SECAUCUS, N.J. --- Across the country, millions of mothers and fathers took the opportunity to show their children the places where they work, all for the purpose of the nationally celebrated “Take Your Child to Work Day.”

MLB Network studios in Secaucus and MLB Headquarters in New York City were no exception to this national occasion. These cornerstone offices of the league played home to hundreds of parents and their children, some of them visiting the locations for the very first time.

At the network studios in Jersey, a special MLB PLAY BALL event was held to celebrate the holiday at the impressive Studio 42. A 9,600-square-foot replica baseball field scaled down to a third of the size of a normal ballpark, it was the perfect location for the children of MLB Network staff to take part in all the activities set out for them.

Dozens of MLB employees brought their kids to celebrate the holiday, reveling in activities set up throughout the studio such as baseball drills in Studio 42, face-painting, and even a magician to entertain.

• PLAY BALL on MLB Network

The event featured MLB Baseball & Softball Development Ambassador, James Lowe, aka Coach Ballgame, who travels across the country spreading the message of baseball and hopefully inspiring the next generation of ballplayers.

The coach, as coaches do, led multiple groups of kids throughout the day through a day of learning and baseball appreciation. His style is both endearing to children and educational to those wanting to learn the diamond sport.

“I am chief wrangler, chief entertainer ... and the idea is to have as much fun as possible,” said Lowe.

Lowe is originally from California, but his love for the game of baseball and educating others on it took him across the country, and eventually to the role of Youth Ambassador for MLB’s PLAY BALL camps, similar to the one at Studio 42.

“If I can just inject a little bit of fun and joy into the game, and possibly educate the parents and coaches out there to do the same thing, I'm doing my job,” he said.

Bennett Shields, senior manager at MLB for baseball and softball development, and whose team oversees and facilitates PLAY BALL events around the world, was present with his child.

“I think, as a parent, it's good for your children to see what it is that you do day in, day out, to kind of get a feel for what work looks like,” he said.

Shields, like others in attendance, felt the event showcased a part of what the league does to support its youth and push the game forward.

“It's incredibly encouraging. It really underscores MLB's commitment to youth baseball and softball,” Shields said.

Shields and his team host events like the one at Studio 42 year-round and in settings across the country and world, hoping to spread what he feels is a crucial component to the game of baseball.

“At the end of the day, it's about cultivating new fans,” he said.

In addition to Coach Ballgame and his team, volunteers from the Network office stepped in to assist in running baseball and softball drills throughout the studio. The drills ranged from simple, yet important, hand-eye coordination exercises, to live batting practice, with official MLB extra plush softballs, of course.

At just a quick glance you might’ve thought it was a daycare gone wild, but at a closer examination, it was more along the lines of controlled chaos, with lots of laughter and high-fives.

Shields knows the value of this type of chaos.

“It's heartening to see that youth participation in diamond sports is growing," he said. "... that kids all around the world can share in the joy of diamond sports.”

The excitement of the children in taking part in a day of fun and baseball could warm the heart of any seasoned baseball fan. That goes especially for those who revel in passing the game on to the next generation.

Jennifer Baksh, a ballpark camera operator for the Network, brought her daughter Noelle Baksh, a softball player and pitcher, to join in the fun.

“This is exciting to come here, just all the events that are set up, the game truck and baseball game going on here ... it’s a lot of fun,” she said.

Baksh is a longtime employee of MLB Network and she’s participated in her fair share of events and days of fun at the studios.

“I've been here for over seven years now, and every year they've done something for the staff, " she said. “And it's all just great. It's a great place to work, and we enjoy what they do for us and our families.”

Baksh and her daughter, like the many other families in attendance on Thursday, are a small yet highly important part of the work that goes into growing the game.

And special days and camps like those held at MLB offices and studios across the country are the catalysts behind bringing baseball to new fans across the globe, one PLAY BALL event at a time.