Playful by Design

Your Stress-Free Guide to Raising Confident, Creative Kids Through Independent Play

By: Myriam Sandler

Narrated by: Myriam Sandler

Help your kids grow into confident, creative, and independent little people by creating spaces in your home that foster independent play.

Myriam Sandler, creator and founder of Mothercould, helps you give your kids the tools they need to unlock their imaginations and encourage kid-directed, kid-executed, and ultimately kid-enriching independent play using the materials and spaces you already have. Not only will this system help your children grow, it will also help foster a more connected, more productive, and happier home for your entire family.

Through colorful photography and vibrant illustration Playful by Design is your blueprint for effortlessly designing, installing, and maintaining your own upgraded play spaces. Myriam Sandler has created a resource to help you—easily and affordably—create spaces for independent play, no matter how big or small your home is.

Myriam shares activities that:

• Build problem-solving skills
• Encourage social and academic development
• Engage children while building moments of play and connection
• Nurture independence and self-expression
• Help work through emotions, and
• Offer parents important parenting wins that benefit the entire family

As your kids engage with self-directed, open-ended play, you'll realize what a game-changer this new dynamic is for the entire household. For the parents, there's no more feeling overwhelmed and stretched thin by unrealistic expectations about how to entertain your kids. And for your kids, you're giving them the most beautiful gift: the ability to be independent self-starters who are in touch with their own creativity. In short: everyone will feel happier, more energized, more fulfilled, and more connected.

Myriam will help you:

• Plan the space
• Declutter
• Organize by type (and customize for various age groups!)
• Set up a toy rotation system
• Maintain (easily and efficiently!)

In addition to the how, Myriam explains the why. This beautifully designed book will equip you to understand the importance of independent play, as well as set it into motion. You'll discover that boredom can be a good thing, and you'll see how it can make their imaginations blossom. This type of play creates more time for your kids to grow as creative and independent little people; more time for you to do the things you need and want to do; more peace of mind that you are, in fact, giving your kids important tools they'll thank you for one day; and more opportunities to feel the joy of all of the above.

©2025 Myriam Sandler (P)2025 Harper Celebrate