Built by parents who play.

I grew up in a home where screens and games weren't feared — they were shared. Movies, video games, and play were how we connected as a family. So when I became a mom in 2019 and kept hearing "screens are bad," it didn't sit right with me.

Instead of rejecting it, I paid attention. I watched my son closely — not just what he was doing, but how he was thinking, reacting, and growing. By age 2, he was using interactive apps to reinforce letters and numbers, and getting lost in dinosaur books with me.

Then came gaming. I still remember the first home we built together in Minecraft — multiple rooms, glass ceilings to see the stars, every detail he insisted on. It wasn't just a game. It was creativity, storytelling, and connection all at once.

With a scientific background, I approached this the same way I approach any complex problem: with research, intention, and structure. We explored Minecraft Education, integrated coding, and turned play into learning. By age 6, my son was programming inside Minecraft. Today he's building his own games and exploring Java and C#.

But none of that happened by accident. We set boundaries. We stayed involved. We played together using CoPlayConnect, asked questions, and chose connection over control.

That's why we built CoPlayConnect — to help other families turn gaming into a tool for connection, learning, and emotional growth. Because when you step into your child's world, you don't just understand them better. You grow together.

Read the full bio of Ashli Polanco, co-founder of CoPlayConnect →