Life can hurt. Play can heal.
Play sparks joy, builds connection, and makes kids (of all ages) feel unstoppable. For children who’ve experienced trauma, play is a powerful path to healing.
This Mental Health Awareness Month, rediscover the power of play and give the gift of healing play to children. Because every child deserves a Playmaker.
WHY PLAYMAKERS?
Because it's all about relationships.
Decades of research show that nurturing relationships with attuned, responsive adults protect children from the potentially devastating effects of childhood trauma and set the foundation for long-term health and success. Playmakers are early childhood professionals trained to build these healing, life-changing relationships by using the single most important activity in children’s lives – play.
Life is hard for a lot of kids.
Our kids are facing a mental health crisis. 76% of schools report increases in rates of anxiety, depression, and trauma among children. The Playmaker Project works to ensure every child has the loving relationships and joyful experiences they need to heal and thrive. And we do so during the most critical time in children's development.
When the going gets tough, the tough get playing.
Play is the language of children. It is how they process their world, communicate complex feelings, and bond with others. For adults to form healing relationships with children, they must learn to speak their language fluently.
Play also serves as a powerful antidote to the mental health crisis - giving kids back the felt sense of joy, community, empowerment, and wonder that was taken from them. And you know what else? It’s good for us adults, too.
OUR IMPACT
The Playmaker Project provides trauma-informed, optimism-infused training, resources, and ongoing support to a growing community of 25,000 early childhood professionals who reach over one million kids each year.
Sample Terms & Conditions
Sample Terms & Conditions
Here's what our trained Playmakers said in our 2024 annual survey.
