Our Story Begins Here

Rethink What Play Is.

At The Perch, we invite you to rethink what play is. Play is for every age and every generation. It melts stress, ignites creativity, and brings joy and fun to life. We are created to play throughout our lifetime.

Families Play Together.

Here at The Perch, children, parents, and grandparents play together. Through unplugged parenting, structured sports and creative arts, we laugh, create, and make memories that last beyond class, fully present and screen-free. Whether it’s scoring a first goal, holding a crayon for the first time, or learning to high-five like a pro, this is where families come to play, pray, and grow together.

Why We Do Both.

We believe children need both structure and freedom.

Structured sports help build focus, self-discipline, confidence, physical development, critical thinking, problem-solving, and teamwork by teaching children to follow rules, stick to routines, and practice skills consistently.

Unstructured creative arts allow you to take risks and express yourself without any boundaries. It lights up imagination and creativity, encouraging dreaming and self-expression. It also develops focus, fine motor skills, boost confidence, and help reduce stress and most of all, overstimulation.

Together, structured and unstructured play allow the brain to shift and focus in different ways which are crucial for a healthy growing brain at any age. Yes, the brain is a muscle that continues to grow even at 100 years old. As the old saying goes, use it or lose it!

We sprinkle every class with God’s love, creating a rhythm that nurtures the whole child, body, mind, and heart.

Children Learn by Imitation.

Children are designed to learn through imitation. Babies mimic sounds and faces. Toddlers copy movements and play. Even before they can follow instructions, children learn by watching and practicing alongside you, the people they trust most.

When parents and grandparents get their sports groove on and get creative with their little ones, they gain confidence, connection, and joy through those shared experiences!

Children want to play, not only with you, but like you!

The Greatest Expression of Love Is Attention.

It’s not toys, gift cards, or things. It’s attention.

When you pay attention to someone, a child, a wife, a husband, a grandparent, you are saying, you matter to me. It’s the greatest gift. Kids and adults don’t need things, they need attention. That belief is at the heart of everything we do at The Perch.

Presence Matters.

In a world that moves so fast and pulls our attention away, we created a space for families to grow together. Through play-skill-play structured sports and creativity, parents, grandparents, and children build confidence, trust, and joy side by side.

More Than A Place to Play.

The Perch is more than a place to play. It is a movement to bring back the presence, the attachment, and togetherness in parenting. Where families unplug, play, and grow together across multi-generations.

The Original Influencers.

Parents and grandparents are the original influencers in a child’s life. The most powerful moments happen when we choose to be eye-to-eye with our children, on the floor with them, or in a small-sided game with them, not watching as a spectator from a distance, but fully in it with them.

Every Moment Counts.

We believe children are a gift from God and grandparents and parents are uniquely designed to shape, guide, and inspire their children. We equip families of all generations to choose presence over screens and togetherness over convenience. Every intentional, screen-free moment strengthens the bond and influence parents and grandparents have in shaping the next generation.

Screens Are Not the Enemy.

Our brains haven’t changed much since the time of Adam and Eve, yet we live in a world lit by screens and that constant glow. Screens themselves aren’t the enemy. The real challenge is what they pull us away from. They quietly steal like a thief in the night, taking the moments that matter most. Small moments of attention and connection that shape who our children and grandchildren become.

Our Mission.

At The Perch, we help families unplug, show up, and be present. Every screen-free moment strengthens bonds and shapes a more connected next generation.

Meet Michelle Dickerhoof

Founder of The Perch Academy | Licensed Youth Sports Coach

Michelle is a trusted leader, innovative youth sports coach, and creative enthusiast with a passion to inspire parents, grandparents and children through athletic play and creative arts. Michelle holds a U.S. Soccer Federation National Coaching License, The Safe Soccer Clearance Program, and a USA Rugby Coaching License, with over 10 years of experience coaching children and teens ages 2 to 17. She is also certified through the Positive Coaching Alliance in Coaching with Empathy, reinforcing her belief that children learn best when they feel seen, supported, and emotionally safe.

Together with her husband, she raised two kids who grew up knee-deep in youth sports, recreational, competitive club, and high school sports. As a longtime youth sports advocate and executive board member of Legends FC Del Mar, formerly Del Mar Carmel Valley Sharks Soccer Club, she’s dedicated to helping young athletes grow both on and off the field.

Michelle’s coaching philosophy, guided through the U.S. Soccer Federation, is centered around play-practice-play using the Brave, Smart, Kind approach, helping young children grow in courage, critical thinking, and kindness. Now that her children are young adults, Michelle’s heart remains with the littlest athletes. She helps new families build confidence, togetherness, and joy through athletic play and creativity.

She founded The Perch Academy to create a multi-generational space where children, parents, and grandparents can grow together. Guided by biblical principles, Michelle brings her signature “Yes and Amen!” to every moment of The Perch experience.

To read Michelle’s heart behind The Perch Academy, you can visit her Founder’s Message here.