With internationally acclaimed Angela Hanscom, author of Balanced and Barefoot

Workshop Opening and Keynote Presentation: The Decline of Play Outdoors – And the Rise in Sensory Issues
As we continue to decrease children’s time and space to move and play outdoors, we are seeing a simultaneous rise in the number of children that are presenting with sensory and motor deficits. At the same time, classroom teachers are observing more and more children having trouble with attention, falling out of their seats in school, increased clumsiness, and even aggressiveness with games like tag on the playground.
Morning Workshop: Unveiling the Therapeutic Potential of Outdoor Play – Participants received the opportunity to engage in a TimberNook experience first-hand. We also learned how to analyze the therapeutic components of outdoor play, allowing us to comprehend the impact outdoor play has on child development at a deeper level.
Afternoon Workshop Free Play: How to Inspire Kids to Play Independently – This workshop discussed the environment and its critical role in inspiring creative play experiences for children. Participants learned the “key ingredients” that go into preparing outdoor settings that foster independent play in both the home and school environment.