Best of All: Kai’s Big Steps

If you’ve been around the Playhouse lately, chances are you’ve seen Kai flashing one of his signature expressive smiles—or maybe even witnessed one of his big milestone moments!

Kai is one of our younger participants at just two years old. He joins us each month for LMNOP and Destination Discovery, and it’s been such a joy to watch him grow, learn, and truly shine in his own unique way. Lately, Kai has been hitting some incredible milestones that are worth celebrating.

During a recent open play session, Kai surprised all of us in the best way. Without warning, he stood up and confidently walked—unassisted—all the way across the Playhouse! Mom, staff, and other families were in awe. It was one of those magical “Best of All” moments that we’ll never forget. The best part? Kai looked completely unfazed, like he’d been doing it all along and couldn’t quite figure out why everyone was cheering!

Kai has always had a special way of communicating. His facial expressions are unmatched—whether he’s grinning ear-to-ear, curiously taking something in, or letting us know he’s not quite interested. In LMNOP, he’s become a pro at clapping along to songs, picking up new signs, and engaging in more expressive, intentional ways. One of his biggest recent LMNOP wins? Blowing bubbles! What started as joyfully popping every bubble in sight has now evolved into creating the bubbles—a fun (and impressive!) oral motor skill that supports his speech development.

It’s also worth noting that Kai comes from a bilingual family, meaning he’s processing and learning in two languages. That’s no small feat for a toddler! His brain is working overtime, and it’s amazing to see just how much he’s absorbing and responding to.

He became a big brother less than a year ago—and he’s been absolutely rocking that role. Kai and his little brother, Ilan, are almost the same size now, but make no mistake—big brother Kai is clearly leading the way. Whether he’s showing Ilan how to explore the Playhouse or just being his sweet, expressive self, the bond between them is already something special. Kai and his whole family has embraced the GiGi’s Playhouse community. His mom and dad, Rosbeidy and Ali, had this to say about the impact GiGi’s Playhouse has had on Kai:

“We love to see Kai light up with excitement every time we arrive to GiGi’s for the LMNOP program. Kai has participated from the very beginning—when he was just around 10 months old. Kai has shown such joy and enthusiasm for the music, movement, and interactive activities. We enjoy seeing him playing with the scarves and his excitement in the storytime. 

“We have witnessed how this program has helped him to developed new communication skills, particularly by mimicking the basic sign language introduced through songs. It’s been incredible to see how much he enjoys learning through music, and how naturally he has begun to express himself in new ways. We are deeply grateful for the positive impact GiGi’s Playhouse has had on Kai’s development, and we look forward to many more joyful milestones ahead…”

Kai reminds us what “Best of All” is all about—celebrating growth, milestones, and the little moments that mean the most. We’re so proud of everything he’s accomplished and can’t wait to see what he’ll do next.