Do you know that
PLAY
creates critical neural pathways?
When considering how young children learn best, play has been cast aside. The push for early academics has taken over many early childhood, pre-K, and Kindergarten programs. This trend does not consider current research on brain development and how young children learn and develop.
So, what does Harvard say about PLAY?
“Play is central to how children learn: the way they form and explore friendships; the way they shape and test hypotheses; the way they make sense of their world.”
- Harvard Project Zero
The Child is the Curriculum
Children are naturally curious and inventive. They create hypotheses and test their ideas, generating new ideas. Children will show you their deep thinking, their theories, and their ideas as they construct meaning in their world. We just need to pause and observe.
In this workshop, we will discuss
Emergent Curriculum & The Project Approach
as two ways to support and deepen play experiences.
Become a PLAY advocate!
Armed with knowledge on how young children learn, develop, & grow, you are a PLAY advocate! Upon completion of this workshop, you will have the foundation for defending play and educating the untrained eye to see play as critical to a child's whole development: cognitive, physical, social, emotional, & creative thinking and expression.
Example Curriculum
In this self-paced workshop, you will:
- Examine why PLAY is important to brain growth and development.
- Identify the developmental domains present in play: cognitive, physical, social, emotional, & creative.
- Explore divergent versus convergent thinking.
- Discover how to include parents as advocates for play.
- Examine the teacher's role in supporting play-based learning.
- Consider strategies for creating an environment that is 'the third teacher.'
- Explore the value of play-based & Reggio-inspired practices.
At the end of the workshop, you will receive a professional development certificate for your portfolio and resume.
Note: This is not a live workshop. You can log on and go through the content at your own pace. There is no expiration date for the workshop.
Play is Learning. Play is Enough
This workshop is for the educator who is looking for ways to explain LEARNING THROUGH PLAY to parents or others who do not fully understand the important role of play on brain growth & development.