Kyrylo and His Dad: The Path to Confidence at PlayHub

Kyrylo’s First Visit to PlayHub

Kyryl came to PlayHub for the first time with his dad. It was an unusual situation since, more often, children are brought by their mothers or grandmothers. Kyrylo's father is a serviceman. Although his duty did not allow him to be constantly present in his son’s life, he tried to dedicate every free moment to him. It was he who insisted that Kyrylo start attending PlayHub, as he saw that his son needed a new environment for growth and socialization. 

The First Days at PlayHub

Kyrylo was an intelligent but reserved boy. He rarely interacted with other children, did not join group games, and always waited for his dad’s encouraging or permission before doing anything. It was clear that he was very attached to his father. When his dad had to leave for work, Kyrylo would become anxious and uneasy.

After talking with Kyrylo’s father, the specialists at PlayHub realized that he wanted to help his son become more independent, overcome challenges, and feel more confident among his peers. However, due to frequent business trips, he feared that he could not give Kyrylo as much attention as the child needed. 

Working with Kyrylo and his Dad

The PlayHub psychologist developed a personalized support plan that included:

Joint activities for father and his son — play-based learning approaches, games and creative tasks like participatory art where both the father and the child were actively involved and worked as a team. This helped Kyrylo feel his dad’s support while allowing his father to better understand his son's needs.

Individual sessions with Kyrylo — play-based learning, interactive games that helped him learn to take initiative, develop communication skills, and become more independent.

Individual sessions with his father — individual consultations where they discussed how he could support his son’s development even when he was far away. 

The First Changes

After a few weeks, Kyrylo started opening up. He was no longer afraid to approach other children and became more active in group games. At first, he still looked around for his dad, but more and more often, he acted on his own. 

When his father had to leave on another trip, Kyrylo was initially worried, but now he knew that his dad would always return—and that, in the meantime, PlayHub was a place where friends and exciting activities awaited him. The PlayHub specialists also helped Kyrylo and his dad maintain their bond through small daily rituals. For example, every night before bed, Kyrylo would draw a picture for his dad, while his dad would send him a voice message in return. 

A Few Months Later

Kyrylo became much more confident. He started taking initiative in games, eagerly participating in creative tasks, and interacting more with his peers. Most importantly, he learned to trust not only his dad but also other adults around him. 

His father also noticed the changes. They began talking more about emotions and planning their time together more thoughtfully. He realized that even from a distance, he could still be a significant part of his son's life. 

This story is still ongoing, but we are certain that Kyrylo has already taken a big step toward becoming an independent, open, and confident young boy. And his dad remains his greatest role model in this journey.