The Circle of Play

The Circle of Play is a body-and-movement-play based approach designed to awaken the transformative power of play throughout the lifespan. Founded by Dr. Caroline P. Cárdenas, it blends imaginative exploration and research-informed strategies to deepen empathy, revitalize compassion, spark curiosity, and nurture authentic connection in both individuals and organizations.

Rooted in both scholarship and lived experience, The Circle of Play supports helping professionals—nurses, doctors, social workers, educators, therapists, and caregivers—who are navigating burnout, compassion fatigue, or a loss of joy. Through immersive workshops, seminars, retreats, and coaching, participants are invited to rediscover play not as a pastime, but as a vital catalyst for interpersonal growth, relational healing, and communal well-being.

At its core, The Circle of Play affirms that experiencing joy is a vital part of our well-being—and that play offers us a way back to presence, connection, and a feeling of aliveness.

Vision

At The Circle of Play, we envision a world that embraces play as a lifelong practice—one that nurtures imagination, compassion, and emotional vitality from childhood through elderhood. We believe imagination is one of our most powerful capacities, and that compassion is essential to our shared humanity. By championing the liberating and restorative power of play, we seek to foster a global culture where empathy is nurtured, compassion is revitalized, and experiencing aliveness through joy becomes a vital part of sustaining a more harmonious world.

Mission

Our mission is to cultivate a lifelong commitment to play as a bridge between personal and collective well-being. We design research-informed programs that invite participants to reconnect with their natural capacity for wonder, connection, and renewal. In doing so, The Circle of Play aims to positively transform not just individuals, but systems—fostering embodied leadership, community healing, and a more compassionate world through the boundless possibilities of play.