Step Inside Daniel Tiger’s Bungalow: Story-Driven Play Meets Emotional Wellness in the First-Ever StoryTent™
By Ms. Malaspina, Founder of Pitch A Fête
Our children are living in a world where their days are often filled with blinking screens, overstimulation, and endless scrolls. This is why creating moments of real connection for young children has never been more important, or more challenging!
As a parent, or a caregiver, we need tools that nurture not only entertainment, but emotional growth. Our children need to feel safe, seen and supported as they explore the world and try to understand their big, and sometimes overwhelming feelings.
Our mission has been to bring emotional wellness into the heart of children’s play, using storytelling, sensory-rich design, and the power of familiarity to help children practice emotional expression and self-regulation. That’s exactly why we created the Daniel Tiger StoryTent™, which is a first-of-its-kind collaboration between Pitch A Fête and the beloved PBS KIDS series, Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood.
Play That Meets Kids Where They Are
Emotional development doesn’t begin in a classroom. It begins on the living room floor, in between snack time and tears, with a stuffed animal in one hand and a question in the other: “What am I feeling right now?”
At Pitch A Fête, we meet children where they naturally are and believe that that play is the most powerful gateway to emotional learning. We do this by using storytelling, imaginative settings, and beloved characters to create the conditions for real growth. And what better guide than Daniel Tiger?
For more than a decade, Daniel Tiger has helped preschoolers find their way through everyday challenges, from saying goodbye to a parent, to feeling frustrated, to learning how to wait. His songs, stories, and routines have become part of countless households’ emotional vocabulary, and with the StoryTent™, we bring that emotional, literacy off the screen and into children’s hands.
Welcome to the StoryTent™: A Familiar World Reimagined
The StoryTent™, inspired by Daniel Tiger’s own bungalow, is more than just a play tent — it’s an immersive step into Daniel’s world. Both the interior and exterior are fully printed, so children feel like they’ve walked straight into Daniel’s room. Inside, pretend play comes to life with plush, double-sided pillows designed as Daniel’s toy chest, filled with familiar favorites like Tigey, building blocks, and his toy plane. With thoughtful details and imaginative storytelling cues, the StoryTent™ transforms playtime into a comforting, screen-free space where children can explore, create, and feel right at home.
It’s no accident that so many moments of self-discovery happen during pretend play, and when it comes to children, familiarity builds emotional safety, especially when they find themselves in a setting that they already know and love. When children recognize their environment, they feel more comfortable expressing themselves, trying on new roles, and exploring big feelings without fear.
The StoryTent™ gives children a stage to practice real-life emotions, routines, and scenarios through play. It is here where your child can learn to process transitions, work through anxiety, and connect words to feelings—all in a space that feels like home, whether they’re pretending to brush Daniel’s teeth, tuck in a plush friend, or sing one of his signature songs.
The Power of Sensory-Rich, Story-Driven Design
Behind the whimsy of the tent lies an intentional design philosophy rooted in children’s emotional wellness. The StoryTent™ offers more than a play space — it’s a sense of safety, familiarity, and connection.
- Theimmersive, double-sided design surrounds children with Daniel’s world — from the recognizable exterior of his bungalow to the cozy details of his bedroom inside. Stepping into the tent feels like visiting a trusted friend, giving children comfort and consistency when they need it most.
- Theplush toy chest pillow and soft play items (Tigey, blocks, and Daniel’s toy plane) encourage children to act out familiar routines, helping them process emotions through pretend play.
- Thestorage bags make cleanup part of the story — reinforcing a sense of order and belonging while keeping the experience playful.
By blending familiarity, imagination, and comfort, the StoryTent™ helps children feel safe, soothed, and emotionally supported as they navigate big feelings.
Bridging the Gap Between Screen Time and Real-Time Connection
The tent becomes a bridge between passive viewing and active participation, allowing kids to re-enact storylines, invent new ones, and make personal meaning from what they’ve seen. The StoryTent™ is an innovative wat to help helps translate the emotional lessons children watch on-screen into lived experiences.
So often, in a world where screen time is often a point of tension in families, the StoryTent™ offers a solution: a way to connect with characters while disconnecting from devices. It extends the emotional universe of Daniel Tiger into a three-dimensional, real-world space where children can anchor their feelings.
The result? Parents are sharing that the StoryTent™ has helped them have important conversations with their children about fear, friendship, anger, and resilience. Why? because their child “brought it up in the tent”. That kind of natural, low-pressure dialogue is exactly what we hope for.
Emotional Wellness Starts Early and It is Beautiful
At Pitch A Fête, we have reimagined emotional development not as worksheets for forced conversations, but rather as beautiful, imaginative moments filled with joy and presence. Our products were designed with intention, from the warm color palette to the plush huggable characters that accompany. Essential, they are elegant, engaging, playful, and aimed at the emotional growth of our children.
Families can now feel invited and not instructed. Children can now feel empowered and not overwhelmed. At Pitch A Fête we have combined emotional wellness to feel like a natural part of daily life—not something added on.
The Future of Play Is Emotional
As we launch the Daniel Tiger StoryTent™, our hope is to spark a new era of story-driven, emotionally intelligent play—one that meets children with empathy, imagination, and tools they can carry into their everyday lives.
We see a future where children’s products support not only developmental milestones, but also emotional ones. Where toys aren’t just entertaining—they’re enriching. And where children feel safe to explore who they are, one feeling at a time.
And this is just the beginning. So, step inside Daniel Tiger’s bungalow, and settle into a world built just for little hearts and let the stories begin.
About Pitch A Fête
Pitch A Fête is a children’s wellness brand that promotes emotional well-being through meaningful, story-driven play. Its ecosystem—including StoryTents™, StoryTime ToolKits™, and printables—helps families build connection, emotional literacy, and gentle independence. Founded in Pittsburgh by Kaitlin Malaspina, the brand combines whimsical design with trauma-informed insight to create emotionally safe, beautifully crafted tools that meet children where they are.
About Fred Rogers Productions
Fred Rogers Productions, the legacy non-profit founded by Fred Rogers in 1971, creates thoughtful media to support children’s social and emotional development. Known for Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, the company produces acclaimed series like Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, Donkey Hodie, and Alma’s Way. Its work extends beyond broadcast through games, community engagement, and educational resources. Learn more at www.fredrogers.org.
About 9 Story Brands
9 Story Brands, part of the Scholastic portfolio, is the consumer products and brand management division of 9 Story Media Group. It builds global children’s brands through licensing, marketing, and creative development. Current properties include Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, Clifford, The Magic School Bus, Karma’s World, and Wild Kratts. Visit www.9story.com for more.