When Alafia Young took her daughters to a local nail salon years ago, she noticed how uneasy they looked in an adult space that wasn’t designed for children. The chairs were too big, the conversations too grown-up, and the atmosphere anything but playful.

“The environment just wasn’t for them,” she recalled. “It wasn’t built out for a kid experience — and that’s okay — but it showed me a gap that needed to be filled.”

An idea struck when Young, then juggling motherhood and a state job, couldn’t find a kidfriendly nail salon before a vacation. On the flight that followed a family trip, the Brockton mom sketched out a new kind of space, one where kids could feel at ease, celebrate and learn self-care in a setting built just for them.

That idea would soon blossom into Dream Kid Spa, a Hyde Park-based business defining what wellness looks like for the next generation.

Part salon, part event hub and part creative studio, Dream Kid Spa is a family-run venture that merges play with purpose. What began as one mother’s idea to give her daughters a real-life experience has evolved into a thriving community space with heart.

Young, her husband and their daughters have built a business model that balances family, entrepreneurship and social impact — one manicure, slime jar and birthday party at a time.

After researching children’s spas in other states, she first reached out to a New Jersey business owner who offered tips and cautions. Drawing on her own background in event planning and mechanical engineering, Young began building a space that merged wellness, celebration and calm creativity.

“There were craft shops, but they were usually chaotic,” she said. “We welcome the chaos, but we have a more refined taste of the chaos.”

Her goal wasn’t only to create a salon for kids, but an environment where self-care becomes part of childhood education. “People don’t realize how many mothers take their kids along just for the experience,” she added. “Wellness isn’t just for adults.”

From the beginning, Dream Kid Spa was a family endeavor. Young’s oldest daughter, Chloe, now helps run the business on weekends and after school. “When I was younger, I just wanted glitter and slime,” Chloe said, laughing. “Now I think about what other kids would enjoy, what would actually bring them back.”

Chloe’s ideas evolved into structured offerings like drop-in playdates, slime-making sessions and themed birthday parties. “Her ideas turned into a day service,” Young said. “You can come in for a playdate or party, and everything’s ready, parents don’t have to stress or clean up.”

Signature themes like “Patty Cake,” where kids decorate cupcakes, and “Rock Star,” inspired by Chloe’s love of music, grew from those early brainstorms. “We wanted parents to enjoy their child’s laughter without worrying about running the party,” Young said.

For Young, adaptability is part of the business DNA. “Pivoting is essential,” she said. “Kids may want a tea party today and Taylor Swift tomorrow.”

When Taylor Swift and Beyoncé went on tour last year, Dream Kid Spa quickly launched a Pop Star Party package, and the bookings flooded in. “We put it up one day, and by the next morning, it was sold out every weekend,” she said. “You have to move fast in this market.”

That flexibility now fuels themed experiences tied to cultural trends like K-pop and partnerships with city initiatives like Open Streets Boston.

Behind the scenes, Young’s husband, Dexter, manages logistics and operations, from the mobile spa truck to uniform designs. He even helped create a gender-neutral uniform, ensuring that inclusivity remains central to the brand.

“He’s the unspoken voice of Dream,” she said. “He makes sure we include boys, dads and uncles, too.”

A turning point came when Young joined Chase Bank’s Small Business Program, which paired her with mentors who helped refine her growth strategy.

“Chase helped me see that my need for community engagement wasn’t just a want, it was a necessity,” she said. “They told me, ‘People need to know your story.’”

The mentorship opened doors to networking, financial planning and partnerships that strengthened Dream Kid Spa’s reputation as a business and a community hub.

Still, Young said, their biggest challenge is staying in tune with what children actually want. “Kids are raw,” she said. “They’ll tell you, ‘Who told you guys you can do that? That’s not it.’ One conversation can change our whole menu.”

The family now plans to expand beyond Boston, with customers already traveling from Cape Cod, Connecticut and Rhode Island. “We love Boston,” Young said, “but families drive hours to get here. We want to bring Dream to them.”

Partnerships with Hyde Park Main Streets, the Mayor’s Office and local schools have helped the spa grow its community footprint. Dream Kid Spa regularly donates free packages to schools like Brookline Elementary and funds teacher wish lists during the backto-school period.

Dream also hosts monthly free workshops for families who can’t afford services, ensuring that accessibility remains part of their mission. “You can’t experience the dream if you don’t see the experience,” Young said, smiling at her daughter beside her.

Beyond pampering sessions, the spa doubles as a first-job training space for teens aged 14 and up, affectionately called “Dreamers.”

“They start young,” Young said.

“We help them build resumes, understand quality control and learn teamwork, all while keeping it fun.” The initiative, she said, stems from her own experience wanting to work early. “Even if their parents say no, I tell them, ‘It’s good to start somewhere.’”

Her daughter Chloe agrees.

“These jobs really shape your mind,” she said. “You learn what you love to do.”

For aspiring entrepreneurs, Young’s advice is simple: “Go for it.”

“You won’t know the result until you try,” she said. “People get scared of what others might say, but if your support system isn’t there, find one that is. Every stage in your business needs a new mentor.”

Her dream, she added, is to keep inspiring others, children, parents and fellow small business owners to build spaces rooted in joy and self-belief.

“Dream Kid Spa started with my kids,” Young said. “But now it’s everyone’s dream.”