Today we’d like to introduce you to Elonda Edwards.
Hi Elonda, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
From Six Children to a Multi-Location Child Care Brand: The Story of Elonda Edwards
Elonda Edwards, founder of Everyday Play N Learn Child Development Center, began her journey in child care on January 1, 2016, with a simple but powerful vision—to create a safe, nurturing, and opportunity-filled environment for children and families in her community.
Starting as a licensed home daycare with capacity for just six children, Elonda quickly recognized the growing need for flexible, high-quality child care. Determined to expand her impact, she successfully navigated the special exception process to transform her home daycare into a 24-hour expanded program—an uncommon and highly valuable service for working families.
In 2020, she took a major leap forward by opening Everyday Play N Learn Child Development Center LLC in White Plains, Maryland, beginning with just 36 children. Through hands-on leadership, strategic growth, and a deep understanding of family needs, the center quickly grew.
By July 1, 2022, Elonda expanded again by acquiring an existing center, rebranding it under her company and increasing licensed capacity to over 100 children. Her ability to scale while maintaining quality care became a defining strength of her business.
In 2023, Elonda extended her reach into the public school system by launching Everyday Play N Learn Before and After Care LLC and securing a partnership with District of Columbia Public Schools. Starting with Miner Elementary School, she later expanded to Takoma Elementary, providing structured before-and-after care programs that support both students and working parents.
As her business continued to evolve, Elonda expanded into curriculum development, creating and publishing educational workbooks and learning materials designed for both child care centers and families. Through her curriculum brand, she provides customizable, engaging content that supports early learning, creativity, and real-world skills.
Her curriculum has also become a valuable resource for homeschooling families, offering structured yet flexible learning tools that parents can use at home. In addition to her physical centers, Elonda supports homeschoolers through her learning hub model and online educational resources—helping bridge the gap between traditional schooling and home-based education.
Families, educators, and organizations can explore her curriculum and learning resources online at:
www.epnlsignaturecurriculumcollection.com
Beyond traditional child care, Elonda has built a broader ecosystem that includes curriculum development, community partnerships, and an event center that supports families and organizations. Her programs emphasize real-world learning, entrepreneurship, and hands-on experiences—preparing children not just for school, but for life.
Today, Elonda Edwards operates multiple child care programs, a growing curriculum brand, and community-based initiatives—all rooted in her original mission: to provide accessible, high-quality care while creating opportunities for children and families to thrive.
Her journey from a six-child home daycare to a multi-faceted child care enterprise is a testament to resilience, vision, and a commitment to making a lasting impact in her community.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
My journey has definitely not been a smooth road—it has been full of both highs and lows. Like many entrepreneurs, especially in the child care industry, I’ve faced challenges that tested my patience, resilience, and commitment to my mission.
One of the biggest challenges has been navigating the licensing process when opening and expanding new centers. Each location comes with its own set of regulations, inspections, and requirements, which can be time-consuming and, at times, overwhelming. There were moments where delays and unexpected hurdles could have slowed everything down, but I stayed consistent, learned the process, and pushed through every obstacle.
Another major challenge has been the instability around government child care scholarship programs. Since around May 2025, many families have been impacted by freezes and delays in scholarship funding, making it difficult for parents to afford quality child care.
Instead of allowing that to limit the families we serve, we made a decision to step up and create our own solution. That’s how our In-House Community Scholarship Program was developed.
Through this program, we are able to offer reduced tuition to families in need, ensuring that children still have access to safe, high-quality care regardless of external funding challenges. Our goal has always been to support working families, and we refused to let policy delays stand in the way of that.
Families can learn more or apply here:
www.everydayplaynlearn.com/in-house-community-scholarship-program
At the end of the day, every challenge has helped shape the business into what it is today. It’s taught me how to adapt, how to create solutions, and most importantly, how to continue showing up for families—even during uncertain times.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
At its core, my business is about creating access, opportunity, and real support for families. I am the founder of Everyday Play N Learn Child Development Center LLC, a multi-location child care program that provides high-quality care for children of all ages, including 24-hour care options, before and after school programs, and flexible solutions for working families.
We specialize in more than just traditional child care—we focus on real-world learning, hands-on experiences, and preparing children for life beyond the classroom. Our programs are designed to support not only academic development, but also confidence, creativity, and independence.
In addition to our centers, we operate Everyday Play N Learn Before and After Care LLC, where we partner with District of Columbia Public Schools to provide structured, reliable care for students and families within the school system.
What really sets us apart is that we’ve built an entire ecosystem around education and family support. Beyond child care, we have developed and published our own curriculum through our Signature Curriculum Collection, which is used by both child care providers and homeschooling families across the country. Our curriculum is designed to be engaging, flexible, and rooted in real-life skills—not just worksheets, but meaningful learning experiences.
Families and educators can explore our curriculum here:
www.epnlsignaturecurriculumcollection.com
We also support homeschooling families through our learning hub model, giving parents access to structured resources, socialization opportunities, and educational support without the pressure of a traditional school system.
Another major part of our brand is accessibility. With ongoing challenges in government scholarship programs, we created our own In-House Community Scholarship Program to ensure families can still afford care. This allows us to continue serving our community even when external systems fall short.
Learn more here:
www.everydayplaynlearn.com/in-house-community-scholarship-program
One of the programs we are especially proud of is our Future CEO Leadership Summer Camp, designed to expose children to entrepreneurship, leadership, and real-world life skills at an early age. This isn’t a traditional summer camp—children learn how to create business ideas, understand money management, build confidence, and think like leaders through hands-on projects and interactive experiences.
The goal of this program is to help shape the next generation of thinkers, creators, and leaders—giving them tools that go far beyond the classroom.
Families can learn more about the camp here:
https://www.everydayplaynlearn.com/camp
What we are most proud of, brand-wise, is that we are not just a daycare—we are a resource. We’ve built a trusted name that families can rely on, whether they need full-time care, after-school support, homeschool resources, summer enrichment, or affordable options during difficult times.
We are known for being flexible, community-driven, and solution-oriented. When families have a need, we don’t turn them away—we figure out how to make it work.
What I want readers to know most is this: our brand was built with purpose. Every program, every service, and every expansion has been centered around helping families succeed. We are constantly evolving, growing, and creating new opportunities—not just for children, but for entire communities.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
My biggest advice for anyone starting out is to understand that this journey takes patience, consistency, and resilience. It’s not going to happen overnight, and there will be moments where things feel uncertain—but you have to stay committed to your vision.
One thing I wish I knew in the beginning is how important it is to truly understand the business side of child care—not just the passion for working with children. Licensing, finances, staffing, and compliance all play a major role, and getting organized early will save you a lot of stress later on.
I also learned that flexibility is key. There will be changes—whether it’s with regulations, staffing, or even funding sources—and you have to be willing to adapt and find solutions instead of getting stuck in the problem. For example, when government scholarship programs became unstable, we created our own in-house scholarship program so we could continue supporting families instead of turning them away.
Another important lesson is to build relationships. Your network—other providers, parents, community partners, and schools—can open doors and create opportunities you wouldn’t have access to on your own. Don’t be afraid to collaborate.
I would also tell anyone starting out to invest in systems early, whether that’s curriculum, billing, or operations. Having structure in place allows you to grow without becoming overwhelmed.
Most importantly, don’t underestimate your impact. This work is bigger than just a business—you are helping shape children’s lives and supporting families every single day. If you stay focused on that purpose, it will carry you through the hard moments.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.everydayplaynlearn.com
- Instagram: @eplaynlearn
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1FoC37p37S/?mibextid=wwXIfr
- Other: https://epnlsignaturecurriculumcollection.com/?srsltid=AfmBOop3OfAA2WVZmIVDytmx9Xhqn81crEqJBxqAvkrm5Yd6nH6pcVNE
