Play is how children make sense of their world. It's where they build confidence, process emotions, and discover what they're capable of, through laughter, connection, and imagination.

As UNICEF's Meenakshi Dogra so powerfully puts it:

"When we bring play into our everyday interactions with our children, it's like we know what they need… It's a secret element that deepens the parent-child connection like nothing else."

And that's exactly what The Adventures of Gabriel represents: a playful, heartfelt journey created by a mother and son, not just for joy, but for connection and hope during one of life's most difficult seasons.

Play and Storytelling: The Pathway to Resilience

The Adventures of Gabriel was born during 21 months of separation between author Kate Markland and her son, Gabriel.

With just one hour weekly on FaceTime, Gabriel would narrate adventures, Kate would scribe, and together they built magical worlds where sea monsters were defeated, fears were faced, and love never let go.

"These stories were produced by this exceptional family to find a path towards light—and in testament to the mother-child bond—in the midst of extremely dark times."
— Dr Elizabeth Dalgarno, SHERA Research Group (Supporting Children & Families in Family Courts)

What started as a way to stay connected became a life-affirming storytelling ritual—one that supported Gabriel's emotional processing, gave him voice, and reminded them both of the unshakable power of their bond.

Why Storytelling Works Like Play

In Meenakshi Dogra's words:

"Play helps children collaborate, innovate, and problem-solve—skills they'll need to thrive in uncertainty and to create opportunities for themselves and their communities."

Storytelling, especially when paired with play, becomes problem-solving with heart.

Through their weekly sessions, Gabriel and Kate created what the legal system could not provide:

A space for expression
Gabriel had control over his stories—what happened, how it ended, who the heroes were.

A sense of agency
When so much felt out of control, storytelling gave Gabriel power to shape outcomes.

A way to process pain safely
Through metaphor and magic, Gabriel could explore emotions too big to name directly.

An opportunity to feel seen and heard
Every story mattered. Every adventure was valid. Gabriel's voice led the way.

In their world, Gabriel and his sidekick Platy the Platypus face Tentaculus and break invisible cages—offering metaphor to explore real-world emotions through the safety of fantasy.

This is where playful parenting meets emotional empowerment.

Why This Matters for Parents and Educators

Whether you're guiding a child through difficulty or simply helping them grow in confidence and creativity, this story reinforces one essential truth:

Storytelling and play are not extras—they are essential.

Here's how you can begin creating joyful, connecting experiences right now:

Embrace the moment
Set aside dedicated time to play or co-create stories. Be fully present—phones down, distractions minimized.

Follow their lead
Let children's ideas shape the adventure. They are the heroes of their own stories. Your job is to be the enthusiastic scribe and supporter.

Make it visual
Use drawings, objects, toys, or props. Let stories come alive beyond words.

Turn everyday moments into magic
Storytime at bedtime, imaginative cooking together, silly dance parties, making up songs in the car—these build connection and joy without requiring special resources.

Laugh together
Because laughter really is healing. Playful storytelling naturally invites humor and lightness.

UNICEF reminds us:

"By infusing playfulness into your interactions with your child, you unlock the wealth of mental health benefits through nurturing social and emotional skills."

We've seen it in action. The Adventures of Gabriel demonstrates storytelling as play with purpose—where a child's voice leads and healing follows.

What Schools Are Discovering

This same principle—children's voices leading creative expression—is what makes the StoryQuest methodology work in classrooms.

When teachers create weekly spaces where every child's story matters, where play and imagination drive the process, where children collaborate as storytellers and scribes—the results mirror what Gabriel and Kate experienced:

• Children who felt voiceless discover they have stories worth telling
• Reluctant writers become enthusiastic authors
• Emotional regulation improves through creative expression
• Peer relationships strengthen through collaborative storytelling

Research across 465 children in 9 schools documented 100% positive engagement—because when storytelling feels like play, every child wants to participate.

A Word from Kate

"I spent my entire career as a physiotherapist helping people tell their stories—because the solution was always in the story.

What Gabriel and I discovered during our separation is what I now see in every StoryQuest classroom: children thrive when we make space for their voices, when we follow their imagination, when we treat storytelling as the joyful, playful, essential practice it is."

The Invitation

Whether you're a parent, teacher, grandparent, or simply someone who cares about children's wellbeing, let this be a reminder:

Stories matter. Play matters. And children flourish when we make space for both.

Every child deserves to know that dragons can be beaten, cages can be broken, and their story is worth telling.

Where To Start

For Families:
Explore The Adventures of Gabriel book series—stories that inspire 90% of young readers to create their own adventures.
Visit theadventuresofgabriel.com →

For Educators:
Discover how StoryQuest brings playful storytelling into classrooms with documented 100% engagement.
Visit my-storyquest.com →

Let's keep parenting playful.
Let's keep storytelling sacred.
And let's build resilience one adventure at a time.