Plays4Joy

Teaming Up to Boost
Kids’ Mental Health

Plays4Joy

Teaming Up to Boost
Kids’ Mental Health

Why. Kids Mental Health Matters.

1 in 5 youth
have a mental
health condition1

2 in 5 high school
students report persistent
feelings of sadness2

1 in 5 youth
consider suicide and
youth suicide rises
8% each year2,3

Let’s help kids play, score confidence and find joy in life.

Our Game Changing Approach

Every play in sports is a chance to shine.
Every play in life is a chance for joy.

Plays4Joy brings the two together—creating playful, meaningful experiences that inspire and empower kids to discover confidence, connection and joy through play.

Play, laugh and connect—Plays4Joy are activities that bring you joy.

Sharing joyful moments with kids boosts their mental health and makes a big impact!

Plays4Joy in Practice

What are Plays4Joy?

activities that bring you joy

The Plays4Joy initiative brings joy to life by creating fun, meaningful ways to play, connect and grow together.

Joy of the Day

Experience joy in action—watch, play, and feel the joy! Our YouTube series features professional, Olympic, and college athletes sharing their Plays4Joy. Sign up below to be notified by email whenever a new video drops.

Activities

Play, explore, and spark joy every day! A play-ready game plan for parents, teachers, and coaches to bring Joy of the Day athlete-inspired strategies to kids—turning everyday routines into moments of joy.

Workshops

Play, connect, and spark joy together! Community members help kids discover joy through play—guided by our playbook. Special guests may include athletes and the healthcare professionals who support them.

Challenge

Show us your Plays4Joy! Share activities that bring you joy on social media and inspire others to get in the game. Follow @plays4joy on Instagram and TikTok.

Delivering a positive, proactive and practical approach to boost kids mental health.

Sign up for Plays4Joy today to get in the game!

Sign Up Today

What is Joy?

7 Building Blocks of Joy

Plays4Joy is built on a proactive health foundation with a focus on joy + mindset. Together, these seven building blocks of joy help kids build confidence, resilience and connection in sports, school and life. Click on the name of each building block to learn more.

inspire +
motivate

fuel +
recover

laugh +
smile

think +
create

ground +
calm

social +
support

grace +
gratitude

Plays4Joy was created to empower kids of all ages to discover joy, build confidence & connect with others through play. We’re calling on families, schools, teams and communities to get in the game boosting kids mental health.

Sign Up Today

Get in the Game

There’s a way for everyone to get in the Plays4Joy game—Teaming Up To Boost Kids’ Mental Health!

Plays4Joy Sign Up

Sign Up Today

Share on Social Media

SHARE TODAY

Plays4Joy is a nonprofit initiative fueled by donations. Learn more and give today!

Sign Up Today

Sign up for Plays4Joy today to be the first to receive our video Joy of the Day’s, Activities and our challenge are all coming in May. Questions? Contact Us.

Questions, Contact Us.

All donations to the 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Partnership for Proactive Health are tax deductible (EIN: 88-1986700).

References: 1 Sappenfield O, Alberto C, Minnaert J, Donney J, Lebrun-Harris L, Ghandour R. National Survey of Children’s Health Adolescent Mental and Behavioral Health.; 2023. https://mchb.hrsa.gov/sites/default/files/mchb/data-research/nsch-data-brief-adolescent-mental-behavioral-health-2023.pdf. 2 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data
Summary & Trends Report: 2013–2023 . U .S . Department of Health and Human Services; 2024. 3 Ruch DA, Horowitz LM, Hughes JL, et al. Suicide in US Preteens Aged 8 to 12 Years, 2001 to 2022. JAMA Netw Open. 2024;7(7):e2424664. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.24664.