Help Shape Childhood Through Movement, Creativity, and Meaningful Play
We're looking for warm, energetic individuals who love working with children and believe play is one of the most powerful ways to build confidence, resilience, curiosity, and lifelong healthy habits.
At Illuminate Studios, we believe children learn best when they're moving, exploring, imagining, creating, and connecting with others.
What it is all about
As a Developmental Play Specialist, you'll create engaging experiences that encourage movement, imagination, problem-solving, cooperation, and independence while making every child feel seen, welcomed, and successful.
Our play experiences are thoughtfully designed by professionals in child development, movement, and education to support the whole child—physically, socially, emotionally, and creatively. You'll receive hands-on mentorship and training so you can confidently guide children through purposeful, fun, and age-appropriate experiences.
This role is perfect for:
What you'll do
Lead engaging movement, games, art, music, sensory, and imaginative play experiences.
Foster curiosity, confidence, kindness, and creativity.
Encourage healthy movement, teamwork, and problem-solving.
Help children build friendships and independence.
Create a safe, welcoming environment where every child can thrive.
Partner with families to create a positive, memorable experience.
What you'll learn
Child development and play facilitation
Creative leadership and group management
Positive behavior guidance
Movement-based learning
Sensory-rich play experiences
Communication and relationship-building with children and families
Illuminate Studios is building a new kind of family wellness community where parents can move, work, and recharge while their children experience meaningful, joy-filled programming.
As a Developmental Play Specialist, you'll be part of a team that believes childhood should be active, creative, connected, and full of wonder. You'll receive mentorship, ongoing professional development, and the opportunity to make a lasting impact on families every day.
If you're looking for more than a childcare job—if you want to inspire children, grow professionally, and be part of something meaningful—we'd love to meet you.
Our Belief
Play isn't something children do after learning—it's how they learn.
At Illuminate, every game, obstacle course, art project, song, sensory invitation, and imaginative adventure is intentionally designed to help children build the skills they'll use for the rest of their lives. We believe the best play is joyful, active, creative, and connected. Children should leave Illuminate feeling stronger, more confident, more curious, and excited to come back.
The Four Pillars
Move with Purpose
Movement is the foundation of childhood. We create experiences that naturally develop:
Children climb, crawl, jump, roll, balance, carry, throw, catch, dance, and explore because movement is how growing bodies learn.
Question every Play Guide asks:
"How can I get kids joyfully moving?"
Play with Curiosity
Children learn best when they're exploring. Instead of giving every answer, we spark questions. We encourage children to:
Our role isn't to entertain children. Our role is to inspire discovery.
Question every Play Guide asks:
"How can I make this more open-ended?"
Connect with Kindness
Children thrive when they feel emotionally safe. Play Guides create environments where every child feels:
We coach through connection, model empathy, and celebrate effort. We don't simply manage behavior—we build relationships.
Question every Play Guide asks:
"Does every child know they belong here?"
Grow with Confidence
Confidence grows through experience—not perfection. We celebrate:
Every child should leave believing: "I can do hard things."
Question every Play Guide asks:
"How can I help this child experience success today?"
The Illuminate Experience
Every activity should include at least three of these elements:
The Play Guide Promise
The "MAGICAL" Checklist
Before every activity, ask:
The Illuminate Difference
We don't create perfect crafts.
We don't rush children through stations.
We don't focus on performance.
We create environments where children move freely, think creatively, build meaningful relationships, discover what they're capable of, and develop a lifelong love of learning through play.
That's the Illuminate Play Method™.
Ready to Make a Difference?
Join our team and help children discover the joy of movement, creativity, and connection. Fill out the application below to get started.