IMPORTANT DATE CHANGE**
Date: Wednesday February 19, 2025 (the date has been shifted from Feb 12 due to the Family Day Home Government information session. We did not want to interfere with this opportunity for educators to hear more about the changes coming in Early Learning and Child Care)
Location: On-line, Zoom
Time: 7pm - 8:30pm MST
Cost: $30.00 + GST
**Approved for PD funding and release time for Alberta Early Childhood Educators
“They just play differently. Calmer, more cooperative and kinder words.”
“The freedom to dream big and go wild.”
“Fresh air is so good for my own mental health and I can only assume it gives the children the same relief.”
These were a few comments from a recent survey of 100 Alberta day home educators when asked about their favourite thing about being outside with children. Sounds pretty great!
Children are more active outdoors, the connection with nature is seamless, and the ever-changing environment sparks curiosity. Time outdoors supports all aspects of child development.
You know all this.
AND, it can be hard. We heard day home educators can face unique challenges like:
a wide age range of children,
often have kindergarten drop off and pick-ups,
limited to one adult and
all the other responsibilities of cooking, cleaning and caring for 6 children.
To help us wade through the challenges and opportunities, I connected with Hester Laubscher, a day home educator of 10 years and passionate advocate for outdoor play. Together, we have created a virtual presentation highlighting the unique challenges and opportunities for day home educators to get outside and play in each season.
In this 90-minute live webinar you will:
- Hear stories from a day home program that will inspire your outdoor time
- Learn to celebrate each season – it’s gifts, challenges and opportunities
- Come away with tips, ideas for materials and strategies for each season
Join us and leave with new ideas and inspirations to get outside!
Christina Pickles
Christina is an outdoor play advocate and founder of Get Outside and Play, an organization that ensures more outdoor play in early learning and care settings, schools, and communities through events, presentations, workshops, and consulting.
She has been supporting outdoor experiences with people of all ages for 20+ years and 8 years ago she pivoted her work to put play at the centre. She believes play is the best way children (and adults) connect with the land, their communities, their bodies and each other.
She lives along the Bow River and Calgary Alberta and can be found walking her dog Clover or chasing after her adventurous 10 year old.
Hester Laubscher
I am a Level 3 Early Childhood Educator, certified play-based leader and mentor in Calgary, Alberta, with over a decade of day home experience running my licensed day home (Teeny Tykes Home Daycare). I have an Early Childhood Education and Development Diploma. The day home children and I spend one to five hours outdoors each day; together, we nurture a deep connection to nature, fostering stewardship, sustainability, well-being, and belonging. My day home follows a play-based approach, emergent curriculum, seasonal pedagogy, place pedagogy, and land-based learning. I understand the challenges and joys of day home operations, including the importance of seasonal rhythms and spending time in nature, green spaces, and outdoors. I've demonstrated my commitment to fostering thriving, connected communities through projects like Alberta's Flight video series and ARCQE’s Outdoor Play initiative. Additionally, I am a mentor and consultant in the Early Years, and I specialize in empowering educators through seasonal pedagogy, strength-based approaches, time management, and self-care practices. My work is deeply informed by theorists such as Malaguzzi, Vygotsky, Piaget, Steiner, and Bronfenbrenner. I view educators as resourceful, capable learners alongside the children they care for.
