Studies over many years have indicated that early educators are exposed to high levels of stress-related to low pay, lack of benefits, high-stakes responsibilities, low levels of support, and inattention to basic personal care needs. At the same time, the effective early educator has been identified as a primary factor in providing quality early childhood care and education experiences. An additional factor contributing to positive outcomes for your children is a play-based early childhood environment. The current study investigated whether playful activities would also benefit early educators by relieving perceived stress levels. An action study was conducted to determine if early educators' play-based intervention and intentional playfulness influenced perceived stress and well-being. (author abstract)