UN Convention on the Rights of the Child Article 31 
“That every child has the right to rest and leisure, to engage in play and recreational activities appropriate to the age of the child and to participate freely in cultural life and the arts.

That member governments shall respect and promote the right of the child to participate fully in cultural and artistic life and shall encourage the provision of appropriate and equal opportunities for cultural, artistic, recreational and leisure activity.”

Recommended Reading

Adventurous Play - developmentally appropriate play, challenging and stimulating play

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Play IS the Child!
Investigating the value and 'management' of innate Play ​

Play is often undervalued as frivolous and something children do when they have done their 'work'.  Play is also 'frowned' upon in a formal or more structured educational setting as something that takes away from children's learning. All too often it becomes a small reward when children have been compliant. In reality PLAY is a right all children have.

Not only is it a right, it is also a very strong innate drive or urge children have. In healthy children this is so strong that children will attempt to play in any and every environment both indoors and outdoors, day and night! 

The Australian EYLF is a play-based framework, it is the duty of educators working within this framework to provide it in a play based environment.

In this session we will explore what play looks like, what urges and drives children display and how we can support these, and the challenges that may come from these, in appropriate ways.

We will look at how children's play can be used to support contextual learning and explore the adult role and how educators can facilitate high quality, developmentally appropriate play both indoors and outdoors.
Suggested Resources 
Creative Loose Parts, Children's Tools, Science Laboratories
Recommended Reading

Children in Wild Nature, A practical guide to nature-based practice by Niki Buchan

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Adventurous Play - developmentally appropriate play, challenging and stimulating play

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STEM Detectives - Lots of innovative, practical ideas. identifying the STEM in play

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Bringing Adventure Back into Play
Exploring environments that stimulate and excite

In a risk averse culture true play opportunities have become limited, playgrounds have become over supervised, over structured, over safe and often ... downright BORING!

In this motivational session we will investigate and share environments that promote and indeed encourage children to play, to be engaged, to challenge themselves, to take emotional, social and physical risks.

We will explore the adult role in supporting adventurous play, seeing not only the risk but the benefits to children’s holistic development of having exciting opportunities.  

We will share a range of inspiring, inexpensive and achievable ideas on creating high quality play opportunities using loose parts in any playground. Play spaces that will encourage well-being, engagement, imagination, creativity, gross and fine motor development, social and emotional development, risk taking, problem solving, science, technology, engineering, maths, literacy, - in fact ALL developmental opportunities and most importantly, that sense of adventure! 
Suggested Resources 
Creative Loose Parts, Children's Tools, Science Laboratories
Recommended Reading

Adventurous Play - developmentally appropriate play, challenging and stimulating play

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Play Spaces FOR Children
What children actually want in their outdoor play spaces

Ask a child what their favourite outdoor activities are and they will be quite specific on what they would really like...tree houses, swimming pools and skate parks feature often which might not always be achievable in a child care setting!

In this session we will look at appropriate ways educators can consult children in creating and developing THEIR playground and play spaces.

We will look at elements of high quality playgrounds in Australia and around the world that can be created by the community and without huge expense. ​
Recommended Reading

Children in Wild Nature, A practical guide to nature-based practice by Niki Buchan

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Adventurous Play - developmentally appropriate play, challenging and stimulating play

Shop

At Risk!!!
The Common Sense Approach to Risk Management in a Social Child Care Context

Such a little word with so many negative connotations! Who or what is at risk? Is risk all bad or can it be good?

With the growing concern for children's safety and fear of litigation many adults now see all risk as negative and to be avoided at all cost. This has led to children being so over protected (just about bubble-wrapped ) that new, unexpected and often serious concerns are being raised that could have permanent long term negative consequences to children and society.
 
We will explore the difference between good and bad risk and hazard in the social childhood context and how best to manage these. It is vital that we identify and document not just the risks but also the benefits of opportunities, not all hazards can be identified and adults need to be skilled and alert at dynamically assessing risk allowing children's play to flow. 

Niki is a leading advocate in supporting children as capable and competent self risk assessors. "The only way we can keep children safe is by supporting them to keep themselves safe" (Buchan N. Children in Wild Nature). We will discuss children's ability to self risk assess and when the adults need to intervene. 

​We will look at the vital importance of completing a rigorous assessment of risk for the protection not only of the children but the educators and services as well and as a legal requirement.
Suggested Resources
Tools
Recommended Reading
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I DID IT!!!!!
Supporting children in challenging themselves both indoors and outdoors

That sense of achievement, of having succeeded, of overcoming a challenge is vital yet often missing in the daily lives of our young children including children with disabilities..
 
Many children are perceived as not conforming, needing behaviour management plans and being ‘challenging’ – comments so often aimed at those delightfully active boys and girls! Could this be a case where the adult is being challenged and the child is lacking challenge, could the child be BORED and lacking motivation with opportunities provided?
 
In this motivational session we will explore the importance of children achieving this 'I DID IT!' emotion where they feel they have overcome or managed a challenge which will lead to an increase in self esteem.  

We will look at simple, practical ways this can be introduced into the lives of all young children.

To achieve a sense of achievement will always include an element of risk although not necessarily physical risk. We will look at daily risk taking and ways to manage physical hazards to increase opportunities for children to challenge themselves.
Suggested Resources 
Creative Loose Parts, Children's Tools, Science Laboratories