), a leading professional organization dedicated to advancing family science and evidence-informed practice. Happy Day Play is the only education-based program in the NYC area operating from a family science and family life education lens.
Unlike traditional “grown-up & me” programs that focus primarily on the child, our approach is intentionally designed to support both the child and the caregiver from an evidence-based approach. Our programs are grounded in principles of family life education and child development, ensuring each experience is developmentally appropriate while also equipping caregivers with tools, insight, and confidence to support their child beyond the class setting.
This dual focus is what sets Happy Day Play apart and why families consistently notice a meaningful difference in their experience.
Trusted by Families Across Staten Island, NYC, and New Jersey
100% Recommend Rating
“We love Happy Day Play! Miss Kaitlynn and the experiences she provides are unlike any other! She give kids opportunities to be playful, make friends and to be themselves. Miss Kaitlynn's classes and events are always enjoyed and looked forward to by kids and adults alike. Happy Day play provides an engaging and fun experience for a very reasonable price. Thank you Miss Kaitlynn for all you do!”
— Julie O., Parent“I cannot recommend Happy Day Play enough! I’ve attended open play events with my daughters, who have a 4.5-year age gap, and I am always amazed at how she creates an experience that’s fun and engaging for kids of all ages. Kaitlynn has a natural gift with children; she remembers names and little details that make every family feel seen, loved, and cared for. Her creativity, planning, and innovation are so impressive. I love referring families to Happy Day Play. Kaitlynn truly makes magic happen for kids and families!”
— Christine J., Sunnyside Up Birth Co."Happy day play is a huge part of my motherhood and my child’s childhood. We cannot thank her enough for all that she does for us! She is hands on, always comes ready to play and is happy to entertain and enjoy the time with our little ones! I would recommend happy day play over and over to all new moms or if mothers are looking for events! We love that there is always something happening and are so grateful that this exists!”
— Alexsis G., Parent“Ms. Kaitlynn is not just great, she’s truly phenomenal. She goes above & beyond to bring people together, engaging both young and older crowds effortlessly. She keeps everyone on their feet, dancing and singing, and her energy is contagious. You can genuinely see the joy in her eyes and hear it in her voice. She is incredibly interactive, responsive, and attentive to every detail. From start to finish, she ensures your event is exactly how you envision it, thoughtfully incorporating any special touches you request. Ms. Kaitlynn is a truly wonderful.”
— Lisa V., Parent“I’ve been attending Happy Day Play classes since my daughter was a year old. We really look forward to the different classes. She always has exciting and engaging themes for the kids to enjoy. We cannot get enough of Ms. Kaitlynn and am looking forward to the summer camp program we’re attending this summer. My daughter has truly grown up and developed into the girl she is from her experiences at Happy Day Play❣️🥰”
— Lauren W., Parent“I’ve been bringing my daughter to Happy Day Play classes since she’s been three months old. She and I both love attending! We love meeting other moms and babies as well as learning new skills, activities, and techniques to help our baby grow and learn through music, play, and Montessori based learning centers. Every activity is grounded in research based evidence and can be adapted to younger and older children. Their creativity and unique themes for each session make every time a one of a kind experience!”
— Nicole I., Parent"Happy Day Play has been such a monumental part of my daughter’s developmental years! We’ve been to classes, special events, birthday parties (as the birthday girl and as an attendee of other birthdays!) and Ms. Kaitlynn NEVER fails to make my daughter happy, engaged in learning, and excited. Now that I have 2 children, I deeply appreciate the pricing structure of Happy Day Play. Always a good time, always memorable, always exciting!”
— Samantha B., Parent“As an educator myself, I am fully aware of the hard work and dedication that goes into working with children and their families. Ms.Kaitlynn delivers and does a fantastic job every single time. My child has been a part of HappyDay since 9 months old. We love attending. Ms.Kaitylnn has given our family the opportunity to grow, bond and create memories with our child. She is fun, engaging and so caring. She takes the time to connect and build her own relationships. She cares about her students and takes time to learn about them. We Love her!”
— Wendy C., ParentGrowing Up Happy
Evidence-Based Articles on Nurturing Early Childhood Development Through Family Connection and More
Evidence-based articles, tips, and resources for modern families. We invite you to join us as we delve into the realm of early childhood development and its connection to family!
IN THE MEDIA
What the press is saying — and asking us
Journalists turn to Happy Day Play founder Kaitlynn Blyth for expert commentary on childhood development, family life, and modern parenting.
For media inquiries, interviews, or collaboration opportunities, journalists and publications can contact Happy Day Play via email at hello@happydayplay.com.
“The intensity of this debate isn’t really about the words ‘dog’ or ‘plant’ in front of ‘mom,’ it’s about the anxiety and lack of feeling seen underneath them.”
“Families are looking for someone who can keep their children safe, but also engaged, supported and thriving.”
“When students who need more stimulation are appropriately challenged, it benefits the entire student body by allowing classrooms to better meet diverse learning needs.”
“Crayola’s non-toxic Model Magic clay is the best of the best. “It’s lightweight, soft, and more pliable compared to traditional clay, which makes it easy for young children to manipulate and shape.”
Frequently Asked Questions
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Happy Day Play is a family learning company serving Staten Island, the broader NYC area, and New Jersey in person, and families everywhere online. We offer walk-in grown-up and me classes, early learning programs, family events, birthday party entertainment, private playdates, school programming, community events, expert content, and trusted family recommendations, all rooted in family life education and childhood development. We're NYC's only family life education-based learning company, which means everything we do supports both the child and the caregiver.
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Most "mommy and me" aka "grown-up and me" programs are built around the child alone, or around a single subject like music, sports, or speech. Happy Day Play is different because it's grounded in Family Life Education, a credentialed field focused on the whole family. Our founder, Kaitlynn Blyth, is also an active member of the National Council on Family Relations. Our programs are evidence-based and supported by a Medical Review Team every quarter. That dual focus, supporting the child and equipping the caregiver, is what families tell us they notice.
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Family Life Education is a credentialed field grounded in family science and child development, focused on the wellbeing of the whole family. It's what allows our classes to do more than fill an hour. Each experience is developmentally appropriate for your child while also giving you tools, insight, and confidence to support their growth long after class ends.