Tyla took her first acting class when she was 3, and her first ballet class when she was 4. She attended a performing arts high school and received a BFA in Musical Theater from The Boston Conservatory so you can say that the arts have always been a part of her life! She’s currently performing in an Off-Broadway show. When she’s not on stage, she works as a Kid Expert, infusing sessions with singing, dancing and acting as well as some cool arts and crafts. Read more about Tyla in our interview below.

Hi Tyla! Where are you from and what brought you to NYC?

I’m from Rumford, Rhode Island! I moved to NYC 3 years ago, after I graduated from college to pursue a career in musical theater.

What is your experience with kids? Can you share a story?

My experience with kids has included 10 years of babysitting, teaching theater classes and teaching dance camps. One of the highlights was teaching modern dance at a summer camp a few years ago. On the first day of camp, all of the kids were shy and too afraid to try the dance steps. But with some work, they learned the steps, their confidence grew and they were eager to learn more. By the end of camp, the counselors couldn’t get them to leave the studio. Their transformation was inspiring!

When you’re booked for a Curated Care session, what is your process in terms of preparation/items you bring?

When I’m booked for a session, I reach out to the parents to ask about what their kids’ interests are, and how much time we will have for activities. Based on their answers, I plan a session that I think their child will enjoy and then check back in with them to make sure they are okay with the activities. I really try to make every session different and cater to each child so that we have the most enjoyable time possible!

Do you incorporate your musical theater background into sessions? What other types of activities do you do during sessions?

Absolutely! When I have a session with a child who enjoys musical theatre, I will usually focus specifically on either singing, dancing or acting—depending on which aspect they are most interested in. During my sessions, I teach tap, ballet & jazz. For younger kids who are interested in music, I like to do a 30-minute music class with songs that encourage movement and help with pronunciation. For kids who are interested in acting, I bring a monologue or a scene to work on and present to their parents. One activity that is pretty popular is writing a story, illustrating it and then creating a dance or short skit based on the story. Other activities I like to do during sessions are baking, arts and crafts and some educational activities that help with number & letter recognition (for younger kids), as well as reading and spelling (for older kids)!

What do you think is the benefit in hiring a Kid Expert vs a traditional babysitter?

I think the benefit of hiring a Kid Expert versus a babysitter is that with a Kid Expert, you know that your child will be spending time with someone who will engage them in fun activities. As Kid Experts, we are bringing things to sessions that we’re passionate about, so we can’t help but be excited to share those things with kids!

What are you most looking forward to in the future?

I’m most looking forward to seeing where my career takes me! I am currently in an Off-Broadway show, and I hope to be on Broadway one day soon!

You can book Tyla for a session incorporating music, acting, or dancing lesson. Check out this adorable video of one of Tyla’s sessions: