For Your Binder

Nature preschools, forest kindergartens, outdoor pre-K, call 'em what you want, they've grown in number almost 500% since 2012! #nature #play #outside #forestschools

Social competence in kindergarten was a significant indicator (in adulthood) of both positive and negative outcomes across all domains: education, employment, criminal justice, substance abuse & mental health.  This link will take you to a summary of the study.  There's a link to the complete study here.     #DAP #teaching #learning #play 

Kindergarten should be the graduate school of fantasy play! Where did we go wrong?  #play #DAP #theorists #teaching #learning

This link will bring you to a Master's Thesis from a Bank Street student. In it she explores (the lack of) play as a social justice issue. "Helping low income kids" often gets translated into "eliminating play" and we know this flies smack in the face of what the research (which she does a fantastic job reviewing!) tells us should be happening for all children regardless of socio-economic status. The paper is informative; her references are invaluable.  #DAP #play #equity #teaching #learning

The purpose of the paper is to explore the current state of recess, identify best recess practices and disseminate effective ways to advocate for recess. #recess #play #outside #movement #teaching

Can you just see it? A young Einstein, wild hair flying, throwing his mother’s quilt over a couple of chairs and crawling underneath!?!?!  #nature #play #forts #dens #looseparts #outside

This is a link to a nice (yet brief) overview of the benefits of rough and tumble play.  BONUS! There are some great resources listed at the end, including a few YouTube videos! #play #DAP #powerplaying

This is Part II in a series by Peter Gray.  In Part I Gray defined teaching  - here in Part II he examines teaching as it occurs, or occurred, in hunter-gatherer bands. #play #teaching #learning #DAP

This is one of the most bittersweet pieces I've ever read.  It will break your heart and yet show you how to repair it all at the same time. Read: the pure power of PLAY.  #play #playwork #teaching #learning

Here is a link to all of the amazing articles that Peter Gray puts out in support of free play and in doing what is best for children. I have put direct links to a few of them here in the resources section, but this is a link to ALL of them!  Down down down the rabbit hole you go!!  #play #teaching #learning  

Childhood naps are neat. Without them, little people grow up to become airhead administrators. #pushdown #play #DAP #teaching #learning

The author shares 14 key "Bev" phrases that will forever be burned in her brain!  #play #teaching #learning