UNITED KINGDOM / AGILITYPR.NEWS / September 16, 2026 / After ten years working with children, Carys Daniel thought she knew what direction her career was heading in. As is often the case, maternity leave changed her mind.

The former primary school teacher has just taken up the mantel as the new class leader for Toddler Sense Bridgend, swapping the school day for a very different kind of work with young children and their families.

Before joining Toddler Sense, Carys worked as a camp counsellor, teaching assistant and, most recently, a primary school teacher. But after returning to work following maternity leave, she realised teaching was no longer where she wanted to be.

The answer came from an unlikely place: an email. Carys had previously taken her little boy to Baby Sensory classes and had been disappointed when their time there came to an end. When she later received an email about the opportunity to run Toddler Sense in Bridgend, the timing felt right.

“I loved taking my little boy to Baby Sensory, and I really missed it when we finished,” said Carys. “At the same time, I had come to the point where I knew I didn’t want to continue teaching. When I saw the Toddler Sense opportunity, I started looking into it and it just felt like the right move.

“I've spent so many years working with children, so I knew I still wanted that to be part of my life. What I liked about this was the chance to work with families in a completely different way.”

Toddler Sense is aimed at children aged from around 13 months to five years. The programme combines movement, play and sensory activities, with sessions built around routines and activities developed through years of research and development.

For Carys, that structure was one of the things that stood out.

“There is a lot of thought behind the classes,” she said. “Everything has been developed for a reason, from the routines to the activities themselves. But, from a child's point of view, they're simply coming somewhere to play, have fun and try new things.”

Carys now hopes to build Toddler Sense Bridgend into somewhere families feel comfortable from the moment they arrive.

“I want parents to feel at ease and children to have the freedom to explore, socialise and enjoy themselves,” she added. “Those early years go so quickly, and I think having somewhere you can go together, meet other people and make memories along the way really matters.”

For more information, please visit www.toddlersense.com/bridgend.