The Science of Play: A framework for deep, joyful, and developmentally essential learning by Amanda Morgan, MS

The Science of Play: A framework for deep, joyful, and developmentally essential learning by Amanda Morgan, MS

RESOURCES * Watch the full webinar here [https://earlychildhoodwebinars.com/webinar/the-science-of-play-a-framework-for-deep-joyful-and-developmentally-essential-learning-amanda-morgan-ms?utm_campaign=17086212-2025%2F11%2F06%20%7C%20The%20Science%20of%20Play&utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=spotify] * Join our newsletter! Earn your Professional Development hours with FREE sessions delivered right to your inbox every week [https://earlychildhoodwebinars.com/?utm_campaign=17086212-2025%2F11%2F06%20%7C%20The%20Science%20of%20Play&utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=spotify] * Check out the producer of ECI, Playground, the Child Care Management Software [https://www.tryplayground.com/?utm_source=eci&utm_medium=podcast_ad&utm_campaign=essential&utm_content=spotify] Play isn’t a break from learning—it is learning. Yet in classrooms around the world, play is often the first thing squeezed out by mounting academic pressures. In this eye-opening session, Amanda Morgan—author of Not Just Cute: How Powerful Play Drives Development in Early Childhood—will explore why play is not only developmentally appropriate, but developmentally essential for all children. Blending research, real-world examples, and her signature warmth and wit, Amanda will guide you through the Recognize–Emphasize–Maximize Method—a practical framework for making play purposeful and powerful in any early childhood setting. Whether you're a teacher on the ground or a leader shaping program direction, this session will reframe the way you view play—and inspire you to champion it with clarity and confidence. By the end of this session, you will be able to: 1. Identify common misconceptions about play and learn how to reframe them to more effectively address challenges. 2. Confidently explain why play is critical to whole-child development. 3. Apply the Recognize–Emphasize–Maximize framework to reflect on and improve current classroom or program practices. 4. Advocate for play in ways that reflect current research and resonate with colleagues, families, and stakeholders. 5. Maximize the impact of play by designing experiences and environments that support agency, joy, and deep learning.

Be Your Program’s Thermostat: Your Role in Creating a Positive Environment by Kristen Darling, BS.Ed, M.P.P. and Liza Pringle, B.S., M.Ed.

RESOURCES * ⁠Watch the full webinar here⁠ [https://earlychildhoodwebinars.com/webinar/be-your-programs-thermostat-your-role-in-creating-a-positive-environment-by-kristen-darling-bsed-mpp-and-liza-pringle-bs-med?utm_campaign=14622274-2025%2F11%2F12%20%7C%20Be%20Your%20Program%E2%80%99s%20Thermostat%3A%20Your%20Role%20in%20Creating%20a%20Positive%20Environment&utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=spotify] * ⁠Join our newsletter! Earn your Professional Development hours with FREE sessions delivered right to your inbox every week⁠ [https://earlychildhoodwebinars.com/?utm_campaign=14622274-2025%2F11%2F12%20%7C%20Be%20Your%20Program%E2%80%99s%20Thermostat%3A%20Your%20Role%20in%20Creating%20a%20Positive%20Environment&utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=spotify] * ⁠Check out the producer of ECI, Playground, the Child Care Management Software [https://www.tryplayground.com/?utm_source=eci&utm_medium=podcast_ad&utm_campaign=thermostat&utm_content=spotify] Do you feel like the ‘temperature’ in your learning setting is too hot or too cold some days? Are children or colleagues having trouble connecting or working and playing together productively? Are you struggling to get a handle on what’s wrong? You are not alone! Join this exciting session by Kristen Darling, MPP, for a reflective journey on your role in setting the thermostat (rather than just reading it!) and creating the kind of learning environment in which both children and staff will thrive. Whether you are a teacher, administrator, or play a support role, this session is for you. During this webinar, we will talk about the power of our influence and how we as individuals can shape the educational experience children and adults have in our programs.  By attending, you will gain insight into: * How your style or approach influences classroom or program climate and functioning * Ways to ‘take the temperature’, read the room, and respond effectively * Options for engaging children and adults that will get you closer to your desired result * Language and behavior changes you can make to set everyone up for success At the end of the webinar, you will: * Have a deeper understanding of your personal influence in your classroom/program * Bring more empathy to the experiences of the children and colleagues you work with * Understand different options for adjusting your management approach in a given moment * Have a list of conversation starters to share with peers as you support each other on a continuous improvement journey as high-quality classroom or program managers

Rethinking Group Time: Supporting Regulation, Belonging, and Participation by Amy Chiu, MSEd

RESOURCES * Watch the full webinar here [https://earlychildhoodwebinars.com/webinar/rethinking-group-time-supporting-regulation-belonging-and-participation-by-amy-chiu-msed?utm_campaign=37112632-2025%2F06%2F25%20%7C%20Rethinking%20Group%20Time&utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=spotify] * Join our newsletter! Earn your Professional Development hours with FREE sessions delivered right to your inbox every week [https://earlychildhoodwebinars.com/?utm_campaign=37112632-2025%2F06%2F25%20%7C%20Rethinking%20Group%20Time&utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=spotify] * Check out the producer of ECI, Playground, the Child Care Management Software [https://www.tryplayground.com/?utm_source=eci&utm_medium=podcast_ad&utm_campaign=group-time&utm_content=spotify] Group time is often one of the most challenging parts of the day for both children and adults. This session helps educators examine why group times can feel dysregulating and how adult presence, pacing, and expectations shape children’s participation and sense of safety, agency, and belonging. Through reflection and practical, relational strategies, you will explore how to move away from power struggles and compliance-based expectations and toward shared regulation, flexibility, and connection. Participants will leave with concrete ways to support meaningful participation during group time while honoring individual differences and developmental needs. LEARNING OBJECTIVES Participants will be able to: * Reflect on why group times can be challenging for both children and adults by considering developmental needs, nervous system regulation, and the relational dynamics present during whole-group experiences. * Explore how adult presence, pacing, and expectations influence children’s sense of safety, agency, and participation during group time. * Identify relational, developmentally responsive strategies that support shared regulation and meaningful participation while honoring individual differences among children.

The Break-Even Decisions Childcare Leaders Cannot Afford to Miss by Kate Woodward Young, M.Ed.

RESOURCES * Watch the full webinar here [https://earlychildhoodwebinars.com/webinar/courses/how-to-run-a-best-in-class-child-care-program-series-june?utm_campaign=42376111-2026%20%7C%20Admin%20Series%20Q2%20%7C%20The%20Break-Even%20Decisions%20Childcare%20Leaders%20Cannot%20Afford%20to%20Miss&utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=spotify] * Join our newsletter! Earn your Professional Development hours with FREE sessions delivered right to your inbox every week [https://earlychildhoodwebinars.com/?utm_campaign=42376111-2026%20%7C%20Admin%20Series%20Q2%20%7C%20The%20Break-Even%20Decisions%20Childcare%20Leaders%20Cannot%20Afford%20to%20Miss&utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=spotify] * Check out the producer of ECI, Playground, the Child Care Management Software [https://www.tryplayground.com/?utm_source=eci&utm_medium=podcast ad&utm_campaign=admin-2026-q2-break-even-decisions&utm_content=spotify] Break-even is not just a finance formula. It is the result of leadership decisions made every day across enrollment, staffing, pricing, schedules, and classroom structure. In this session, Kate Woodward Young, M.Ed helps child care leaders look at break-even through a more practical lens by connecting the numbers to the real choices that shape financial stability. Participants will explore the common assumptions that keep programs stuck, the hidden impact of under-enrolled classrooms and staffing misalignment, and how stronger decision-making can improve both confidence and outcomes. This session is designed for owners, directors, and administrators who want to better understand what drives sustainability and how to respond before small issues become bigger financial problems. Key takeaways:  * Identify the break-even number for each classroom and understand why room-level financial awareness is essential for effective leadership. * Examine how under-enrollment, staffing misalignment, and operational assumptions can quietly push programs away from sustainability. * Use room-level break-even thinking to make stronger decisions about staffing, scheduling, pricing, and classroom structure before problems escalate.

Unlocking the Power of the Pyramid Model to Build Bright Futures by Robin Levy, M.A.

RESOURCES * Watch the full webinar here [https://earlychildhoodwebinars.com/webinar/unlocking-the-power-of-the-pyramid-model-to-build-bright-futures-by-robin-levy-ma?utm_campaign=29557528-2026%2F06%2F18%20%7C%20Unlocking%20the%20Power%20of%20the%20Pyramid%20Model%20to%20Build%20Bright%20Futures&utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=spotify] * Join our newsletter! Earn your Professional Development hours with FREE sessions delivered right to your inbox every week [https://earlychildhoodwebinars.com/?utm_campaign=29557528-2026%2F06%2F18%20%7C%20Unlocking%20the%20Power%20of%20the%20Pyramid%20Model%20to%20Build%20Bright%20Futures&utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=spotify] * Check out the producer of ECI, Playground, the Child Care Management Software [https://www.tryplayground.com/?utm_source=eci&utm_medium=podcast ad&utm_campaign=unlocking&utm_content=spotify] Step into a session designed to inspire you, empower you, and strengthen the way you support young children every day. In this uplifting introduction, you’ll explore the Pyramid Model—a research-based framework proven to promote healthy social and emotional development in young children. Join Robin Levy, M.A. [https://earlychildhoodwebinars.com/presenters/robin-levy], to discover how this model supports your work by offering practical, compassionate strategies you can pair with any curriculum. The Pyramid Model is not a curriculum itself; instead, it functions as a powerful approach that enhances your existing practices and helps you create more responsive, predictable, and nurturing environments. As you move through each tier of the model, you’ll see how its emphasis on relationships, supportive environments, and targeted teaching practices can transform your daily interactions. You’ll learn how greetings, routines, expectations, and problem-solving moments become opportunities to build confidence, cooperation, and emotional resilience in every child. You’ll also explore how the Pyramid Model is used across early childhood settings by early educators, early intervention personnel, early childhood special education teams, infant and early childhood mental health consultants, and families—giving you a shared language and approach that strengthens collaboration and consistency for the children you serve. Through real examples, reflection, and practical strategies, you’ll gain clarity on how this framework can reduce challenging behaviors and increase children’s sense of safety, belonging, and joy. Whether you’re brand new to the Pyramid Model or ready to refresh your understanding, this session will leave you excited and equipped to bring its strategies to life in your own setting or program. Come ready to learn, connect, and grow—your work has the power to transform children’s lives, and the Pyramid Model is here to support you. Learning Objectives By the end of this session, you will be able to: * Explain what the Pyramid Model is and how it supports social–emotional development. * Identify strategies that strengthen relationships and create supportive, predictable learning environments. * Recognize how the Pyramid Model is used across early childhood roles, including educators, specialists, and families. * Apply at least two Pyramid Model practices you can use immediately in your own setting.