Play with Purpose: Monika Earns Her Certified Play Expert Designation
At Malarkey Kids, we believe that play is more than just fun, it’s essential to early childhood development. That’s why we’re so proud to share that our co-owner, Monika, has officially earned her Certified Play Expert (CPE) designation through ASTRA – the American Specialty Toy Retailing Association!
This nationally recognized certification is designed for professionals who are passionate about the importance of play in a child’s growth. Through ASTRA’s in-depth training, Monika gained expanded knowledge in developmental play, learning through exploration, and how to create engaging, age-appropriate experiences for young children.
What Is a Certified Play Expert?
ASTRA’s Certified Play Expert program is tailored for educators, retailers, and toy industry professionals who want to deepen their understanding of how children learn and grow through play. It covers the impact of play across all areas of development: physical, social, emotional, and cognitive.
Monika’s certification included training on:
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The stages of child development and types of play
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How play supports brain growth and social learning
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Evaluating toys for educational and developmental value
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Creating enriching play experiences from infancy through early childhood
What This Means for Malarkey Kids Products
Her new certification enhances our ability to create products that aren’t just cute and functional, but truly beneficial for a child’s growth.
What this means for you:
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Teething toys that promote fine motor development
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Textures and shapes designed with sensory input in mind
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Products that support independent exploration
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Safe materials that meet strict quality standards
Our commitment to purposeful play starts from the very first sketch, and Monika’s CPE designation makes that commitment even stronger.
From Teething to Learning: Why This Matters
In those early months, babies learn by touching, chewing, and grasping and that’s exactly where Malarkey Kids shines. With this new layer of insight, Monika is better equipped to ensure our products do more than just soothe sore gums. They also help build the foundation for lifelong learning, curiosity, and confidence.
Shop our award-winning teething and sensory toys today designed with play (and purpose) in mind.