Play has tremendous developmental benefits. This course will help you find the learning in the play!
Play is more than just fun—it’s a powerful tool for learning and development. This course introduces early childhood educators to the principles and benefits of play-based learning, helping them recognize the deep educational value in everyday play. Whether at home or in a classroom, you’ll learn how play nurtures cognitive, social, and emotional growth.
Grounded in theory and practical application, the course explores both unstructured and guided play as essential components of early education. With real examples, resources, and playful activities included, this course makes it easy to see—and explain—why play matters.
Professional Learning for Early Childhood Educators
Diane is a registered early childhood educator and has taught early childhood education at both the degree and the diploma level for the past 30 years. Diane’s doctoral thesis on emergent curriculum was published in 2009 and she has co-written three ECE textbooks including Outdoor and Nature Play in Early Childhood Education (2019). Diane is the past president of the Association for Early Childhood Educators of Ontario and the current chair of the York Region Nature Collaborative. Diane’s areas of interest include forest and nature schools, risky play, loose parts, Reggio inspired practice, outdoor play and emergent curriculum. Now retired from teaching, Diane writes a blog to support professional learning in early childhood education: http://tecribresearch.wordpress.com and loves to engage in continuous professional learning face to face and through social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter. Diane presents workshops and keynote addresses in Ontario, across Canada and internationally.
