Empowering children
through play
Integrating Play into the Classroom
Evolving Play: Where therapy meets fun.
Evolving Play combines a Mental Health Matrix with a digital playground of therapeutic games.
What is involved?
- Tailored to Your Needs: Personal consultation to understand your needs and create a solution specifically for you.
- Mental Health Matrix: A user-friendly tool designed by practitioners that helps children identify their challenges and creates a Step by Step Pathway to build key skills.
- Evolving Playground: Translates evidence into experience. A collection of engaging, evidence-driven games to train the mind, body and emotions.
What is available?
- Web-based platform: Accessible from any device with an internet connection.
- Telehealth compatible: Integrates seamlessly with video call systems.
- Ongoing support and resources: Access to training materials, practitioner guides, and community forums.
Engage, Empower, Evolve
Counselors can harness the power of play to create a safe and supportive environment where children can explore their feelings, build coping skills, and navigate challenges. Here’s how play therapy can be a valuable tool in counseling:
Engaging and enjoyable
Turns therapy into a fun and interactive experience.
Evidence-based
Developed with years of research and expert input.
Tailored to individuals
The Mental Health Matrix guides children to the most relevant games and activities.
Easy to use in telehealth
Seamless integration with video call systems for remote therapy.
Empowering for children
Provides tools and strategies for self-care and improved wellbeing.
Tracks progress
Offers valuable data on child perception and therapeutic engagement.
User Stories
How Evolving Play is Helping People in the Real World
User Story: Educator
Rebecca is a speech pathologist working with vulnerable students in a low-socio economic area in Western Sydney. She and her team run programs to help students struggling with academic performance, behaviour and bullying. This program was provided with the support of Mission Australia.
Kai worked with us on a sport based training program, the focus of the training was on physical and mental health skills.
Rebecca and her teaching team received staff training on cognition, experiential learning and translation of evidence into practice. We met once a month for the duration of the program and engaged students with in-person and online training.
Sessions included safe learning environments, requiring students to navigate challenges using application of therapeutic practice, while allowing for mistakes, repetition, feedback and support.
“We have run the Evolving Play program with Jamie for 2 years in a row now with our Year 8 High School students. Jamie has delivered the program with care, empathy, and flexibility to suit the needs of our students. Our school is located in a low socio-economic geographic area of South-Western Sydney, and the students present with quite complex backgrounds in terms of their social emotional needs, learning and home-life. Jamie’s approach has shown a depth of understanding of the cognitive neuropsychological needs of children who have experienced trauma early in their development, and the many ways it can manifest as a young person in high school. Since participating in the Evolving Play Program, we have observed positive changes in our target students, particularly increased perseverance, and the ability to manage failure. When surveyed, students have reported feeling more confident, more resilient, and have identified strategies that they can independently use to manage anxiety in difficult situations. This is positively impacted their participation in a range of areas. I would definitely recommend this program and we will continue to work with Jamie and the Evolving Play program in the future.”
Rebecca Price Speech Pathologist
“I very much enjoyed the program, it’s a great way to start the day instead of watching youtube.” Hannah
“I practice before my assessments, it calms my mind” Sophie
“I’ve started applying the strength of mind skills when I’m doing my homework” Lisa
Research Summary
Bridging the gap between research and practice. Evolving Play for telehealth.
Years of Research
Evolving Play is built on five years of research and development, funded by the European Union, NSW Government, and other partners.
Expertly Produced
The program has been co-designed with parents, clinicians, and designers, with input from organizations like Mission Australia and Headspace.
Results Based
Evaluation studies have shown significant improvements in children’s attention, emotional awareness, self-compassion, and trust.
Testimonials
Practitioner Feedback
Ms Zein, Teacher, New South Wales.
“It’s a great way to use technology in a positive way … I would definitely use it in my classroom.”
Sponsor Section
Investing in Impact: Our Sponsor Partners
At Evolving Play, we’re committed to creating the best possible experiences to support mental health and well-being.
We’d love to hear from you! You’ll help us tailor our resources and activities to better meet your needs. Your insights are invaluable as we work to enhance therapeutic experiences for all.
Thank you for your time and input!
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY
Evolving Play acknowledges the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the traditional custodians of the land where we live, learn, grow and play. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and future and recognise their continuing connection to the land, waters and communities. We acknowledge the importance of Indigenous knowledge and experiences and their essential contributions to our research, resources, and communities.
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