In 2003 I started developing a play based coaching model for children that educates, motivates and inspires children to become the leaders of their own lives.

In my research I soon realised that Maslows motivation theory had dire outcomes for children since there was so much existential threat relating to life!

Watching a video from a leading psychiatrist reminded me that Maslows theory certainly has merit but I have adapted it to be more relevant to todays culture and environmental context.

All students who go through my Kids Life Coach training through The Kids Life Coach Academy learn how to flip this model to consider a child’s wants and needs.

This enables us to see potential rather than deficit and allows us to enable a child’s labels in a positive way!

Want to join our team. Let me know. Happy to answer your questions.

Regards with zeal,

Zelna Lauwrens

Founder Kids Life Studio and Kids Life Coach Academy

When I first started building and developing my proprietary Play Based Coaching® System (PBC) in 2003, I intuitively knew that children had to be at the centre of the intervention. So I created a system that "speaks" childhood play fluently and taps into potential in a non invasive way.

At the time, I didn't call it Play Based Coaching®, but as time progressed, and I found myself using the name more and more, I decided to formalise it and today this evidence informed approach is being used in 40 countries across multiple cultures, religions and demographics. 

This Play Based Coaching® System (PBC) works...

Why?

Because EVERY child has the same needs and those needs are simple...One of the things I teach in my Level 2 training is 'Choice Theory' which is based on the simple concept that every individual only has the power to control themselves and has limited power to control others. Applying Choice Theory allows children to take responsibility for their own life so that their needs ar...

Every week, our global network of world-class Kids Life Coaches are provided with bi-weekly group mentorship sessions. We get together on our Teaching Tuesdays and Thinking Thursdays to discuss case studies, come up with new coaching ideas, strategise on how to get the word out  but most of all to ask great questions about how to better serve our clients. 

One of the questions we have been tackling recently is the difference between parent coaching and kids life coaching. So let me get one thing clear. I am not a parent - this was not through choice. So I am not a 'parenting expert' by any stretch of the imagination.  However, as the founder of The Kids Life Studio® and Kids Life Coach Academy School, my background started as an early career teacher, then a school counsellor, and then a university lecturer in Behavioural studies. I also have a Masters degree in clinical child psychology yet I still call myself a Kids Life coach. 

Why?

Well, because my Play Based Coaching® model I cr...

🙌 Are you growing or slowing? 🙌

A while ago, I had a spontaneous “grow something” kind of Sunday.  I visited two garden nurseries - one for cake and plants and the other for plants and pots….

I got home and potted some soil and made my new plants welcome in their new home! So let’s clear something up here. Don’t let my apparent enthusiasm for gardening today fool you into thinking I know what I’m doing. In fact I have never had green fingers and I rely on the help and advice of professionals to guide me.

This got me thinking…

As I potted and planted, I noticed that each plant was so unique. One needed part shade and the other liked full sun. The one didn’t like overwatering and the other was apparently very thirsty! The one was tall and the other short. One had flowers and the other fruit.

Yet I respected each one without judgment and realised this….

Plants grow where we plant them. They don’t uproot themselves voluntarily and move somewhere else if they’re not happy. They trust ...

My heart cries for the families who have lost their precious children in the recent mass Texas school shooting. Also for the families of the two teachers who lost their lives protecting the children in their care.

I am left with two main questions (and many more...)

1. Is this a gun problem?

Or

2. Is this a mental health issue?

I have read numerous news reports and of course they are always biased towards holding the government accountable for passing new more stringent gun laws to prevent this from happening again.

I agree.

Something has to be done at a higher level. This is a policy problem but is this about guns?

Or is this about ACE scores?

ACE stands for Adverse Childhood Experiences and a large scale research study way back in 1995 identified that toxic stress can alter how our DNA functions, and how that can be passed on from generation to generation.The study was one of the largest investigations of childhood abuse and neglect and household challenges and the impact on...

Building resilience, leadership and mindset in children as a Kids Life Coach is my super power!

I love the topic of peak performance in children and can speak on it all day long!! I so admire how many parents are raising super resilient kids...what I have found is that tough situations can always be overcome if you are willing to accept the need to adapt and change.

I see the parents who face challenges head on doing one or more of these things....They have: 

✨a sense of connection and understand the value of the concept that it takes a village to raise a child,

✨a solid foundation of spirituality and their values are intact and their children have empathy and a servant attitude as a consequence,

✨ a great optimistic attitude and they are an awesome role model that walks the walk and talks the talk with their own positive mindset towards life!!

How blessed am I to know so many parents getting it right!!! Much gratitude for the lessons they have shown me in my resilience research ...

Have you heard of life coaching for children? As the founder of The Kids Life coach Academy online school, I have had the privilege of speaking to professionals in over 60 countries who decide to pursue a career as a certified Kids Life Coach.

When we first talk...They all say the same thing….

“Why don’t more people know about this?”

They always tell me that they wish they had a life coach growing up. They also always say that the problems in childhood are increasing and the current infrastructure can’t cope.

They always say that their country is behind and hasn't yet fully embraced mental health support in schools. They tell me all about the problems children in their country are facing. Yet...no matter where they are located...whether in Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia, China or the USA...or any of the other countries in the world...

...The thing is…

The statistics are the same EVERYWHERE in the world. Self harm and suicide are increasing. Mental health is declining and children are und...

Recently, one of our students showed such courage! She posted on our support forum about how she was finding that procrastination was standing in the way of her completing her training.  Despite wanting to move forward, she felt stuck! 

This is a common problem that many of our students have reported to us. However I want to reassure you that many of our students also push through and manage to finish within the allocated time frame for their Kids Life Coach Certification.

There is a lot of work to do in our training since we believe in doing things properly. This work takes discipline and what we have found is that the students who complete within a good time frame have these 10 things in common:

1. From day 1 they make an effort to attend our twice weekly mentorship sessions. If they can’t make it they watch the catch up recordings.

2. They pair up with at least one study buddy on the same journey and do weekly checkins.

3. They manage their diary and plan out their time realist...