When mothers Kristen Barham and Jennifer Perez of Haymarket, needed a place to connect with other parents where their young children could socialize, they invented Daytime Playtime, Inc., a cozy, welcoming place where mothers and children four years of age or younger can meet.

Barham and Perez met at the Haymarket MOMS meeting one year ago and quickly became close friends. Six months later, as their two daughters hit toddlerhood, their frustration about the lack of activities for their children prior to pre-school ignited an idea to create a place for active learning where babies and toddlers could learn and express themselves.

After four months of research, they put together a business plan and their play center opened its doors in June.

Daytime Playtime is a welcoming haven with murals and mirrors on the walls, soft mats on the floor and many play structures. One wall offers a "Sensory Center" where children find Velcro puzzles, a stop light, a ball and basket.

A wide variety of soft, shaped structures to climb and rock on and many different lighting scenarios provide a dream-come-true setting for children.

Classes for each development stage beginning with Baby Bumblebees, aged nine months and below, Crawling Caterpillars, nine-to-15 months, and so on by each year of age are carefully designed to provide a stimulating environment for babies and toddlers.

Mothers whose babies are enrolled in the Bumblebee class agreed that 90% of the reason they enjoy Daytime Playtime is the adult camaraderie the facility has engendered among parents.

"It's a great place for dads and moms alike," said Perez. "First-time parents don't always know how to interact with their little ones. They come here to relax and have quality time with children and other parents."

For parents with several children at home, Daytime Playtime welcomes siblings and provides ample space for them. Parents with twins receive a 25% discount on the second child's tuition, and many parents stay for a while with their babies before they leave for work.

Daytime Playtime classes run for eleven weeks and begin four times a year. Most classes are offered several times a week to allow parents to make up a class their children have missed.

Safety and cleanliness is a top priority at Daytime Playtime. Antibacterial gel dispensers are mounted on the walls and everything is washed down several times a day with a safe, non-toxic cleaner.

The first quarter of business has gone well, parents have made new friends and re-enrolled their children for the fall classes.

"We are here just as much for parents as we are for children," said Barham.

"We want this to be a place to support moms and dads in any way we can," she continued. "We provide a bulletin board where parents who work at home may post their products and network. We also provide a place for them on our website: www.daytimeplaytime.com."

Two fall classes are already full, and more classes have been added on Fridays and Saturdays.

"In this way, working parents can have a place to play and relax uninterrupted for 45 minutes where all they have to concentrate on is bonding with their child and watching them grow and explore," said Perez.

Daytime Playtime recently hired two child development students as instructors and plans are in place to offer "Baby & Me" yoga and Pilates classes.

The facilities, located in the back entrance of the Foster's Grill Building off of route 55 in the Town of Haymarket are also available for parties when classes are not in session.