Parenting, godparenting, and aunt-ing are basically advanced emotional boot camps. Actually, ignore that. They’re emotional, cognitive, and behavioural boot camps, all rolled into one. You train your patience muscles daily. You test your working memory every time someone asks “Where’s my T-Rex?” while you’re holding it. You practice empathy, negotiation, and crisis management, usually before breakfast.

You can devour every article on attachment theory, cognitive growth, and emotional regulation… and then a toddler with sticky fingers, angry over a non-diagonal banana slice will prove that no textbook truly prepares you for real-life psychology in action. That’s when all the theories about attachment, cognitive development, and emotional regulation come to life…

That’s what inspired LudiQ Minds — not theory, but experience.

I grew up with zero training in “emotion regulation” (unless you count crying, shouting, or oven-deep cleaning). No one told me what to do with sadness, or that worry was something you could actually talk about. Or that happiness isn’t a permanent state of being, but a passing emotion, just like all the rest.

So now, as a psychologist and as a mother, aunt, godmother and family friend, I’m trying to create the kind of world I wish I’d had as a child, and the kind of world I’d like the children I love to grow up in: one where emotions and all of life isn’t confusing or scary, but colourful, musical, and sometimes even funny. A world filled with information that’s actually useful, and insights that help both children and adults understand the world a little better.

One where psychology steps out of the clinic and into songs, stories, activities, and play — meeting families right where real life happens: in kitchens, playgrounds, bedtime routines, and car rides filled with too many questions. One where a question becomes an opportunity for connection and communication, not something to be brushed aside. And one where movement and body awareness help children recognise their emotions; to notice how excitement tingles, how sadness softens, how calm can be found in a steady breath. Because every small moment, in the shape of a story, a song, a question, or a shared laugh, can become a bridge between understanding and joy.

And now I realise I sound like I’m preaching… which is funny, because half the time I’m just reminding myself to do the same things I tell everyone else.

Anyway… that’s what LudiQ Minds is really about. So…

 What Is LudiQ Minds?

LudiQ Minds is where imagination meets emotional intelligence. It’s a space filled with songs that make learning fun, stories that sneak in gentle psychological tools, and parent–child activities that bring everyone together, without glitter explosions.

It’s built on one simple truth: children learn best when they’re having fun — and adults learn best when coffee is involved. Just saying

 Why “LudiQ”?
 The name LudiQ comes from ludus — Latin for play — and IQ, as in learning, curiosity, and imagination.

I first encountered the word ludus during my minor in Games and Transmedia Storytelling, and it stayed with me ever since. It reflects something I deeply believe: that play is not the opposite of learning or seriousness — it’s an essential way of understanding the world.

Together, Ludi and IQ express the heart of this project — intelligent play. A reminder that creativity, curiosity, and emotional growth can coexist, and that learning happens best when it’s both meaningful and alive.

 The Stories That Started It All

The first adventures under LudiQ Minds include:

The Colours Who Ruled the Land — a story where Red the Dragon, Yellow the Fairy, and Blue the Wizard discover that cooperation makes new colours (and fewer tantrums).

The Happiness Parade — a musical journey through joy, movement, and the occasional wiggle.

More Than They Say — a story and song inspired by how we label kids (“too loud,” “too shy,” “too something”) and how they can learn to say: I’m more than that.

Each story comes with simple activities that parents can actually do — not the kind that involve 27 art supplies and a weekend free of laundry. Think: dancing, drawing, noticing, connecting.

 Why It Matters?

As a psychologist, I’ve seen how play becomes the bridge between learning and living — helping children grow not only emotionally, but also cognitively and creatively. Through play, they test ideas, make sense of experiences, and discover new ways to express what they feel and think.

LudiQ Minds grew from that belief: that everyday moments can spark understanding. A quick “Mama, look!” can become an invitation to notice, imagine, or talk about something together. Learning usually happens in laughter, in questions, in the quiet moments when a child feels seen. And, yes, I suppose I’m writing this as much to remind myself of that as anyone else.

Overall… Discover, play, connect… where psychology gets playful, stories get musical, and parenting turns into shared discovery.