Our Founder
Eileen Levine, M. A., the founder and director, was inspired to develop Creative Play for Kids in 2002 after being disappointed with the “mommy and me” programs she and her infant son tried. Eileen wanted a class that best suited the needs of her and her son; a program that had just the right mix of music and movement activities, was fun, had an enthusiastic teacher, and was fairly priced. Much to her surprise, she couldn’t find one so she was inspired to create her own.
Having worked as a child development specialist and an early childhood educator, Eileen was able to draw from all of her resources. She combined her academic knowledge of child development and her professional experience in early childhood education, and applied them to create an upbeat, dynamic, fun, music and movement play program.
Creative Play for Kids first began with one class per week in a downtown Greenwich Village location. Currently, Creative Play for Kids is in multiple locations in downtown Manhattan. In 2005, Creative Play for Kids was featured on FOX 5’s Morning Show, Good Day New York. In 2014, Eileen was featured as a developmental expert in a series of developmentally based on-line videos for Parents Magazine.
Eileen has hired wonderfully talented musicians and instructors all of whom bring their individual talents and love for music and children to Creative Play for Kids.
While it has been many years since Eileen taught that first class in Greenwich Village she has loved every minute of being with the babies and toddlers. Creative Play for Kids is her passion and love. Ask Eileen about Creative Play for Kids and she says, “I think I have the best job in the world because I get to be a part of so many peoples lives; I get to watch babies grow and develop into little people; and they all have a place in my heart. Creative Play for kids was a seed that sprouted into a full size garden and I’m just fortunate enough to be its caretaker”.
Eileen Levine holds a Masters Degree in Child Development and Educational Psychology from Columbia University. She has worked as a Child Life Specialist at Bellevue Hospital, counseled families in need, and worked as an early childhood educator in a variety of therapeutic nursery school settings. Eileen is a mom and resides in Manhattan with her husband and son.
The classes are great and Eileen has trained her teachers very well; some of the best I have seen.
Jen, an Upper Westside Mom
