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About Us

who we are?

If you are looking for ways to assist your child with a developmental delay, there is no better support than from our team at Kerri’s Kids Play2Learn.

Our experts can help support your child as he or she continues to learn and grow.

About Kerri Dalessio

When a co-worker asked me why I chose teaching, I said, “I think teaching chose me.” It is hard to consider what I do as a job, because it is truly a part of who I am. People always say to me, “Those children are lucky to have you.” But actually, I’M the lucky one.

I have been working with children from birth-5 years old for over 20 years. I have a Master of Science degree in Special Education. I began my teaching journey at Central Park Early Learning Center (AHRC) in New York City. As a teacher, I organized a center-based learning environment for special needs preschoolers. This was my “A-HA” moment where I realized I can make a difference in the lives of children. What other profession allows you to giggle, laugh, smile, and be silly for most of your day?

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Our Aim

Play, play, and play some more! 

For children, play is not a luxury. It is crucial to their development. Psychologist Jean Piaget famously said, “Play is the work of childhood.”

Play helps children learn life skills. It is how they learn about themselves, others, and the world around them.

Kerri Dalessio aims to empower families and children. She believes that every child is born with a special gift, it just takes time for each child to unwrap their gifts. Through this vision, Kerri’s Kids Play2Learn was brought to life! 

A woman kissing her child and taking selfie
A woman playing with some small children on the table

Why us?

  • We provide opportunities to socialize and use language with other children.
  • We use visual tools that support the foundation of play and social skills.
  • We provide repetition structure and consistency to help acquire skills.
  • We provide educational materials and activities for families to use at home.
  • All groups are facilitated by an Early Intervention Specialist with an M.S. in Special Education.

I later accepted a supervisory position as a Head Teacher at Central Park Early Learning Center, where I supervised 7 special education preschool classrooms, consisting of students with multiple disabilities. During this part of my teaching journey, I worked with teachers to implement and execute Individualized Education Plans (IEP’s) for CPSE and CSE meetings. I also helped guide families in locating the most appropriate learning environment for their child.

Realizing my passion to work with children and their families, I accepted a position as an Early Intervention Home-Based Service Provider at YAI/NYL Life Start, an NYC-based nonprofit organization. As an Early Intervention Specialist, my main goal was – and still is – building a close relationship with my  families and helping parents and caregivers to reinforce the gains made. I worked intensively with speech pathologists, occupational therapists, and physical therapists to help children develop skills in the home setting and the outside world.

My love for teaching and strong desire to create change, even in the simplest of tasks, is how Kerri’s Kid’s Play2Learn came to life!

Kerri’s Kids Play2Learn is a therapeutic social skills playgroup for children with developmental differences in Roslyn, NY. I currently offer social skills playgroups, as well as Mommy and Me classes. Classes are offered throughout the week and on weekends, depending on availability. I continue to consult with families, provide private home/school-based therapy for children, and provide 1:1 support for students attending mainstream programs.

As the saying goes – “A great teacher takes a hand, opens a mind, and touches a heart!”

Fun Fact

I am bilingual and my second language is Spanish!

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