Katrice Horsley – The Power of the Narrative

Katrice Horsley has worked in Birmingham City Council and Ghana as a consultant for UNICEF and the Department for International Development and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. She was the National Storytelling Laureate for the UK.  🎃

• Using objects as conduits for communication
• Narrative and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)
• The story is the components, the narrative is how we place those components
• Supporting parents to bring narrative into the home
• Emotionally authentic

Sharon Skade – Physical Development Champions

Sharon Skade is an Early Years physical development consultant who has developed the concept of physical development champions.

• What a Physical Development Champion does
• The benefits to the children of having a focus on physicality
• Understanding physical, non-verbal cues
• Physical skills and strengths needed for writing
• Physical development from the baby room onwards
• Whole system and holistic approach to physical development

• The links between risky play and injury
• The role of the environment in ‘risk'
• Supporting parents on the benefits of risky play

• Examining the challenges children encounter – from starting nursery to transitioning
• Explaining how the Phoenix Cups framework can be used to support children
• Discussing how challenges can be viewed from a child's perspective

• Evolution of adventurous play and attitudes to ‘risk'
• Benefit/risk assessment and play policies in Early Years settings
• Community spaces and areas for children to play ‘beyond the gate'

• How leaders affect risk taking with their staff in the setting
• Risk and the Ripple Effect
• Practical ideas to  challenge yourself to take more risks as a leader or educator

• Encouraging the educator's role in children's outdoor risky play
• Working with parents to reframe and encourage risky play
• Risky play in the Reggio Emilia environment and pedagogy

• Introducing woodworking into an Early Years setting
• Guidance for tools to use and how to use them safely
• Extending woodworking activities to support all areas of learning and development

• Japanese Early Years settings and their attitudes to risk taking based on first hand research on a recent study visit
• How children's resilience and confidence is built in this environment
• Practical strategies and ideas that UK settings can learn from the Japanese settings

• The 6 types of risky play
• The benefits of the ‘scaryfunny' feeling of risky play
• Top tips for practitioners starting out with risky play and those who are more experienced

• The benefits of being outdoors
• Benefit/risk analysis
• Perception of ‘risk' around the world

• Froebel and outdoor play
• Froebel's view on adventurous play
• The practitioner's role in the Froebelian Approach

• From a leadership perspective, how your systems, policies and procedures can keep children out of harms way
• How to help staff implement good risky play activities safely
• The difference between ‘good risk' and ‘bad risk'

• Seeing risk from the child's perspective
• Challenging gender stereotypes with children successfully
• Men in childcare

• The role of the outdoors in adventurous and risky play
• Strategies for involving parents and family in adventurous play
• Creating an emotional environment where risky play can flourish

• Outdoor environments for exploration and discovery
• Affordances for risk taking
• The effects of regulation on educator's attitude to adventurous play

Outstanding childminders environment

• How childminders can make the most of their outdoors
• Ideas for resources and activities for all children
• Forest school approach for childminders

Children's Wellbeing

• Phoenix Cups framework
• Recognising children's wellbeing and their needs through their behaviour
• Top tips for Cup filling for educators and practitioners

Children's wellbeing as a Manny/nanny

• The role of a male nanny or Manny
• Children's wellbeing and how Mannies and nannies can support this
• Life in Los Angeles with young children

Stonework Play 

• Making children's learning and understanding visible through Stonework Play
• How ‘Tarry Time' during Stonework Play can increase empathy, compassion and respectful interactions
• Bringing children closer to nature and inspiring meaningful stories
•  International Stonework Play Day 3rd November 2018

Babies' wellbeing

• Supporting the wellbeing of babies
• ‘Planning' for babies and their unique developmental needs
• Considerations around babies being outdoors

Outdoor play in a digital age

• The importance of outdoor play in a modern childhood
• How research projects can improve practice
• Benefits of a further and continued professional development

Effective provocations in the environment

• How to make environments that excite and interest children (and adults)
• Effective – and cost effective – items of provocation
• Essential elements for an outstanding environment

Practitioner Wellbeing

• Helping ‘our story' or self-narratives to be positive and affirming
• How to change ‘our story'
• Encouraging educators and practitioners to self reflect

Proactively supporting practitioners in a setting

• Use of the SSTEW scale to support practitioners, improve practice and help children
• Range of practical, reflective frameworks to help practitioners
• Action for Happiness and using neuroscience to inform the future at Portico Nurseries

Safeguarding in practice

• Implementing safeguarding policies and procedures, whatever your setting size
• Methods for improving, updating and reviewing safeguarding
• Top tips for safeguarding so children really benefit

Physical activity and children's development 

• How agility, balance and co-ordination support children's mastery disposition
• Ideas for structuring a physical activity session
• Top tips for practical and cost effective physical activities

Sensory integration outdoors

• Importance of full sensory experiences for children
• Outdoors and sensory integration
• Top tips for sensory activities

Comparisons between outdoors in the UK and in the US

• Being outdoors in Boston, US
• Inspiring others to enjoy the outdoors
• Top tips for outdoors

Time to Play

• Learn about the Waldorf School pedagogy
• Discussion about Kim's film ‘Time to Play'
• Hear about Kim's own experiences of homeschooling

Safeguarding

• The unique role of the Early Years in safeguarding children
• Updates of safeguarding legislation and procedure
• Differences between neglect and abuse
• Working with families and other professionals

The role of networks in supporting practitioners

• The ways projects and networks can support practitioner's wellbeing
• The role of the employer and Jamel's experiences with LEYF
• Jamel's story book for children

Working together effectively in the 2/3 year old room

• The small acts of kindness that can make all the difference
• Effective, practical meeting strategies
• Reflection and supporting each other day to day

Emergent Curriculum and pedagogical documentation

• How practitioners and educators can use the emergent curriculum to support children
• The role of pedagogical documentation in making learning visible
• Top tips and ideas to support children's wellbeing

Babies' wellbeing

• Supporting the wellbeing of babies
• ‘Planning' for babies and their unique developmental needs
• Considerations around babies being outdoors

Creating an outdoors environment

• The essential learning that can be gained from hills
• Beyond the gate and working in partnership with parents
• Top tips for activities and provision outdoors

​Outdoors Play and Learning

• The ‘3 hours outdoors every day' Awareness campaign
• The physical, biological, psychological and physiological benefits of being outdoors
• How to access the outdoors, wherever you are in the world, if you are in a city or in the country

Natural playspaces and sustainability in the Early Years

• How to make natural play spaces that promote collaboration
• Creating natural play spaces that support language, risk management and social dynamics
• The role of active, open and quiet spaces in the natural playspace and the role of children as active participants in sustainability and critical pedagogy

Dr. Sue Elliott