Week 3 PPC Agenda

Week 3 of the Prioritizing Play Conference:

Relating to Play as a Natural Healer:

Case Study example with KOOP Adventure Play:

Using story sharing, we'll open each week's content with a short story of play from our own playwork experience that highlights the work we're about to dive into and sets the tone for where we're headed during the week.

Olivia Gray, LCPC, Registered Play Therapist Supervisor:

In this session, you will learn how to recognize play themes and trauma in children's play. You will learn strategies for assisting a child heal their trauma through play.

Carla Gull, Loose Parts Nature Play

Children can be immersed in play experiences that build resilience, increase prosocial behaviors, and promote mental health in the great outdoors. Build on the healing power of nature by providing time, space, and opportunities for outdoor open-ended play.

Kelsey Langley, KOOP Adventure Play

Caring adults can hold space for children's play and thereby hold space for healing. We'll walk through playwork responses and stories of play experiences that afforded children healing and what the role of the grown ups was in that moment.

Beth Hogan, KOOP Adventure Play Board, Teacher, Trauma:

“Play-Play”: Pop Culture, Literacy, and Embodied Play. In this presentation, I’ll share how my children dove deep into a manga series called JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure. During the pandemic, JoJo served as a child-chosen organizing text. Through JoJo, they explored manga, anime, Japanese language, classic rock music, a JoJo inspired Roblox game, anime art, and an embodied version of JoJo inspired play they call Play-Play.

Laura Walsh, Head of Play at Great Ormond Street Hospital:

More soon on this beautiful work from Laura who brings play provision into hospital settings for children as they cope and work on healing. We'll explore how she does that and what exactly play means for children in hospitals.