Play As Presence
Play as Presence The greatest gift we can give a child is presence. Not just being in the same room—but... Read more
Play Log
Planning for Play and Leaving Room for Emergence
Here’s the thing no one really prepares you for: Raising children, living with children, teaching and caring for them—it’s messy.... Read more
Rethinking Play: From Behaviour to Culture
Lately, I’ve been reflecting on my career in play—yes, play—and the work I’ve done to champion children’s right to it. Throughout... Read more
Shared Principles of Outdoor Play-Based Learning: A Guide for Educators
In early childhood education, there is little agreement on how to define play, play-based learning, or even the broader purpose... Read more
Awe, Resilience and Connection: How Time in Nature Nurtures in the Perinatal Period
Becoming a parent or growing a family with a new baby is a monumental life change. It can be joyful,... Read more
Play as a Practice of Freedom
A critical playful pedagogue doesn’t just observe play; they enter it. They ask questions. They model new possibilities. They co-construct... Read more
Why Who You Are Matters: Understanding Positionality in Outdoor Play
“Play is a very misused adult word. To a child it is a way of life.” – Jean-Jacques Rousseau ... Read more
From Plans to Puddles: Learning to Teach Through Play and Place
When I first began leading a Forest and Nature School program (in 2008), I brought experience from working with young... Read more
Waiting for an Invitation: Lessons on When and How to Enter a Child's Imaginary World
After starting our session in the Chickadee Forest we hiked down the Forest Root Trail to Rocky and Mossy Place.... Read more
Awe and Wonder in Children's Mental Health
“Oh my goodness, ohhhhh, it’s so beautiful. Wow!” “Look over there, the leaves, the colours are so red. Look this... Read more
Opening the Door, and then Following Children's Lead: The Importance of Children Claiming their Stories of Death and Dying
This week, the weather was grey and calling for a storm that could descend on us anytime. Whereas we normally... Read more
Noticing, Sensing, and Turning the Mundane into Magic: Reflections on Session #3 of Our Outdoor Play Grief Group
Researchers, policy-makers, health professionals, educators, and parents all agree that outdoor play is critical to healthy childhood development. Play is... Read more