The other day, my granddaughter looked at me very seriously and asked, “Are you a grown-up?”
I laughed and said, “Nope. I’m just disguised as one.”
She laughed, but that’s the truth. My sense of play is core to who I am.
Throughout my life, play has been how I connect, how I cope, and how I see the world. It’s also what drew me so deeply to Project Sunshine—because their mission isn’t just about helping kids pass the time. It’s about giving them back something essential: the freedom to be kids.
Though I was on the US Ski Team for Freestyle Skiing, when I picture my younger self, I remember myself as a little girl, pigtails flying behind me, screeching with glee as I flew down the mountain.
That sense of freedom and play supported me through my competitive career.
As a teenager on the U.S. Ski Team, life was intense. I was young, often the only girl my age, and constantly surrounded by pressure, travel, and long stretches of waiting. We didn’t have phones or screens to fill the gaps. It was just hours spent waiting in airports, bus rides, and ski lodges.
So we played.
We kicked around soccer balls, learned how to knit, doodled, laughed, and created ways to connect. At international tournaments, we made up games with skiers from other countries. When we didn’t speak the same language, play became our universal language.
As one of the youngest girls on the team, I often felt left out. I’ll never forget sitting alone in my room one day, coloring, when an older teammate walked in and asked, “Can I color with you?” That small, simple moment, supported by play, turned into a lifelong friendship.
Play opens doors. It builds space and creates connection. It helps balance stress.
How Project Sunshine Brings Play Everywhere
That’s something I carry with me when I volunteer. When I meet kids in hospitals who don’t have the freedom to just run, jump, or move freely, so we find other ways.
We create obstacle courses with wheelchairs. We make music. We meet kids where they are and let play do the rest.
I see the kids light up, and I see the caregivers actually take a breath. In the middle of such stressful situations, they have a moment of reprieve. A moment of support. And a moment to see their kid do the important work of childhood through play.
Working with kids through Project Sunshine and through adaptive sports has completely reshaped my understanding of play.
I used to take it for granted. Now, I see how powerful it is—especially for kids facing medical challenges or living with disabilities. Their creativity, their resilience, their ability to build joy out of anything.
It helps us step away from stress, reconnect with ourselves, and find each other again in simple, human ways. That’s why moments like Play-a-thon matter. It’s not about how you play—it’s that you do.
So whether you’re dancing, doodling, puzzling, or just lying on the floor taking a breath—make time for it.
You can support Caryn's personal Play-A-Thon fundraiser by donating to her page!
Join Project Sunshine in celebrating the healing power of play this year. Create your own Summer Solstice Play-A-Thon fundraising page and celebrate the loooooooongest day of play with us on June 21.
Every $15 = one hour of play for a child with medical challenges.