Kid participating in an arts and crafts activity during a PLAY event

Being a kid isn’t always easy.

As we get older, we look back on our own childhood or at the children in our lives. We think about carefree summers, late-night sleepovers, school, and recess.

But sometimes we forget that being a kid can be tough, too.

Children have big emotions, just like adults. And just like adults, kids today are trying to understand why they feel the way they do—and learn how to cope.

Parents, teachers, and caretakers in the Phoenix area have been searching for a better way to meet children where they’re at and give them the tools they need to build and sustain emotional intelligence.

But self-expression and mindfulness can help.

By exploring both mindfulness and self-expression, we nurture children’s mental and emotional well-being and give parents and teachers the tools they need to be supportive. Using evidence-based and age-appropriate teaching techniques, children foster mind-body connection, develop compassionate communication, and engage in joyful exploration. Children who learn how to express themselves emotionally can go on to thrive in academics and in other parts of their lives.

And when we remove the stigma of mental illness, we start to build a world of acceptance, inclusion, and celebration of the gifts each of us has to offer.

It starts small. It starts simple -

PLAY instructor helping a kid during an arts and crafts activity

It starts with PLAY!

At PLAY, we believe in the importance of teaching children how to identify, manage, and cope with their feelings so they can grow into healthy adults. We’re a team of educators, counselors, artists, and yogis dedicated to making mindfulness practice simple and accessible to diverse populations throughout the Phoenix area.

Our community programs are specifically designed based on age group, occupation, and/or professional support:

  • Children (grouped by age)

  • Family classes (ages 0-6)

  • Parent classes

  • Teacher, counselor, and district-level training

  • Employees at corporate businesses

We work with underserved communities and Title 1 schools to encourage self-expression and healthy emotional processing. We’re committed to the work we do day in and day out. Why? Because every child deserves to PLAY.