👣 BAREFOOT & GROUNDED IN PLAY Workshop | Saturday, 7 March 2026 | Windhoek
🪄A once-in-a-lifetime Early Childhood Development experience
Dear ECD Practitioners, Teachers & Parents, what if we paused the rush…
took off our shoes…
and remembered how children really learn?
You are warmly invited to an unforgettable, playful, mind-opening workshop where learning is barefoot, grounded, joyful and deeply meaningful.
✨ This is NOT another conference full of theory.
✨ This is an experience that will reignite your love for play, shift how you see development, and equip you with tools you can use immediately with children.
👣Barefoot & Grounded in Play invites you to step into the world of the child — curious, imaginative, sensory-rich and alive.
📅 Saturday, 7 March 2026
⏰ 08:00 – 15:00
📍 NG Church, Suiderhof – Windhoek
👣 Adults only
💰 N$650 per person | N$6 500 per table
🇳🇦WHY THESE TOPICS? WHY THIS JOURNEY FOR THE NAMIBIAN EDUCATOR?
Every speaker and topic was intentionally chosen to remind us that school readiness is not about worksheets — it’s about the whole child.
🌲Wild and Free – Like Heidi: The Value of Play
Speaker: Nita Coetzee
Because free, outdoor, imaginative play is the foundation of emotional resilience, problem-solving, creativity and confidence.
Children who play freely learn to think, adapt and cope — skills no textbook can teach.
🍯 Diving into the Sticky and Sweet Honeypot: The Senses
Speaker: Thea le Roux
Sensory play builds the brain. Touch, taste, smell, movement and sound are how children wire their nervous systems, regulate emotions and develop attention — all essential for learning to read, write and concentrate.
🐾 Enchanting the Wild Little Ones: Reflexes and Movement
Speaker: Tonya Rauwerda
➡️Primitive reflexes and movement patterns form the base for posture, coordination, eye tracking and focus.
Without movement, children struggle with sitting, writing and listening in class.
🗣 Language Development – Not Only for Bookworms!
Speaker: Annika van der Linde
Language grows through songs, stories, play, conversation and pretend worlds — not only books. Strong language skills mean better comprehension, confidence and social connection at school.
🎒 Pippi Longstocking Goes to School… or Not?
Speaker: Dr Marelise Calitz
➡️Because readiness is about emotional maturity, independence and adaptability, not age. This session challenges the pressure to “push” children too soon and shows how play prepares them better than early academics.
🌈 Pinocchio is Neurodiverse! What Now, Geppetto?
Speaker: Carmen de Villiers
➡️Every child is different. This topic helps adults understand neurodiversity through empathy and play, ensuring no child is labelled or left behind.
📱 Alice’s Emotional & Social Development: Down the Digital Rabbit Hole
Speaker: Nantie van Aswegen
➡️Screens are everywhere — but children still need real play, real connection and real emotional safety. This session equips adults to balance technology while protecting social and emotional development.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND?
✔ ECD practitioners
✔ Preschool & foundation phase teachers
✔ Parents of young children
✔ Therapists, facilitators & caregivers
✔ Anyone passionate about childhood in Namibia
WHAT YOU WILL LEAVE WITH
✅A renewed belief in play
✅Practical ideas you can use immediately
✅A deeper understanding of school readiness
✅Confidence to advocate for children
👣 Come play.
👣Come learn.
👣Come reconnect.
Because childhood should never be rushed — it should be felt, lived and loved.
📞 Contact:
Nita: 081 808 5944
Thea: 081 347 5358
Also check out other Workshops in Windhoek.
