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Play Outdoors – Every Child Needs It!

I taught “Play Outdoors – Every Child Needs It!” for the first time last month! It was an engaging presentation with lots of participant interaction. We shared how we played outdoors as children, most unsupervised, with the freedom to explore our neighborhoods and beyond. We talked about the physical development and mental health development that was happening during play. It is not that we understood this as children, but looking back, we realize that there was a new understanding of how our play outdoors impacts our lives and health even today as adults. 

We encourage everyone to think about their childhood, how much time did you spend outdoors? What activities, games, and exploring did you do? How are the children exposed to outdoor play in your child care/ preschool program today? Do they have plenty of opportunities for free play to explore and discover?

When children have enough time outdoors to play and explore, it improves their overall health, boosts their immune system and physical development, improves eye health and development of their senses, reduces stress, improves attention, and improves sleep; they are happier and so much more. 

We added this class back to the schedule, as a 6-hour class; there is so much vital information to learn and share with families. The 6-hour version of “Play Outdoors – Every Child Needs It!” will take place on June 5th and 12th from 6 PM – 9 PM.

What students are saying.

“I would just like to say how informative and helpful this training was, thank you.”

 

“I loved the pace of this training, and the energy of the presenter. Thank you for this.”

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Suggested Reading

A couple of wonderful books on this topic are listed below. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Watch for new Self-Guided trainings based on these two books.

Purchase Book
There’s No Such Thing As Bad Weather

by Linda Åkeson McGurk

Bringing Up Bébé meets Last Child in the Woods in this “fascinating exploration of the importance of the outdoors to childhood development” (Kirkus Reviews) from a Swedish-American mother who sets out to discover if the nature-centric parenting philosophy of her native Scandinavia holds the key to healthier, happier lives for her American children.

Could the Scandinavian philosophy of “There’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes” hold the key to happier, healthier lives for American children?

Get Tickets: $60
Purchase Book
A Moving Child Is a Learning Child

by Gill Connell and Cheryl McCarthy

Grounded in best practices and current research, this hands-on resource connects the dots that link brain activity, motor and sensory development, movement, and early learning. The expert authors unveil the Kinetic Scale: a visual map of the active learning needs of infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and primary graders that fits each child’s individual timetable. Teachers, parents, and caregivers will find a wealth of information, actionable tips, and games they can use to support children’s healthy development–all presented in a lively, full-color format with demonstrative diagrams and photos. A final section offers easy-to-implement activities geared to the Kinetic Scale. Paperback. 336 pages.

If you received the SUN FCC scholarship from OCCD, you can use it to cover the cost of these two cohort classes. Email your SUN acceptance email to [email protected] to get started. Review this blog for details on attaining the scholarship.

 

Apply Today
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Religious Diversity in Child Care Settings – 3 HR D

Virtual Event
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Be mindful of yout trainer and classmates time. Log in 10 min early to check your devices. Once you confirm your devices are connected and working you can turn off your camera and mute your mic and wait for class to begin. If you show up more than 10 minutes late you will not be admitted. Classes require active participation to earn certificates.

Get Tickets $60.00

04.02.25 & 04.9.25 – Using Anecdotal Records as a Strategy for Observing Young Children – 6 HR OA

Virtual Event
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Be mindful of yout trainer and classmates time. Log in 10 min early to check your devices. Once you confirm your devices are connected and working you can turn off your camera and mute your mic and wait for class to begin. If you show up more than 10 minutes late you will not be admitted. Classes require active participation to earn certificates.

Get Tickets $120.00
Virtual Event Featured Event Series Professional Training Cohort March 15th and April 4th 2025

Professional Development Cohort 2 – Implementing Your Professional Development Plan – 3 HR PPLD

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Be mindful of yout trainer and classmates time. Log in 10 min early to check your devices. Once you confirm your devices are connected and working you can turn off your camera and mute your mic and wait for class to begin. If you show up more than 10 minutes late you will not be admitted. Classes require active participation to earn certificates.

Get Tickets $60.00 – $100.00

Leadership: Leading Meetings – 3 HR PM

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Be mindful of yout trainer and classmates time. Log in 10 min early to check your devices. Once you confirm your devices are connected and working you can turn off your camera and mute your mic and wait for class to begin. If you show up more than 10 minutes late you will not be admitted. Classes require active participation to earn certificates.

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Terminology: Neurodiversity, Neurodivergence, Neurotypica – 3 HR SN

Virtual Event
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Be mindful of yout trainer and classmates time. Log in 10 min early to check your devices. Once you confirm your devices are connected and working you can turn off your camera and mute your mic and wait for class to begin. If you show up more than 10 minutes late you will not be admitted. Classes require active participation to earn certificates.

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Developing Impulse Control in Young Children – 3 HR HGD

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Be mindful of yout trainer and classmates time. Log in 10 min early to check your devices. Once you confirm your devices are connected and working you can turn off your camera and mute your mic and wait for class to begin. If you show up more than 10 minutes late you will not be admitted. Classes require active participation to earn certificates.

Get Tickets $60.00

Using Narrative, Anecdotal and Jotting Observations to Document Children’s Development – 3 HR OA

Virtual Event
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Be mindful of yout trainer and classmates time. Log in 10 min early to check your devices. Once you confirm your devices are connected and working you can turn off your camera and mute your mic and wait for class to begin. If you show up more than 10 minutes late you will not be admitted. Classes require active participation to earn certificates.

Get Tickets $60.00

Thanks for reading To The End

Other Trainings you might be interested in

Caring For Infants & Toddlers

13 set two modules worth 15 hours each

Caring For Preschool Children

13 set two modules worth 15 hours each

ZLL Community

Going live March 2025

ZLL Community is a new training schedule to find trainers and organizations that we approve. You will be able to quickly find quality in-person and virtual training from around Oregon and further. No more searching ORO county by county only to have the same training come up multiple times. We offer one source with premium filtering and search options to get you what you need quick.

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Zepeda Learning and Leadership is a leading provider of professional development for early childhood educators. We offer a variety of courses and workshops that cover a wide range of topics, including child development, curriculum, and classroom management. Our experienced instructors are passionate about helping educators to provide the best possible care for children.

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