Play it Forward Part 2

This immersive professional development experience takes educators on a playful journey through the Stages of Play (Slomanski & Parten) — from Solitary to Cooperative — while engaging with Walter Drew’s Self-Active Education approach.

Participants explore how play nurtures imagination, creativity, collaboration, and self-discovery—both in children and adults.

By playing as learners, teachers gain fresh insight into their own classroom environments, curriculum design, and relationships with children.

1. Identify and describe the six stages of play as outlined by Slomanski & Parten.

2. Recognize the developmental significance of each stage in building social, emotional, and cognitive skills.

3. Engage in and reflect upon self-active, hands-on play experiences that model the stages of play.

4. Apply Self-Active Education principles (by Walter Drew) to support creativity, confidence, and autonomy in children.

5. Design classroom environments and experiences that nurture progression through the stages of play.