Shalini Melwani-Samtani’s Post

Our new Line! ❤️ I am so excited  to announce the launch of Open The Joy’s brand new early childhood educational line! This line was brought to life: 1. After 5 years of industry learning 2. In direct response to the requests of educators 3. With the intention of making it easy to teach emotional literacy to early learners I personally could not be more proud about the launch on this line! Prior to launching, several sku’s were already picked up for translation, requested by international distributors and we even sold out our initial run! We love, truly love what we do at Open the Joy, and educating the hearts of children is truly my passion. Open The Joy:  A Journey of Resilience Those of you who know our story, know that this passion stems from my own journey with my daughter Aria. When Aria was born, we received a life-changing diagnosis - she was "one in a million" with a rare illness. Our journey was filled with hospital stays and medical challenges. While I couldn't control her physical health, I was determined to nurture her emotional well-being. During those turbulent times, I homeschooled Aria using a Montessori-inspired approach for four years. This experience taught me invaluable lessons about fostering a child's holistic development, especially emotional resilience. Recognizing the lack of resources for emotional intelligence, I felt compelled to make a difference. Open The Joy: Educating Hearts That's when Open The Joy was born. Our mission is to educate the next generation not only in academics but also in essential life skills. Each of our products is crafted with care, focusing on fostering emotional resilience through play and creativity. From building confidence with magic tricks to cultivating mindfulness with origami, our products empower children on their journey. And after receiving heartfelt requests from teachers, I'm proud to launch our education collection! Explore our Emotions Wheel, Calming Strategies Cards, and more - gateways to mastering different life skills. Feel free to browse the collection here, and email me directly for any questions! I am so grateful that my team got to bring this product to the world!

Humbled and privileged to be invited as a speaker for this remarkable gathering of women #leaders, featuring U.S. Secretary of State Gina Raimondo. Together, we share a common mission: driving positive change and empowering fellow #entrepreneurs. Heartfelt gratitude to the Tory Burch Foundation for their unwavering support and commitment to advancing female entrepreneurship worldwide through their invaluable Fellows Program. Special thanks to the U.S. Department of Commerce for collaborating with us to amplify opportunities for women in business. Together, we’re breaking barriers, fostering innovation, and creating a more inclusive economy. Let’s continue to build bridges and empower women to thrive! #FemaleEmpowerment #Innovation https://lnkd.in/e3GQbfei

Congratulations to Christine Blumberg and her team on hosting the first ever New England #ToyShow! Open The Joy was happy participate and be there to support. Here’s to building vibrant communities and spreading joy together! #NETS #Event #MassMutual

Excited to share that Open The Joy is at The Dallas Market Center ToyService, Inc showroom! Step into a world where learning and development meets JOY. Join us on the 8th floor at #8400 and explore our innovative line of toys designed to elevate playtime and cultivate emotional intelligence in children. I truly love connecting with you all and sharing the transformative power of play that goes beyond the ordinary. See you there! #Toys #LearningThroughPlay #EmotionalIntelligence #Event

We're honored to have had our very own Monica Melwani represent Open The Joy at the Bank of America Marketplace by Seneca Women pop-up store event in Charlotte, NC! The event served as a true testament to women's empowerment, diversity, and entrepreneurship. It also celebrated and recognized champions of the Global D&I and Global Volunteer Awards, acknowledging their significant contributions to fostering diversity and making a positive impact globally. We're truly inspired by the incredible women who are shaping the future and making a difference! I also want to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who appreciated and bought our products - We sold all that we brought! #BankOfAmerica #PopUpEvent #WomenOwned

I want to express my heartfelt thanks to Lightbridge Academy for their unwavering commitment to our heartwarming mission of bringing joy to hospitalized children. Together, we are delivering Joy Boxes right to their bedside. Last year, 33 Lightbridge Academy centers united to raise an incredible $25,000 for Spread The Joy Foundation. This year, the enthusiasm has soared, with all centers participating! Thank you for making a difference in the lives of these children. Your generosity truly spreads joy and makes the holiday season brighter for all. I invite schools and educational institutions to join this meaningful cause. Let's come together, make a difference, and collectively share the warmth of holiday cheer with those who need it most. #SeasonOfGiving #MakingADifference #SpreadingJoy

We're so excited to be partnering with Uncommon Goods to launch our first online class experience, "Conjuring Confidence: Just for Kids Magic Class!" Scientifically proven to enhance kids' confidence, magic combines memorization, sequencing, and performance capabilities. I'm truly looking forward to hosting this engaging 60-minute live class where I’ll teach nearly a dozen easy-to-learn tricks that help build self-esteem, emotional intelligence, and other important skills. From exploding dice to the mystery of a disappearing coin, I am CONFIDENT that this journey will be one you enjoy. Our first class is scheduled for Friday, Jan 12, and upon registration, you'll receive your very own Open The Joy Magic Kit. I can't wait to see you there! Reserve your spot at https://lnkd.in/em_Pjcm6. #uncommonexperiences #alloutoftheordinary

I am immensely grateful for the privilege of being a part of the 2020 Tory Burch Fellows program. I want to extend a huge thank you to the Tory Burch Foundation for providing this incredible opportunity. The knowledge, support, and resources that I gained have been unparalleled, and I'm profoundly thankful for the growth it has facilitated in my entrepreneurial journey as well as the success of my company, Open The Joy. I can't stress enough how life-changing this experience has been for me. #Entrepreneurship #ProfessionalDevelopment

As the season of giving approaches, let's remember the profound influence of kindness and how it spreads like wildfire. This week, Open The Joy is embracing the theme of kindness, and I challenge each of you to take action and perform one (or more) acts of kindness. Kindness is a powerful force, and the science behind it is clear – acts of kindness not only touch the hearts of recipients but also inspire bystanders. I want to share a heartwarming story that illustrates the immense power of one person's kindness. In January 2021, Mary Marlowe's selfless kidney donation set off an extraordinary chain reaction at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, resulting in its first-ever four-recipient kidney transplant chain. The chain was made possible by Marlowe and three other donors who, after discovering they were not able to donate to the person they originally intended to, decided to donate to a stranger in return for their loved one being matched with an organ from another incompatible pair. The process, called paired donation, usually results in just two people getting a kidney transplant at once — two donors and two recipients, or a two-person chain. In this case, it became a four-way chain — four donors and four recipients, the largest chain at Vanderbilt since a three-way chain that occurred in 2019. Four lives were forever changed, showcasing the remarkable potential of a single act of goodwill. While grand gestures like this one are awe-inspiring, we can also spread kindness on a smaller scale. Take, for instance, the coffee shop/fast-food drive-thru phenomenon. In this act which we’ve seen repeated over and over again, one person's generosity sparks a contagion of goodwill, a “virus worth spreading.” The simple act of buying a coffee or a meal for a stranger has a domino effect. We often underestimate the far-reaching effects of kindness and how the ripple of positivity reaches those simply observing. Consider the coffee shop barista, whose day brightens unexpectedly, or Mary and the three other donors who selflessly gave their kidneys to complete strangers. Let's make kindness our focus this week and every week, keeping in mind its profound impact on us all. #kindnessinaction #actsofkindness #article

What a sweet post by Michele Spring Fajeau (she/her)... made my heart smile. Truly, we are a small team that works so so so hard, from our little cocoon, with the purest of intentions to bring JOY to the world through meaningful play! But when you don't go out much, sometimes you don't understand your own impact, and reading something as kind as this feels like a little hug from heaven, saying "kid, you're on the right path. Keep going!" Thank you Michele Spring Fajeau (she/her) for your kind words, and for truly seeing us. https://lnkd.in/e-yswaRh