When Danielle Wharton first walked into Play to Learn in February of last year, she came as a parent attending with her daughter, Elsie Grace. Wednesday playgroup quickly became a highlight of their week — and it didn’t take long for Danielle to notice something else: Ms. Kay was running the entire session on her own.
One day, Danielle simply asked, “Do you ever need any help?”
It turned out she had asked at exactly the right moment. Play to Learn was looking for an assistant, and Danielle applied. Today, she’s an essential part of the team. “Lucky me,” she says — but anyone who has seen her in action knows the program is just as lucky to have her.
Seeing Play to Learn through the lens of an assistant has been, in her words, “a wonderful experience.” Danielle loves working alongside Ms. Kay and be ing part of the joy the program brings to families each week. Her days are filled with moments that matter playing with children, talking with parents, celebrating new baby announcements, and watching little ones grow and develop from week to week.
She lights up when she talks about the magic she sees in the room — the spark in a child’s eyes when they explore the sensory table, the excitement of mixing baking soda paint, the wonder of listening to a story, the giggles that come from a silly song or a game of chase. These small moments, she says, are the heart of Play to Learn.
But Danielle also sees the deeper impact. “What the program offers is stability,” she explains. Families are greeted with a smile. Parents and caregivers have a safe space to share stories, frustrations, joys, and the everyday highs and lows of raising young children. Play to Learn becomes a circle of support — a place where friendships form, babies are welcomed, and community grows.
“If it’s a rainy day, we fill it with sunshine,” Danielle says.
And week after week, that’s exactly what she helps create: a warm, welcoming space where children learn, parents connect, and everyone feels they belong.
Play to Learn is better because Danielle is part of it — and the families who walk through the door feel that difference every single week. Learn more about the program at www.PFCFoothills.org today.
