Mindleader Message in Go, Dog. Go! Ve Perro ¡Ve!

At Orlando Family Stage, we believe storytelling has the power to build empathy, spark conversations, and support the emotional well-being of young people. That is why we are proud to partner with AdventHealth for Children through their Be a Mindleader initiative. This community-wide campaign encourages open and honest conversations about youth mental health and provides families with expert insights to better support the children in their lives. Together, we are working to destigmatize mental health challenges and uplift the next generation of Mindleaders–young people who are emotionally aware, resilient, and compassionate. 

Orlando Family Stage’s 25/26 Season is Presented by AdventHealth for Children. 

What Go, Dog. Go! Teaches Us About Empathy, Emotions, and Being Seen

“Do you like my hat?”

Hattie asks this question again and again in Go, Dog. Go! Ve Perro ¡Ve!, each time donning a new, bold, and delightful creation. A flowery masterpiece, a ski cap with flair, and a blue hat with a proud pink feather. And each time, MC Dog replies, simply, “I do not.”

But Hattie does not give up. She does not change. She does not dim her shine to gain approval. She keeps showing up—joyful, inventive, and unshaken. Until finally, near the end of the play, something shifts. After joining the other dogs in teamwork, listening, and playful connection, MC Dog takes a long look at her latest hat and says, “I do. What a hat!”

It is a laugh-out-loud moment for young audiences, but it is also something more: a reminder of what it means to be seen, and the quiet courage it takes to stay true to yourself while you wait for that moment to arrive.

At Orlando Family Stage, this is exactly the kind of story we believe in. One that is vibrant, musical, silly, and full of heart, and one that mirrors the emotional journeys our children live out every day. In partnership with AdventHealth’s Mindleader initiative, we are looking more deeply at the ways theatre can support children’s mental wellness through joy, storytelling, and the essential experience of belonging.

Lessons That Live Off the Stage

The world of Go, Dog. Go! is fast-paced and whimsical. Dogs zoom by on scooters, tumble over trampolines, build things together, and celebrate with a “Big Dog Party” in a tree. It is full of color and chaos, but underneath the fun is a rich landscape of emotional learning.

Take Yellow Dog, for example. As the dogs each show off their unique trees, Yellow Dog is left out. The dogs sing about their trees, but Yellow Dog has no song. And yet they keep going. And eventually, Yellow Dog finds their moment to shine when MC Dog points out that the beautiful sun is yellow too, which makes them feel included.

These moments model resilience and empathy, not through lecture or lesson, but through play. Research shows that when children experience small disappointments in low-stakes environments, like a classroom or a theatre, and are encouraged to try again, they build internal skills that support long-term problem-solving and emotional regulation.¹ 

And when children see characters noticing each other, including one another, and offering support, they learn that kindness is not just a nice idea, it is a skill they can practice. Inclusion, even in something as small as a sandwich or a seat at the party, becomes part of the emotional vocabulary.

The Quiet Power of Play

Not every lesson in Go, Dog. Go! is loud and lively. Some of the most meaningful moments happen in silence.

In one particularly tender scene, Blue Dog wakes up alone, holding a toy dog. All the other dogs are gone. There are no words, just stillness, sadness, and the slow rediscovery of joy as Blue Dog reads from the storybook and shadow puppets reenact what they remember. Eventually, they reconnect with the group and rejoin the celebration.

It is a beautiful metaphor for what happens when a child feels left out or uncertain, and how imaginative play can be a tool for healing. According to child psychologists, pretend play is one of the most effective ways children process complex emotions, especially when they do not yet have the vocabulary to describe them.² A slide becomes a splash of courage. A party hat becomes a badge of belonging.

“Do You Like My Hat?” as a Mental Health Question

Hattie’s question, “Do you like my hat?”, is in many ways the heart of the show. It is playful and silly on the surface, but deeply familiar to anyone who works with or loves young people. Children ask this kind of question every day. Sometimes with a drawing they made. Sometimes with a new outfit, a joke, an idea, a name.

They are really asking: “Do you see me?”  “Do I belong here?”  “Is it okay to be me?”

These questions are not always verbalized, but they show up constantly on the playground, in the clinic, in the classroom, and at home. As adults, we become Mindleaders when we choose to respond with curiosity and affirmation, not correction or judgment.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, children who feel seen and affirmed in their identity, whatever that identity may be, report better mental health outcomes, stronger social connections, and greater self-esteem.³ Hattie, like so many kids, does not need to be told her hat is good. She just needs to know someone took the time to look.

Theatre as a Wellness Tool

At its best, theatre helps children rehearse the very things they need in life: courage, collaboration, failure, forgiveness, and joy. In Go, Dog. Go!, kids are not being told what to feel. They are invited to feel it alongside the characters. They laugh, they cheer, they whisper “aww” when a dog is left out, and shout “yay!” when they get to the party.

As caregivers, educators, and healthcare professionals, we can use those shared experiences to spark real conversations:

• How did Yellow Dog feel when they did not have a tree?
• What did you think about Blue Dog’s quiet moment?
• When have you felt like Hattie?

Every question is an invitation. Every story is a bridge. And every child deserves to know that their voice, and yes, their hat, is welcome.

Keep the Conversation Going

Try these reflection questions after seeing the show, because sometimes, the best way to start a mental health conversation is by going to the theatre!

• When did someone in the play feel left out? What helped them feel better?
• Have you ever had to try again after something did not go your way?
• What’s your version of a “hat”? What’s something that makes you feel like you?

Learn more about AdventHealth’s Mindleader initiative and how you can support youth mental wellness through everyday empathy.

1 Harvard Center on the Developing Child, 2021

2 American Psychological Association, 2016

3 American Academy of Pediatrics, 2018