Staten Island, NY— What began as two Moms organizing play groups in a local park has grown into one of Staten Island’s most beloved early childhood programs. Founded in 2021 by best friends and pediatric Speech-Language Pathologists Madeline Romano and Mary Vitale, Beyond Play NYC is a unique Early Learning Center focused on language development and foundational early childhood skills in Staten Island, New York.
Romano and Vitale, both Speech Language Pathologists and licensed teachers, were inspired to start Beyond Play NYC after becoming mothers, realizing early on that there was a gap in family support and ‘village’ for new parents in their community. As they began to apply their professional skills to their own parenting journeys, it became clear that what they were doing in their homes could benefit others. “It became our mission to use our professional expertise to empower and support parents in their children’s development and to give children a place to learn and grow in the best way possible—through play,” says Vitale.
What started as a hope for two brand-new moms to do what they love while being home with their infant sons has grown into something more meaningful than they ever imagined. Along the way, their families grew too—with the addition of baby girls two years later.
One of the foremost pillars of their mission is their steadfast emphasis on community. “The saying goes that it takes a village to raise a child, and our greatest privilege is being able to be a part of someone’s village. What people don’t realize is that in turn they become part of our village too,” says Vitale. Romano adds, “Every Mom needs other relatable, down-to-earth Moms who stay honest and don’t sugarcoat the hard parts of parenthood. We pride ourselves on always sharing that part of our lives with the families we work with. Everyone really becomes family.” All of their offerings are currently “ Grown Up and Me Style,” allowing adults to be part of the journey, building deeper connections with their children and each other.
Over the past year, they’ve taken major steps forward – relocating to a new permanent home, launching a Grown-Up & Me summer camp, and bringing their vision of a Toddler School to life. With nearly 15 years of experience in classrooms, therapy rooms, and private practice, Romano and Vitale say they are living their dream. “We created our school to be the kind of place we’d want our own kids to learn and grow: a language-rich, curiosity-driven, confidence-boosting little world designed just for toddlers,” says Romano.
When designing Toddler School, the pair combined their clinical expertise with a deep understanding of early childhood development to craft a truly unique “My First School Experience.” Their classes offer a play-based, developmentally appropriate, language-rich environment focused on supporting the whole child. “We believe toddlers learn best through meaningful play, open-ended exploration, gentle structure, embedded routines, and—most importantly—loving connection,” says Romano.
Every Toddler School class is a shared experience between a child and a caregiver. It’s “thoughtfully designed to build confidence, spark curiosity, nurture creativity, support communication, and foster a sense of community—all while building the key foundations of early learning.”
Romano and Vitale developed their school curriculum from the ground up, bringing something fresh and new to their local area. Toddler School is offered as one-hour classes, once a week, with all children accompanied by a grown-up. The pair also run a Grown up & Me Summer Camp and hold seasonal weekend Holiday Events.
Beyond Play NYC is more than just an Early Learning Center—it’s a heartfelt response to the real needs of families, built by two moms who understand firsthand what it means to raise children in today’s world.
“One piece of advice we would give to anyone looking to follow their dreams would be to lead with gratitude,” says Vitale. Romano adds, “We feel truly blessed that we are able to do this in our community, and we hope and pray that it shines through in our hard work and dedication to our students and their families.”
Connect with Beyond Play NYC
Beyond Play NYC is currently enrolling for Fall 2025. For more information about Toddler School, Grown-Up & Me classes, or to join the Beyond Play community, visitwww.beyondplaynyc.com.
