How Little Minds Universe Boosts Staff Retention with Playground
Discover how Little Minds Universe boosted staff retention, saved $2,000 monthly, and streamlined daily operations by adopting the Playground app.
1
Juggling Too Much, Losing Focus
Company
Little Minds Universe is a Long Island–based early childhood center that combines a safe, nurturing environment with a strong focus on social, emotional, and academic growth for young children.
Size
72 Children
Key features used
For Jermaine, running Little Minds Universe in Long Island, NY, was both fulfilling and exhausting. The center prided itself on creating a safe, stimulating environment for children—but behind the scenes, the reality was far more chaotic.
“Pick-up, drop-off, billing, you name it—each was hectic”
Each process lived in its own silo: attendance was recorded one way, billing another, payroll somewhere else entirely. None of it was connected, which meant Jermaine had to piece everything together manually.
Evenings were often spent catching up on reports, chasing missing information, and re-checking data to make sure nothing slipped through the cracks. “I was up late every night catching up on reports. It took time away from my family,” Jermaine recalled.
The mental load was constant — every task, from attendance reconciliation to licensing documentation, carried the risk of errors. Staff were frustrated by the inefficiency, costs were quietly climbing, and high turnover meant Jermaine was constantly retraining instead of building the strong, stable team his center needed.
Without a central system, the vision of a smooth, supportive experience for families and staff felt further away each day.
2
One Platform for Every Moving Part
For Jermaine, running Little Minds Universe was fulfilling but demanding, especially when systems were scattered and disconnected.
“Pick-up, drop-off, billing, you name it—each was hectic”
He was using multiple systems to operate, and other parts of the business felt the burden. Managing these processes took him away from what mattered most: quality interactions with families and his team. Paperwork was piling up, with late-night hours handling the odds and ends of payroll and attendance.
“I was bound to drop the ball somewhere”
Little Minds Universe struggled to create the unified experience they envisioned for staff, parents, and kids. Without a central system, they were losing valuable time, operating costs seemed to be rising, and staff turnover was high.
3
One Platform for Every Moving Part
After searching for a solution, Jermaine chose Playground because it promised something none of the other tools could deliver: every function, from attendance to billing to family communication, in one connected platform.
“We used to rely on several apps, but none of them were connected”
Playground’s design meant that whether he was reviewing billing records, pulling attendance history, or checking allergy notes, it was all accessible instantly — no switching tabs, no cross-checking between systems.
For teachers, the shift was just as significant. Instead of juggling paper notes, outdated sign-in sheets, and separate messaging tools, they could use Playground to capture milestones, log meals or naps, and send updates to parents—all in real time. Jermaine no longer had to chase down information or manually update multiple systems; everything flowed into one source of truth.
The operational gains freed up budget to fund staff bonuses, which immediately boosted morale and loyalty.
Teachers felt supported, valued, and able to spend more of their day with children rather than fighting with tools that didn’t work for them.
4
Savings, Stability, and Stronger Teams
The operational efficiency translated directly into the bottom line.
“Playground saves us close to $2,000 a month, nearly $24,000 every year"
That money didn’t sit idle; it was reinvested into classroom upgrades, program improvements, and bonuses that showed staff their hard work was noticed and appreciated.
The impact on retention was striking. In an industry known for burnout and turnover, Little Minds Universe saw something rare: stability.
“Since we started with Playground, everyone has been here at least a year. That’s incredibly rare”
Jermaine said teachers weren’t leaving for less stressful environments — they now had the tools to do their jobs well, with processes that reduced frustration instead of adding to it. Parents noticed the difference too: less staff churn meant more consistent relationships, stronger classroom communities, and a program that ran with confidence and care.
While the financial and operational benefits were undeniable, the transformation in family engagement was equally important. Playground’s communication tools allowed teachers to quickly share daily updates — from a child’s first time tying their shoes to celebrating a vegetable-eating victory at lunch. Parents didn’t have to wait until pick-up to find out about their child’s day; they got a steady stream of moments that mattered.
“Parents love the updates. They know exactly what’s going on, and they feel more involved”
That transparency deepened trust — families knew their children were not just safe, but thriving. The improved communication also meant fewer misunderstandings, more opportunities for parent-teacher collaboration, and a genuine sense of community at Little Minds Universe. What was once a center struggling to keep up with the day-to-day became a place where families, staff, and leadership were aligned and engaged.
With Playground, Little Minds Universe was able to:
Save $2,000 monthly – nearly $24,000 annually, reinvested into the program
Boost staff retention – Jermaine saw retention rates climb, with staff staying over a year
Strengthened sense of community – Parents and teachers benefited from improved communication and transparency
Little Minds digitized bookkeeping, simplified daily processes, and saved money, but best of all they were able to refocus on delivering quality care to those who deserve it. Now, Jermaine has more time for his team, parents are happier, and the kids enjoy the benefits of a well-resourced, well-staffed center.
For Little Minds Universe, Playground paved the way for a new chapter where the team could do what they do best: care for and nurture children. By embracing Playground, Little Minds Universe found the freedom to put children first, showing just how powerful a well-designed, director-centered tool can be in the world of childcare.
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