Where intentional play meets real community.
Our Story
Union Square Play was created to provide NYC families with a thoughtfully designed space dedicated to the profound value of early childhood. Led by developmental experts and rooted in research-backed play, we focus on the critical 0–3 year old window of growth.
Our mission is to foster a sense of belonging and discovery. By creating environments where play is respected as 'the work of childhood,' we nurture a foundation of curiositiy, attachment, and confidence that supports both child and caregiver through every milestone.
Our Educational Philosophy
We believe that play is the work of childhood. Our approach is deeply rooted in the philosophy that respect for the child begins with seeing them as capable learners from birth. By fostering secure attachment and providing responsive caregiving, we create the safety required for true exploration. Our environment is designed to honor the child’s innate pace and path to discovery.
Attachment
The essential secure base that empowers children to explore with confidence.
Autonomy
Honoring the child's drive to participate and direct their own activities.
Curiosity
Nurturing the natural wonder that leads to profound developmental milestones.
Our Approach to Intentional Play
We believe that a child’s environment is their most silent, yet most powerful, teacher. At Union Square Play, our experts curate “prepared environments” that invite curiosity rather than directing it. By providing space for 0–3 year olds to lead their own discovery, we foster the neural connections that build lifelong resilience.
Central to our philosophy is the use of “loose parts”—materials that can be moved, combined, and redesigned. Unlike toys with a single predetermined outcome, loose parts allow for infinite iterations of play, encouraging children to experiment, solve problems, and express their unique perspectives.
Prepared Environment
A curated space designed to foster child-led autonomy.
Open-ended materials that fuel complex discovery and imagination.
Loose Parts
Observation-Led
Responsive environmental shifts based on natural milestones.
Process Over Product
Celebrating the experience of discovery over finalized results.
Our Qualifications
Early Childhood Specialists
Led by a curated team of expert early childhood educators and infant development specialists dedicated to your child's milestones.
Research-Backed Programs
Every experience is informed by the latest neuroscientific research and established best practices in intentional, developmentally aligned play.
Proven NYC Expertise
Decades of collective experience supporting hundreds of NYC families through the critical first three years of life and growth.
Meet the Team
Jennie Monness
Dionne Kamara
Ramblin' Dan
Dr. Elena M., PhD
Co-Founder & Parent Educator
Movement Specialist
Music & Rhythm Lead
Development Specialist
Passionate about attachment-driven play and helping NYC families find their intuition.
Dedicated to wiring young brains through the joy and science of rhythm and movement.
Uses interactive music to build language, motor coordination, and social confidence in NYC children.
Creating prepared environments that foster autonomy and developmental curiosity in 0-3 year olds.
What Families Are Saying
"Union Square Play is where high-level childhood expertise meets a truly warm, NYC community. The intentional focus on child-led exploration has been transformational for our family's growth."
Amanda L.
Tribeca
"Watching my son discover the loose parts in such a thoughtfully prepared environment is a joy. The research-backed philosophy gives me the confidence to trust his innate curiosity."
Sarah K.
West Village