Why is Play Based Coaching becoming so popular?

As we sail into the new year of 2024, I still can't believe that our Kids Life Coach Certifications are now accredited Diploma Trainings. I have come a long way from my early career days of being a school teacher and counsellor and I am sooooo excited for what this year holds in store for our global network of Kids Life Studio® Coaches!!

With life coaching children continuing to expand and grow in most countries, I have noticed trends and cycles since I first started this journey over twenty years ago! If you haven't as yet read my blog on the history of kids life coaching, it makes for some interesting insights!  It shows how the demand for support has increased exponentially since the pandemic and that the market is ready for more productive and more proactive goal orientated approaches to improve children's wellbeing. 

That being said there is a common thread in that everybody has now heard of kids life coaching but I have felt excited that we are still the emergent leaders and pioneers using the concept of 'play' in our sessions. I have been asked by many potential students wanting to enrol in our training:

"What is play?"

"Why is play useful in coaching?"

 "What happens when children can't play or don't like playing?"

"Is play based coaching the same as play therapy?" 

When it comes to coping, resilience and wellbeing, I have seen play as the fundamental glue that sticks everything together. Since 2003, I have worked with thousands of young people and their families using my play based coaching system® that was designed with preventative measures in mind.  

It took a long time to gain traction, with a fine blur still evident between coaching and therapy. With play therapy top of mind in parents when seeking support for younger children, there is a steady move to the use of play based coaching for older children instead. Not only is coaching a modality that offers tools and equips young people to make better choices, but it is proactive and addresses the pathway to building resilience in the face of challenges. 

So to answer the question "Why is play based coaching becoming so popular?" Well, since I started training adults to use my play based coaching model in 2009, I have seen this approach implemented in over 45 countries so far. Countries with diverse population needs, cultures, religions and demographics. The approach has worked and continues to work in first world and developing countries. With our Kids Life Studio® Coach Academy students ranging in their backgrounds from teachers, doctors, psychologists, social workers to parents and corporates. All of these people have one thing in common.

They believe in play based coaching and what it has to offer. With their belief has come a wave of action that is creating ripple effects of positive change in their local communities. With these ripple effects, play based coaching has gained traction globally and with that popularity.

You see, when something works, it cannot be ignored. It is essential however that professionals know the difference between somebody properly trained in mindset, skill set and heart set and somebody who uses adult life coaching techniques in a playful way. The two are not the same and adult coaching will never service the developmental needs of children effectively no matter how it is dressed up in play.

This is why our organisation Kids Life Studio® Coach Academy continues to offer innovative and personalised training that has a steady balance of theory, practice and mentorship at its core.  With play based coaching becoming so popular, we are the leaders in this space since the concept was tried, tested and developed over two decades ago in South Africa where I first launched my first play based coaching practice.

Since achieving my Masters in Clinical Child Psychology and now being a researcher for my doctorate in Psychiatry, I have further consolidated my knowledge and I take great pride in leading a global team of world-class kids life coaches who work in this space as a full time career. 

If you want to join our global team, why not start your journey by enrolling in our FREE Level 1 Introduction to Kids Life Coaching. This is a great stepping stone to our Level 2 Theory training. This unique training provides the foundation for coaching children using my play based coaching model and in a short space of 6 weeks, you will be ready to enrol in our Level 3 Kids Life Coach Diploma Training that will provide you with a curriculum, a model and the steps to launching your career as a kids life coach. 

I look forward to meeting you when you do enrol since I am still heavily involved in mentoring students alongside my team of success mentors. With relationships being our highest value, we take great pride in getting to know you as a student and we don't subscribe to the cookie cutter mass market methods that don't always guarantee results. With our team supporting you, there is no doubt that you will launch your play based coaching practice successfully! 

Regards with zeal,

Zelna

Kids Life Coach Academy and Kids Life Studio Founder