About Curt & Elke
Kong Academy was founded in 2016 by Curt Jordan and Elke Robshaw with the goal of helping kids get their bodies moving so they can use play to learn the skills necessary to thrive in life.
The Kong Academy approach is centered on making learning fun and meaningful for children. Because kids naturally gravitate towards play in almost all areas of their lives, learning critical life skills is faster, easier and meets less resistance when it happens in the form of a game, physical exercise or activity.
This simple truth is what is behind Kong Academy’s unique after school programs and summer camps.
Meet the Founders Curt Jordan & Elke Robshaw
Curt Jordan
Founder / Chief Head Monkey
Curt’s mission is to empower kids and parents to focus on the skills that really matter in life: building healthy relationships, positive risk-taking, learning from mistakes, following a plan, and how to communicate effectively.
The easiest way for kids to learn these skills is through play. Curt’s 20 years of experience as a teacher, coach and instructor range from special education to physical therapy to being a medic. Through it all, one thing has remained clear: kids can learn hard skills through play better than any other academic medium.
He co-founded Kong Academy with the goal of helping parents and kids overcome rigid thinking around how to “support” kids. In his words, “kids are far more capable than our helicopter generation believes they are and at Kong Academy, we support kids in learning how to trust themselves, so confidence and self-esteem builds early in life. This leads to greater mental health, better relationships and kids who grow into healthier adults.”
Curt is also the co-author of the bestselling book in parenting and child development, No-Problem Parenting Raising Your Kiddos with More Confidence and Less Fear.
He is the visionary and content creator for Kong Academy and you can find him regularly on his prolific YouTube channel, taking kids on parkour adventures in MineCraft, escaping doom when the Floor is Lava, running from dinosaurs and meeting ninjas in all kinds of adventurous settings
Elke Robshaw
Co-founder / Chief Play Officer
As the co-founder of Kong Academy, Elke partnered with Curt after watching the transformation her own two boys had under his watchful eye. As a past police officer, teacher and president of her kid’s school, Elke’s seen firsthand how play and movement allow parents and educators an upper hand with teaching kids important life skills.
Now as Kong Academy’s CPO, Elke is responsible for bringing their curriculum into Seattle-based schools. In Elke’s words, “we do something that’s very important and necessary and we do it in a way that makes sense to kids. Play is the easiest way to get kids to reach and talk about their emotions. And talking about your emotions is a fundamental skill we all need to have.”
By supporting kids to handle squabbles over a game or negotiate who will be the leader, you are empowering kids to stand on their own two feet. The fundamental belief that kids are capable of being leaders of their own lives is at the core of what makes Kong Academy unique and necessary for today’s kids.
When she’s not interacting with schools or bringing Kong Academy into new schools, you can find Elke hiking or spending time with her boys. Or, she’s on a wild adventure with Curt.
If you would like to speak with Curt or Elke, please email [email protected]
