Play: Unifying the Mind, Body & Spirit- 2 hr. training with a buffet supper

 Presenter:  Jeanine Fitzgerald, Behavior Specialist 

 Children haven’t changed, childhood has. Children no longer have the freedom to explore fields and woods, or find special places. Informal games on the playground have turned into structured leagues by age 4. We now have programs with scripted teaching, computerized learning, standardized assessment, and decreased time for recess on playgrounds that have been determined to present too much risk to safety. All of these trivialize and undermine children’s natural capacities for meaningful lessons learned through play. This session examines this one feature of childhood – play.

Core Competencies:  4) Health Safety and Nutrition and 5) Learning Environment and Implementing Curriculum