Coming Home to Play

You know what that’s like: when you’re used to being the odd person out, the one who just doesn’t fit, and then you get together with a group of people with whom you have something in common and it feels like home.

Many of the SYC teachers had this feeling last weekend when we went to the first annual Play EmPowers Rally in Maryland.  At other professional conferences, we often feel like we are the only ones who believe in the power of play, who respect children for who they are right now, who know that children learn best when they are loved and listened to.  But at the PEP Rally, we met other like-minded early childhood professionals from around the country and around the world.  We shared stories about the incredible learning that can only happen when children take risks, about how children must move and do in order to learn, and about how to spread that message out into the wider world.  We’ve come back from this incredible weekend inspired and invigorated!  We’ve found our people and have been reminded that we are part of a movement to return play to its place of importance in early childhood education.  Join us!

…Susan Roscigno, SYC Co-Director