ABOUT | To The Stars Play

Hey there, TOTS fam!

I’m Kayla, owner, operator, and doer-of-all-the-things at To The Stars Play cafe. My husband, Kelly, and I own To The Stars Play Cafe together, and we’re equally passionate about making it a place where every child can feel included and have a blast—inspired by our daughter, Kerrigan, who was diagnosed with Down syndrome at birth. As a 14-year early childhood activity industry expert, and, more importantly, a mom to Kerrigan and our son, Knox, I understand how critically important it is for ALL kids to play and learn together. I can’t wait to meet you and help build this amazing community hub for our families and kiddos!

OUR MISSION...

At To The Stars Play Cafe, our mission is to create an inclusive and vibrant play space where every child can explore, learn, and thrive. We are dedicated to fostering a community hub that supports families by providing a safe, welcoming environment where play is a powerful tool for development and connection. Through creative and adaptive play experiences, we aim to empower children and their families, celebrate diversity, and build a stronger, more connected community.

The Kansas motto is "ad astra per aspera," which translates to "to the stars through difficulty" - this theme resonated with us deeply as parents of a child with a disability, and ties in our work to make our space inclusive and accessible
We're a military family and love an acronym - you'll hear us refer to To The Stars as TOTS a lot!
The two stars in our logo represent our two kiddos
Our brand colors, blue and yellow, are also the Down syndrome awareness colors. They are frequently used in opposition because the majority of individuals with color blindness can differentiate between the two, and they're also the color of the sky and stars!

A mom and her daughter pose in a business under construction

A white young girl with dirty blonde hair and white toddler boy with blonde hair pose in the framing of a new wall

FUN FACTS...

OUR TEAM...

Kayla Schadegg, Owner

Kayla has a BSE in English and has operated early childhood activity centers for over 13 years. She is a professional disability advocate & has a background in theatre & gymnastics. Kayla loves teaching kids and their families how to love movement and learning! While she loves working with kids of all ages, she has a soft spot for infants & toddlers. You'll almost always find Kayla with caffeine and a snack in hand--she is our resident taste-tester for the cafe!

Kendal Broughton, Manager

Kendal is a lifelong competitive dancer, currently pursuing her degree in Speech Pathology at Fort Hays State University. Her years as a dance instructor and now serving as a speech pathology para in the Seaman School District have given her experience working with children of all abilities. Kendal is always down for a dance party and a coffee break!

Kelly Schadegg, Owner

Kelly has his BA in Intelligence Studies with a focus in Criminal Intelligence. While his day job means tracking down bad guys, he's secretly a giant kid at heart. Being married to "Miss Kayla" means he's had plenty of years tagging along to her work events, and he truly loves being the one to get a big belly laugh out of the kids! He's a master of building pillow forts, the king of arts and crafts, and is always down for a good Dad Joke.

Jeri Billings-Carpenter, Play Cafe Coordinator

Jeri is a former Army Staff Sergeant turned part-time princess, and honestly, nothing is more fitting for our team! She is currently earning her Masters in Social Work & also works as a mental health provider for school-age children at a community mental health center. Jeri enjoys a little bit of coffee with her sweetener...but we won't judge her for that!

Hope Cavazos, Play Cafe Coordinator

Hope is currently pursuing a Spanish Education degree at Washburn University, works as the Assistant Dance Coach at Shawnee Heights High School and is a teacher at Community Action Head Start. She joins us as a "catch all" coordinator-whether it's filling in as a barista or popping in to throw a killer birthday party.