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PLAY Chapter

The FLAEYC PLAY Chapter is a statewide community of practice designed as a professional support system to help teachers and parents strengthen play as an essential developmentally appropriate practice of high quality early education programs. 

Welcome to the FLAEYC PLAY Chapter!

We all know that young children need to develop a variety of skill sets to optimize healthy development and manage stress. Research confirms and central to the FLAEYC philosophy is that appropriate PLAY with peers, parents and teachers is a vital way to promote the social-emotional, cognitive, language, and self-regulation skills that build healthy executive function and a prosocial brain. Furthermore, PLAY strengthens resilience and nurtures safe, stable, positive relationships that young children need to thrive.

If you are passionate about PLAY, like we are, then we invite you to join our Chapter. Details about who we are, when and where we meet are provided below.

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Core Activities

At a time when early childhood programs are pressured to add more didactic prescriptive teaching and less playful learning, the PLAY Chapter serves an important role in emphasizing a balanced curriculum that includes quality playful hands-on learning for the promotion of healthy child development.

Promote PLAY Chapters

Promote PLAY Chapters in other NAEYC affiliates as leaders in the area of child-directed, play-based learning to meet the Vision and Mission.

Book Studies

Gather for book studies on play-based theory and practice. (More info coming soon.)

Hands-on Makers PLAY Space

Did you know FLAEYC has a “PLAY” Chapter? That’s right, we have a dedicated group that meets monthly to discuss any and all things “play” related in Early Childhood Education.

& More!

Other Hands-On, Online Learning Learning PLAY Opportunities: ex. Puppet making, Open Ended Creative Art, Cardboard Carpentry Follow our Facebook and Instagram for details.

PLAY Space

The PLAY Chapter hosts the “PLAY Space” during the FLAEYC Annual Conference to highlight the fundamental importance of play. Participants experience the benefits of play first-hand and to get ideas to take back to their own homes, classrooms, centers and schools.

Monthly Meetings

Join our monthly PLAY Chapter meetings (check your email for the latest Membership Monday announcement).

Annual FLAEYC Conference

We've got a booth at the Annual FLAEYC Conference every October! See the conference page for more details! 

Indoor Amusement Park

PLAY Space at the FLAEYC Conference

For two full days, conference participants are free to drop-in, hang-out, engage and enjoy a range of unique and exciting hands-on play activities set up within the PLAY Space. As a hands-on professional development strategy, the PLAY Space is a fun “makers-space”, an oasis of open-ended, hands-on play experiences facilitated by experienced early childhood play coach volunteers.

The light and shadow theater play are fun, then adding colors and shapes make it even more fun! I think I’m going to get something like that for my kids.

I explored the batteries, circuits, and motors. I hooked them together, so they connect. I used a toy to move my arms. I used a bell that made a loud noise. Then I used a sound speaker to connect. I loved them all and had so much fun. I will have this part of my stations on how to make electricity and circuits.

Everyone’s structures were different. You can create patterns and practice basic engineering principles. I also really like that pieces can be reused many times over.

I will let the kids take things apart, so they can learn what is inside then see what they can make from it.

What Teachers are Saying about PLAY Space

References

Chapter Leaders

Walter F. Drew, Ed.D. PLAY Chapter Lead Facilitator
Institute for Self-Active Education/Dr. Drew’s Blocks
drwalterdrew@gmail.com
www.ISAEplay.org
www.drdrewsblocks.com

Juelie Perry, PLAY Chapter Facilitator & Chapter Advisory Council Representative
Inspiretoimpactconsulting@gmail.com
www.Inspiretoimpact.net
Trainer/Speaker/Storyteller

Chapter Leaders (cont.)

Paola Lopez, PLAY Chapter Facilitator
paola.kinderoo@gmail.com
www.facebook.com/KinderooChildrensAcademy
Senior Program Director, Kinderoo Children’s Academy

Jacqueline Moreno, Ph.D. Play Chapter Facilitator
jmoreno@remlearningcenter.com
Director-REM Learning Center, South Inc.
Co-Founder – Play Make Share

Sources

American Academy of Pediatrics Clinical Report, (2018), The Power of Play: A Pediatric Role in Enhancing Development in Young Children, Volume 132/Issue 3
Sutton-Smith, B. (2008) 

Play Theory: A personal Journal and New Thoughts. American Journal of Play, 1 (1). P80-123

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