Team professional development
The Playing with Gratitude Project
Inject a huge dose of wellbeing into your organisation. As your team plays with gratitude every day, it changes how they see themselves and how they contribute to the world.
How it started
Imagine children who thrive mentally and emotionally
In late 2016, leading psychologists warned that our children's mental wellbeing could become their greatest challenge by high school. That warning became a call to action: to reshape how we educate, with resilient mental health at the centre.
The search for solutions led to two powerful forces. Gratitude, practised daily, builds joy, deeper connection and even better physical health. Play is fundamental to mental wellness at every age; it shapes our thoughts and emotions, builds resilience and keeps us connected. Blending the two creates a real shift in wellbeing.
Since then, more than 3,500 children, families, learning communities and businesses have joined the project.
The project mantra: Look for it, take it in, give it back. A simple cycle educators and leaders model through co-play.
The approach
A practitioner inquiry cycle
The project reframes what teams already do, adding curiosity, intention and cycles of improvement. It is not extra work.
- 1
Identify
Research, reflection and a look at wellbeing and gratitude in your community.
- 2
Explore
Reflect on existing gratitude practices and your own wellbeing.
- 3
Plan
Design intentional gratitude experiences, rituals and co-play.
- 4
Act
Model gratitude, use appreciative language and build gratitude-rich environments.
- 5
Document
Capture wellbeing, empathy, play patterns and gratitude behaviours.
- 6
Evaluate
Compare starting and final data, share insights and plan forward.
The results
What changed after six months
Staff across 25 participating organisations reported these changes from practising gratitude every day.
For children
- More spontaneous kindness and empathy
- Stronger friendships and inclusive play
- Better emotion management and coping
- A richer gratitude vocabulary
For teams and families
- Stronger teamwork, communication and connection
- A greater sense of being valued at work
- More joyful co-play and a stronger sense of purpose
- Renewed gratitude practices at home
For early learning services and schools
Join the project
- 6 to 12 months of guided practitioner inquiry
- 4 professional development sessions, face to face or online
- Action research with online surveys and data collection tools
- A Playing with Gratitude manual for every staff member
- A gratitude resource pack with puppet, picture books and teacher resources
- Family engagement ideas and the project's online community
For workplaces
Corporate gratitude
Build a connected workplace through research and action. As teams play with gratitude every day, it changes what they see, how they think and why they act at work. The program draws on Robert Emmons's science of gratitude, the Gratitude Model and action research.
- 4 two-hour sessions over 6 or 12 months
- Data on your team's wellbeing at the start and end
Coming soon
Playing with Gratitude, the online course
Bring the project into your room at your own pace: why gratitude and play matter, playful gratitude experiences, and documenting children's thinking. Join the newsletter to hear first when it opens.
The project's picture book, The Great Gratitude Surprise, is available now.