About

Is your life perfect?

Mine isn’t.

It’s a struggle every day. But that’s normal. Being a parent is hard.

My old company went into liquidation, through no fault of my own, and I lost eight years of work. As a family, we lost a lot at that time.

As a result, I’m not the father I thought I would be. I’m more stressed and less tolerant. And I have much less time for my own children than my father did for me. My sister and I used to laugh at how eccentric he was, at the corners he cut and the half-finished projects. I now suspect he had ADHD. But he was fun, and he was kind - and endlessly patient, qualities I thought I had in abundance but I’m reminded daily how far I fall short.

I don’t say this out of self-pity. We all have our own paths to walk. Perhaps you are also having struggles with work, or you are bringing up your child alone or, perhaps, there is neurodivergence in your family.

Where you are doesn’t matter.

If you’re looking for a higher power to fix your problems, I’m not your man. I’m the dad who forgets to put the tooth fairy money under my children’s pillows. I wake in a panic and have to quickly sneak it under in the morning, pretending it was there all along.

And my magic wand has run out of batteries. All I can offer is a direction of travel.

But that’s OK.

Because, when you’re heading the right way, you feel more in control and more optimistic - and everyone’s happier.

That’s a struggle I’m happy to have.

Start with the parent

I created Play with Purpose for you, whatever is happening in your life.

It’s not for your child, it’s for you.

Without wishing to compare myself to David Bowie, Radiohead or Joni Mitchell, I feel the urge to move away from the old favourites, the greatest hits like open-ended play and fine motor activities. These are all important subjects but there’s nothing left to add.

I want to create something new. More importantly, I want to do something that really helps.

I’ve written before about my love of Thomas the Tank Engine. Being called a really useful engine is the highest accolade a train on the Island of Sodor can receive.

I want to be a really useful engine, too.

My promise

I promise to make your life better, by giving you quick fixes, things you can implement today, right now.

I’ll offer a nudge or habit that encourages your child to play more independently, or a play tool that gives her the confidence and self-belief to get back to make her own fun and get back to play when things fall apart.

The internet is full of advice but a lot of it is rehashed and poorly considered. Worst of all, it doesn’t work.

The tools in Play with Purpose, on the other hand, are designed to be practical. No fluff, no filler. And if they don’t work, they’re out.

I chose a community format for this reason: I might not get everything right first time because I created them from scratch so I need your feedback to make improvements. We’ll battle-test the ideas together.

But did think long and hard about each tool. Each one is rooted in research and draws on my years of teaching experience. I’ll link to sources and references wherever I can, and I’ll give credit where it’s due.

Welcome to Play with Purpose.

It’s time to get started.

Let’s make things better.

Alexis

P.S. Don’t forget to download your free Guide to Playful Playspaces if you haven’t done so already. It’s the perfect place to start.

Other things I make

Substack — long-form essays on play, learning and childhood. Five publications, one for each age group: The Wonder Year (babies), Start with the Child (toddlers), Spring to School (preschoolers), Patterns in Play (the schemas of childhood), and Screen-Free Saturdays (over-5s).
Post with Purpose — a content tool for children’s brands. Helps small teams write more, write better, and stay on-brand.
(Add other products/projects here as they’re ready.)

Get in touch

Email me at alexis@playwithpurpose.co.uk.