EduPlay
Discovery Center
518 N. Franklin St. Frankenmuth
989-652-0182
"Our teachers are really the heart of our center. They lead with enthusiasm, values and compassion."
WELCOME
NEW FAMILIES
Hailey Pratt
“I have always loved working with children; they inspire me to be the best person I can be. Children help you see things from a whole new perspective. There is never a dull moment around children, and I love that!”
Director
Hailey began her childcare experience in 2010 in the early childhood program at the Technology Center. She then moved into a teacher’s aide position at Vassar High School Head Start and Latch Key. Hailey started working for EduPlay in October of 2014. She has completed her Child Development Associates in 2016 at Delta College and is currently working towards her associate’s degree in Early Childhood Education. Hailey enjoys camping and spending time with her husband and daughter.
Melissa Volk
Assistant Director
I’m happy to be back into the field of working with children again. I love to see children light up when they learn something new or reach a new milestone- children are such a blessing and so much fun to be around and teach!
Melissa started in childcare in 1997. Since then, she has held various positions at several childcare centers. She has been an assistant teacher, lead teacher, and in 2003 became a director. She worked as a certified nursing assistant in home care and was the head of the Restorative Therapy Program at Wellspring Lutheran Services for the last 10 years. She pursued her degree in Childhood Development at Delta college. Melissa was the Early Preschool lead teacher and now is the assistant director. She loves spending time with her dog Snickers, reading, traveling, crafting, and spending time with her family and friends.
Ariel Perez-Smith
Lead Teacher - Infant Room
"I love working with kids because I get to make a difference in their life. I get to help them learn and grow."
Ariel began working with children with special needs in 2017. She started employment at Eduplay in November of 2020 as an assistant in the Infant Room, where she is now the lead teacher. Previously, she worked as a Certified Nurse’s Assistant and as a behavior technician. She is married and has three young children. Ariel is an active volunteer in her church.
OUR EDUCATORS
Our teachers are really the heart of our center. They lead with enthusiasm, values and compassion. We build cohesive teams by valuing each teacher’s strengths and contributions within the programs and recognizing the relationships with the children in their care. Our teachers understand that children learn best when they are provided a foundation of warm, responsive care, and a genuine loving relationship is built with their teacher. We are very fortunate to have an amazing team of talented teachers at EduPlay who are passionate in what they do and care deeply about the children.
Kimberly Zehnder, Owner
Some of the best times in our lives are spent as a child exploring, learning and imagining. These years are also the most valuable when comes to learning and absorbing all the information and experiences we are given. These are the brain's critical developmental years. The first few years in a child's life are an extraordinary period of cognitive and emotional growth, brain development and language acquisition. The older we get the more we forget just how precious and fleeting these moments were for us, not to mention how important they were to our brain's development.
Imagine an early childhood program and after-school program that not only meets the child care needs of parents during these periods of critical development, but that also provides opportunities for in depth exploration and discovery in the areas of science and creative arts in an activity based learning environment.
EduPlay aims to offer quality early childhood services with flexible hours that support local parents as well as those employed in the tourist industry within the community. We will provide close personal attention and an activity based learning environment that encourages exploration and discovery. These qualities are essential to providing a quality and creative learning experience that promotes the development of the whole child.
Rachel Smith
Lead Teacher - Waddler Room
“The one thing I love most about working with children is being able to watch them work hard and succeed at things every single day!”
Rachel began working in a childcare setting in 2014. In March of 2015, she began working at EduPlay Childcare in Frankenmuth. Growing up Rachel loved to babysit and she always knew she wanted to work with children one day. Rachel completed her Child Development Associate in 2016 at Delta College and is currently working towards getting her associates degree in Early Childhood Education. When she is not working at EduPlay, you can find her at Dance Performance Academy in Frankenmuth, where she teaches tap, jazz, ballet and kick line to children of all ages.
Jennifer Jones
Lead Teacher-Toddler Room
"Watching children grow and learn warms my heart. There is nothing better than seeing their smiles or hearing them laugh. The hugs and love I receive from them on a daily basis keeps me going."
Jen started working at EduPlay in 2019 . Before becoming an infant lead teacher, she was a stay-at-home mother for eighteen years. Jen is currently obtaining her Childhood Development Associates. She enjoys spending time with her husband Aaron, two children Savannah and Colin, and her many animals. Jen is very involved in her church and often volunteers as the assistant treasurer and working in the nursery with the children. She also volunteers her time at Michigan School for the Deaf. She enjoys camping, playing games, and spending time with her family and friends.
Kaitlyn Arebalo
Lead Teacher - Early Preschool Room
"I have loved working with children for as long as I can remember. I have always had a soft spot for kids. Working with children, being able to watch them grow, and knowing that I am making a difference in each child's life is one of the best feelings in the world.
Kaitlyn began her childcare journey in 2020. She began employment at EduPlay in 2021 as an assistant teacher in the Waddler Room. She is currently working on her Childhood Development Associates. She is now the lead teacher in the Early Preschool Room. When she is not working, she enjoys playing sports, reading, riding quads, and spending time with her family.
Sheridan Dinsmore
Lead Teacher -Preschool Room
"I love knowing that each child is having a good day and is excited to come to school! I love helping them learn and seeing them get so excited when they start connecting things together. My favorite is how excited they get over things that seem “normal” to us."
Sheridan began working in childcare in 2020 at the Tuscola Technology Center. She began employment at EduPlay in 2021 and is now the lead teacher in the Early Preschool Room. She is currently obtaining her Childhood Development Associates. When she is not working, she likes gardening, going to the gym, and researching through articles.
MaryKay Anglebrant
Lead Teacher - Preschool Room
"Each day I come into the classroom knowing we always have something different and exciting to do! Not only do they learn something new, I learn from them as well. Watching a child finally have a break-through moment and understand something they didn't before warms my heart. They have this special glow in their eyes when they did something on their own."
MaryKay began her childcare journey in 2017 and quickly obtained her Childhood Development Associates. She began working at EduPlay in 2021 as an assistant teacher in the Preschool Room. When not at work she enjoys spending time with her three teenage boys, camping, boating.
Makenzie Buetow
GSRP Lead Teacher
"What I love most about working with children is their fearlessness. They have a whole world to discover filled with new and exciting, sometimes terrifying things. I love seeing their genuine reaction when they are learning. There is nothing more rewarding than experiencing that with them"
Makenzie began her childcare experience in 2016. She started her employment at Eduplay in January of 2019 as an assistant teacher. She was a lead teacher in the Toddler Room for several months. Before working in childcare, Makenzie taught swim lessons to young children and children and adults with special needs. She also coached middle school volleyball for several years. She obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education Administration in October of 2021. Her goal is to become a childcare director. Makenzie loves spending time with her friends and family, especially her three young nephews. She enjoys concerts, baking, crafting, and swimming.