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Designed for educators who are eager to embrace play-based learning, whether new to the concept or seeking to transition from traditional settings, this course celebrates the paramount importance of play in early childhood (ages 0-8). Engage in interactive sessions and joyful play experiences, where you will observe and explore the diverse skills children acquire through play, including play schemas, play stages, and various play types. Delve into the stages of child development and how play serves as a powerful vehicle for learning. Gain practical insights into incorporating play into everyday routines and sourcing play materials. Empower yourself with the tools to share the joy and power of play, encouraging educators to embrace children's ideas and expand play opportunities with new materials.

Join us for a course that celebrates the profound impact of nature play on all preschoolers' development. Embrace a nature-centered mindset as we explore practical strategies for immersing children in nature and integrating nature into indoor settings. Engage in hands-on experiences, discovering the world of natural loose parts and the theory behind their significance. Gain confidence in leading children outdoors beyond traditional playground structures. Learn to swap traditional toys with natural loose parts, fostering creativity and imagination. Empower yourself to articulate the importance and benefits of nature play to fellow educators and parents, unlocking a lifelong love for the natural world in young hearts.

Have you noticed your students get SO EXCITED when you bring a cardboard box and some paint into the classroom? They immediately drop that really fancy, state-of-the-art toy and spend hours decorating and imagining with that darn box! Come learn more during this dynamic and flexible professional development course. Dive into the world of age-appropriate loose parts and the world of sticks, rocks, leaves, water, mud, boxes, and tree stumps. Learn to source free and affordable materials, manage storage, and implement loose parts in all areas of the classroom. Participants will have hands-on opportunities to play with loose parts. Unlock your creative potential as an educator, and learn how to harness the magic of loose parts to foster open-ended play, creativity, curiosity, exploration, and problem-solving. It’s affordable, it’s easy, and it’s oh-so rewarding!

In this course we will unlock the transformative potential of risky play in preschool education. Engage in thought-provoking discussions on educators' beliefs and reservations about risky play and explore how these perceptions impact preschoolers' growth and development. Discover the art of teaching children how to conduct their own risk assessments, empowering them to navigate the world confidently and responsibly. With a balanced approach, we will address fears and delve into research that underscores the vital importance of risky play in fostering resilience, problem-solving, and emotional development. Join us for eye-opening experiences, including video analysis of risky play, to gauge your internal responses and reactions. This course equips educators with the tools and understanding to embrace the value of risky play and create a safe yet stimulating environment for all preschoolers. Don’t let risky play scare you away!

Hello, beautiful Sonoran Desert neighbors! If you’ve thought nature play sounds amazing, but aren’t sure how to make it work in the desert, you’ve come to the right place. Discover the power of play amidst the awe-inspiring landscapes of the Sonoran Desert in this immersive professional development course. Uncover how play in this arid environment fosters resilience, meets academic standards, ignites creativity, and promotes physical well-being. Engage in interactive sessions and collaborative task force groups, addressing concerns and crafting personalized action plans for implementing play-based learning in the desert. Join us as we equip educators with the knowledge and passion that nurture a profound connection to the Sonoran Desert and inspire lifelong learners.

Uncover the influence of educator beliefs and discover how positive attitudes towards children empower children to see themselves as capable learners, fostering their confidence and curiosity. Embrace the evidence-backed truth that play is the ultimate pathway to learning, as we explore research supporting play-based education. Engage in skill-enhancing sessions, where we use videos to practice observation for learning and children's interests. Drawing on NAEYC's five essential learning domains, we will illuminate the holistic benefits of play for children's cognitive, social, emotional, physical, and language development. Collaborating in groups, we will creatively web the diverse learning possibilities, empowering educators to design a vibrant and child-centered curriculum that celebrates the joy of learning through play.

In this course we will reignite a love for outdoor learning and inspire educators to embrace the outdoor environment as the third teacher. We will look to the outdoor environment as a powerful place that is a rich and vibrant learning space. Throughout the course, participants will engage in thoughtful discussion and hands-on activities, fostering a community of educators committed to rekindling their passion for outdoor learning. By the end of the course, educators will leave equipped with the knowledge, skills, and confidence needed to overcome barriers to outdoor learning and create dynamic outdoor environments that serve as influential facilitators of learning, igniting a lifelong appreciation for nature and learning in their students.

Discover the art of crafting learning invitations and thought-provoking provocations in this inspiring course. Embrace the principles of emergent curriculum, honing your observation skills to identify children's interests and spark meaningful learning experiences. Delve into the nature of learning invitations, strategically designed to target specific skills and curriculum outcomes, and provocations, which ignite imagination and stimulate ideas. Through hands-on practice, you will walk through a step-by-step process to create and implement engaging invitations and provocations in your educational setting. Various documentation and webbing methods will be presented. By the end of this transformative course, you will be equipped with the skills to design learning experiences that celebrate the unique interests and ideas of your own class, fostering a dynamic and enriching learning environment.

Embark on a hands-on journey into the world of messy play in this engaging course. Discover the immense value of messy play in fostering children's creativity, sensory exploration, and overall development. We will address common discomforts and concerns that educators and parents may have regarding messy play, providing practical strategies to create a supportive and comfortable environment. Through interactive sessions and immersive experiences, we will celebrate the joy and benefits of messy play for children of all ages. Engage in a variety of messy play activities, from finger painting to sensory bins to clay sculpting, and explore how these experiences enrich children's learning and imagination. Join us as we empower educators with the knowledge and confidence to embrace messy play as an essential component of a holistic and joyful early childhood education.

This hands-on course is designed to empower educators with the key principles of child-led learning in an outdoor classroom setting. Explore the main components of an outdoor classroom, discover ingenious sourcing techniques for loose parts, learn effective material storage and maintenance, and embrace the magic of play-based learning principles. Engage in interactive group sessions and unlock your creative brilliance as you craft a personalized action plan to design an inspiring outdoor learning space. Unlock the door to endless possibilities as you explore the option of extending this course with personalized 1-on-1 coaching to bring your project to fruition.

Discover the transformative impact of saying YES to children's ideas and granting them decision-making powers in this empowering course. In a world where children often hear NO,' learn how saying YES or offering modified versions of YES empowers them and fosters a sense of agency and independence. Through interactive sessions and practical examples, we will explore the art of using YES as a powerful tool in promoting children's creativity, problem-solving skills, and self-confidence. Delve into the delicate balance between saying YES and setting necessary boundaries, ensuring NO is used sparingly and thoughtfully. Engage in hands-on experiences, where we will practice saying YES to children's ideas, embracing the joy and wonder that unfolds. Join us as we equip educators with the knowledge and techniques to create a nurturing and supportive play-based environment where children's voices are cherished.

Embark on a transformative professional development journey, diving deep into the world of process art for all preschoolers. Discover the powerful impact of process art on young minds and explore how it enriches creativity, cognitive abilities, and brain development. Delve into the art of documenting learning through the process. Engage in hands-on activities, witness captivating examples of process art learning, and acquire the skills to communicate the value of process art to families. Empower yourself as an educator, ready to ignite the imagination of young learners through the magic of process art.

This course focuses on fostering a strong sense of community within early childhood education settings while equipping participants with essential conflict resolution skills rooted in empathy and understanding. Through theoretical insights and practical strategies, learners will explore the dynamics of positive interactions among children and adults, emphasizing the importance of empathy for self and others in resolving conflicts. Key topics include supporting children through conflict resolution and building safe and secure relationships with children to promote their emotional well-being. By engaging in interactive discussions and hands-on practice, participants will gain the tools and insights necessary to create inclusive learning environments where children thrive and learn to navigate conflicts peacefully and constructively.

Delve into the Whole Child Approach, a holistic philosophy that nurtures every aspect of a child's well-being. Through immersive activities and discussions, participants explore mental, physical, emotional, and social development, emphasizing family engagement and trauma-informed practices. From understanding the developing brain to navigating conflict and emotions, this course equips educators with the tools and insights needed to cultivate inclusive, supportive communities where every child can thrive. By honing observation skills and embracing child-led learning, educators create environments that inspire curiosity and foster genuine connections. This approach advocates for self-awareness, culturally responsive interactions, and recognizing the role of environment and materials in supporting development. Join us in redefining early childhood education through empathy, understanding, and authentic experiences.

Interested in something a little bit different? Want to combine courses or commit to a series of professional development? We can do that, too! Just email us or fill out the contact form and let’s chat!

Looking for live virtual PD? We can do that! There are certain courses that are best done in person, so if you have something specific in mind we can talk about whether or not it makes for a good virtual offering.