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New strategies, knowledge, products and resources for enhancing your early years learning environment! 

Sign up for the latest or watch free recordings of our web workshops and webinars on early childhood education focused on ECE’s, childcare (daycare) centre managers, supervisors and program consultants, as well as for kindergarten, grade 1 and other elementary school teachers. 

At the end of each presentation, you’ll see a link to a form to get a certificate of completion that is then emailed to you. 

Our web workshops are presented by respected thought leaders, authors and instructors who have years of frontline experience.  Email us (events@louisekool.com) if you have a suggestion for a presentation or speaker you’d like to see? 

Upcoming Events

Bright Beginnings: Exploring Sensory Play with Infants and Toddlers

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May 1st, 3:30pm ET | 2:30pm CT | 12:30pm PT 

Experience the magic of early childhood learning through the eyes of curious little explorers. As infants and toddlers engage with the world around them, every new experience becomes an opportunity for growth, imagination, and discovery. From the simplest touch to the most vivid colour, their sense of wonder shapes the foundation of lifelong learning. Join us for a 30-minute free webinar as we explore:

Join us for a 30-minute webinar as we explore:

  • exciting introduction to LKG’s new 2025 infant and toddler collection.
  • milestones in sensory development during the first three years.
  • age-appropriate activities with mirrors, light, colour, and sensory play.
  • designing sensory-friendly rooms with thoughtful use of lighting and colour.

A draw prize and a certificate of completion for all attendees. 

Duration: 30 mins
Presenters: Anna Coules & Bogdan Pospielovsky

Register Now

Latest Webinar

Cultivating Creativity: Furniture Solutions for Immersive Outdoor Learning

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Nature engages and stimulates a child’s imagination, making outdoor learning a powerful way to foster creativity.
By reimagining outdoor classroom spaces, we can create dynamic areas that encourage exploration, imagination, and hands-on learning.

Join us for a 30-minute webinar as we explore:

  • The latest 2025 trends and products in outdoor furniture and educational tools.
  • Strategies for designing inspiring outdoor spaces that stimulate creativity, foster cooperative learning, and support cognitive and emotional development.
  • Opportunities to engage with nature in an urban landscape.

Duration: 30 mins
Presenters: Anna Coules & Bogdan Pospielovsky

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Childcare Storage Made Easy: Multifunctional and Educational

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Totes, display, adjustable, lockable... Oh my!

When the environment is the 3rd teacher, even a shelf can influence learning. Effective and versatile storage solutions in early years classrooms are crucial for maintaining an organized space, enhancing efficiency, safety and accessibility.

Join us for this 30-minute webinar as we explore:

  • New 2025 storage systems that promote independence and foster ownership and responsibility, regardless of abilities or developmental stages.
  • Tips and strategies for sorting through and choosing different storage options making the most of limited space.
  • How flexible and modular storage units can be adjusted as classroom needs change, supporting different activities and group sizes.

Plus a draw prize and a certificate of completion for all attendees.
If you or your team can't attend the scheduled time, just register and you’ll receive a notification when the recording is available for anytime viewing.

Duration: 30 mins
Presenters: Bonnie Ip & Bogdan Pospielovsky

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Dig & Splash into Sensory STEM: Early Years Sand and Water Play

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Using sand and water in early years can foster sensory awareness, encourage experimentation, enhance focus through open-ended play, and support language development.

In this 30-minute webinar we will explore how:

  • New 2025 furniture and resources and proven favourites can create a learning area that fosters deeper understanding of the world through tactile exploration.
  • Sand and water play supports emotional development in the early years.
  • Sensory play enhances cross-curricular learning. Building math skills, sparking scientific inquiry, supporting literacy through descriptive play, and fostering creativity in imaginative construction.

Duration: 30 mins
Presenters: Anna Coules & Bogdan Pospielovsky

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Once Upon a Playtime: New and Proven Puppets, Dress-Up Units, and Dollhouses

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Get the most from your Outlast Outdoor Blocks

Are you getting the most out of your new Outlast Outdoor block kit? These are versatile and durable outdoor learning resources for STEM, gross motor development and cooperative play. With Outlast students can actually build their own outdoor learning environment every day!

Join us to get inspired, learn curriculum connections and some tips for a long life for your kit. (HINT: Outlast is outdoor wood that’s weatherproof.)

Where: 25 mins

Date: January 25th, 4:00 pm ET| 3:00 pm CT| 1:00 pm PT

Duration: 25 mins

Register here

Get the most from your Outlast Outdoor Blocks

Are you getting the most out of your new Outlast outdoor block kit? These are versatile and durable outdoor resources for STEM that activate gross motor work and cooperative learning. In this session we’ll look at ways your students can explore:

  • Using diverse settings for inquiry and imaginative play
  • Collaborative problem solving
  • Shapes and figure understanding in 2 and 3 dimensions
  • Location and movement of objects and flow

Join us to get inspired, see how students can build their own outdoor learning environment and some tips for a long life for your kit. (HINT: Outlast is outdoor wood that’s weatherproof.)

Where: 25 mins

Date: April 4th, 4:00 pm ET| 3:00 pm CT| 1:00 pm PT

Duration: 25 mins

Register here

Archive - Web Workshop / Webinar Recordings

Room planning for a childcare or daycare

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Can I make an infant sleep area without an expensive build in?
How do I turn a big empty room into an inviting and manageable childcare space?
How can I separate play spaces from the feeding area?
I got runners! I need to better control transitions.

In this practical session Iain and Bogdan will tackle some of the most common requests the LKG team has heard over the years in doing hundreds of floor plans. Whether for a learning area or a whole new centre, from multi-functional and multi-age learning areas in tight spaces, to finding ways to create cozy nooks, we’ll share tips, solutions, and floor plans that you can use whatever the size of your next project.

Duration: 46 mins

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One of the key goals of the new federal childcare funding is creating inclusive spaces. Designs that anticipate and minimize barriers such as physical access, communication, and cognitive fatigue -- benefit everyone in your childcare centre -- children and adults.

Informed by examples from Canadian centres and classrooms, this presentation will review some furniture and play resources that can help create an inclusive childcare environment, guided by universal design for learning:

  • Tables and work areas
  • Outdoor Play
  • App for easily creating visual supports and communication aids
  • Easy sensory environments
  • Dolls and figurines that can foster inclusion and empathy
  • Play resources that support differing abilities

Join us for ideas, inspiration and strategies for your centre to include children who have extra support needs.

Duration: 30 mins

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The nationwide expansion of childcare makes it an exciting but also daunting time for a lot of early childhood educators. Is a new room or centre in your future? Or are you thinking your existing space could do with a refresh?

Join us as Dr Diane Kashin, RECE shares her rich experience as a centre supervisor, professor of ECE and consultant on how to get started planning a space, including locating learning areas, flow and the seven initial steps to planning a room.
 Plus how play responsive pedagogy, your community and contemporary design trends can help shape a learning environment that is truly a third teacher.

Duration: 60 mins

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In this second room planning web workshop, respected ECE educator and author Dr. Diane Kashin (RECE) will show how to maximize the potential of your space through careful planning.

If you’re planning a new early years learning or caring environment, join us as Diane delves into storage, building in durability and how to celebrate students.

 She will share strategies, tips and examples that sort through specific purpose-built Early Years furniture – Roomscapes by Community Playthings -- and layout choices that reinforce pedagogically sound practices.

Duration: 25 mins

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How do you future proof a child care space? Children put a lot of wear and tear on furniture, toys and all manner of play resources, demographics could change from year to year, not to mention tastes and trends.

Whether you’re upgrading a learning area or leaping into a big build, join us for ideas to help you plan for resilient learning environment.

This session will share:

  • The importance of the materials used in manufacturing
  • Choosing furniture for flexiblity
  • Open ended play resources

Second in a series of 20 minutes sessions where you’ll see tips & strategies and real world Canadian examples of floor plans with Community Playthings furniture. Plus get access to exclusive resources – guides, sample layouts, -- to help you plan a childcare room or learning area that lasts for generations!

Duration: 20 mins

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When you step into your new child care room, you want to hear “Ahh!” not D’Oh! 

If the learning environment is the third teacher, planning should be meticulous, involving the entire community and a lot of fun, too. 

Whether you’re upgrading a learning area or leaping into a big build, join us for ideas on planning your new space, this session will share:

  • Tips for working with an architect/designer
  • Walls are a resource
  • Locating learning areas/zones
  • Maximizing floor space for local licensing standards
  • Some common opening day disasters and how to avoid them.

First in a series of 20 minutes sessions where you’ll see tips & strategies and real world Canadian examples, plus get exclusive resources – guides, floor planner, sample layouts -- to help you plan your childcare room or learning area!

Duration: 45 mins

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Join us as we explore classroom layout applying the Curiosity Approach to learning.

This web workshop will consider the child’s rights in classroom design, inspired by noted EC educator and author Sandra Duncan. We’ll look at how we can implement these rights into classroom layouts that respect the need for play and exploration, active learning and creating opportunities for thinking critically.

Join Julie as she shares how you, too, can create a classroom that is child-centred, accessible and that ignites a child’s natural curiosity to explore.

Duration: 45 mins

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Planning learning areas or zones

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The big muscles of little ones need to be worked at all stages of development. You can encourage climbing, lifting, carrying, pushing, pulling, balancing, in indoor learning environments, not just outdoors.

In this session, we’ll look at some easy upgrades for your indoor space, that will get your children using their glutes, abdominals, arms and legs. Plus, a splash of risky play and lots of invitations for cooperation that work that most demanding and important body part of all – the brain!

  • Adding levels: from an indoor play gym to risers for infants
  • Blocks for BIG life size builds
  • Challenges for balancing and coordination that engages pre-coding skill development
  • And because some children after a busy day want quiet time, resources for focused private creativity: quality art materials, light and colour play too.

Join us for suggestions, tips and inspirations for teams supporting children from infant to kindergarten. Plus, free downloadables, a certificate of completion and entry into our draw for play resources.

Duration: 30 mins
Presenters: Bogdan Pospielovsky

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Many childcare centres across the country are now pulling double duty: caring for infants and toddlers during the school day and then school-age students before and after school. 

This webinar will outline some easy upgrades to your space to add age versatility with resources that are engaging yet screen-free and furnishings that are portable, flexible.

  • Storage that is moveable, durable and lockable.
  • Tables and seating that are easy to store, plus tips on how to pick the right height.
  • Unique life size play resources you can take indoors and out including the new Modu, that get big muscles working.
  • And because some children after a busy day want quiet time, resources for focused private creativity: quality art materials, light and colour play too.

Plus draw prize and a certificate of completion for all attendees.

Duration: 40 mins

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Explore the art of creating provocations that spark wonderment and inquiry in the mind of our youngest learners. 
Together, we will discover how to build provocations that incorporate purchased and found materials that will ignite curiosity for children of all ages.

 Join us to discover:

  • Many inspiring examples for engaging children from toddlers to kindergarten ages.
  • Combining different colour, shapes, sizes and textures
  • Developmental and learning benefits of speaking to all the senses in the many languages of learning.

Plus a draw prize and certificate of completion.

Duration: 45 mins

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Before and after school programs face unique challenges, different ages, roll-in-roll-out storage, often in a shared space. After a long school day some children will have energy to burn, others will just want to chill.

Join us to see flexible play resources focusing on ages 9-12 and versatile furnishings designed for lasting portability indoors and out. Including:

  • Sensory spaces for self-regulation
  • Rolling locking cabinets and other storage solutions for indoors or out
  • New construction sets for life size imaginative builds
  • Robots that develop coding skills, without screens

In 25 minutes, we’ll share examples of open-ended resources that prompt collaborative play, helping to develop new physical, cognitive, and social skills that nonetheless differentiate from the school day. Plus draw prizes and certificates of attendance.

Duration: 25 mins

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Beautiful and interesting spaces for children not only enriches play opportunities but encourages self exploration. In this presentation Mark Rocamora, ECE will show how the design of the learning environments can makes connections to Developmentally Appropriate Practice in your learning environments.

Drawing on his frontline experience at Centennial College's Early Learning Centre at Progress Campus, Mark will share examples of how to provoke, invite and encourage creative expression using a variety of materials in different learning areas.

Duration: 45 mins

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Before and after school programs face unique challenges of engaging children of different ages, often in a shared space. After a busy school day some children will want to wind down with physical big muscle play others with thoughtful focused activities.

Join us to see play resources for a wide range of ages (up to aprx. 12+) and mobile, portable furnishings, for indoors and out. Including:

  • Life size construction tools that explore the physics of simple machines.
  • Rolling locking cabinets and other storage solutions for indoors or out
  • Blocks, vehicles and games for cooperative big muscles play outdoors.
  • Stackable tables with quick, toolless height adjustmen
  • New magnetic construction sets.
  • Quality arts and crafts materials for projects that can be easily stored unfinished
  • Screen-free robots you can take outdoors

In 25 minutes, we’ll share examples of how age neutral resources can prompt collaborative play, helping to develop new physical, cognitive, and social skills while still being different from the school day.

Duration: 25 mins

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Furniture and resources that target gross muscle work – gyms, outdoor features, trikes, life size blocks – are some of the biggest investments in a childcare centre. And with concerns around health and socialization, opportunities for risky and cooperative play indoors and out are so important. Climbing, riding, lifting, transporting, dropping -- these materials are also subject to a lot of wear and tear.
In this session we’ll look at:

  • The importance of the materials and construction and what to look for
  • Considering accessibility and inclusion
  • How to get durability without sacrificing flexibility and open endedness
  • Cleaning and care including wood.

Third in a series of 25 minutes webinars where you’ll see tips & strategies and realworld Canadian examples, plus get exclusive resources – guides, sample layouts -- to help you plan indoor or outdoor learning areas that last for generations!

Duration: 25 mins

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How can your early years room foster a love of reading? Cozy quiet nooks, thoughtfully displayed books -- learning environments indoors and outdoors can entice children to reading. While play resources can enhance stories and support the development of the decoding skills early learners need.

Celebrate I Love to Read month and join Iain and Bogdan for ideas for engaging literacy learning areas and designing dedicated reading environments:

  • Book furniture for early years classrooms and libraries.
  • Nooks for self-selected reading delight.
  • Resources for letter recognition and decoding.
  • Creating multilingual literacy materials.
  • Neat ideas for infant areas and taking literacy outside, too.

Duration: 40 mins

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If a new early year’s classroom is in your future, you have to consider Roomscapes. A unique collection of interconnecting shelves, gates, and dividers, Roomscapes is a flexible system that can turn any open space into a learning environment. Discover the power of a well-organized classroom that genuinely becomes the third teacher: managing flow, encouraging positive behaviours, and inviting self-directed learning.

 In 25 minutes, Iain and Bogdan will show how Roomscapes can transform a space -- tool free, without an expensive build-in -- that can adapt to your community’s changing needs. We’ll also look at how to get started within an existing space while profiling some real Canadian childcare centres with Roomscapes.

Duration: 25 mins
 

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Easy to take for granted, but if the environment is so critical to early learning, then tables and chairs might be one of your most significant teaching tools.

We’ll look at some innovative Community Playthings designs: from furnishings for young toddlers transitioning from high-chairs to back saving work stations and chairs for the adults in the classroom.

We’ll review tips for selecting seating and surface heights and how to create flexible, responsive, collaborative spaces with these workhorses of the classroom.

Duration: 20 mins
 

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Visuals for Rooms and Learning Areas

For over a year the team from Progress Child Care Centre have been creating hundreds of engaging visuals, quickly and easily with Widgit Online: schedules, vocabulary labels, name tags and more.

 Janet Burchert (Manager) and Mark Rocamora (educator) return to update us on how their centre in Centennial College is using Widgit’s dual language tools to reflect and connect with their multi-cultural community. They’ll share single and dual language activity resources and engaging invitations that they’ve developed.

 Using clear consistent visual materials is good practice that is mandated in childcare centres in many jurisdictions across the country.

 Join us as Mark and Janet share how visuals created with Widgit Online can fit into an early year's context and reflect on the impact of this implementation on the children, their parents, and staff.

Duration: 60 mins

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Using clear consistent visual materials such as schedules, recipes, vocabulary labels and name tags is good practice that is mandated in childcare centres in many jurisdictions across the country.

Janet Burchert, Manager at Progress Child Care Centre at Centennial College will share how her team has been creating engaging picture rich visual supports with Widgit Online. Presented with Susie Blackstein-Adler (OT, M.Ed.) who has over two decades of experience using symbols to support language and concept development and who guided and coached the team at Progress.

 Sharing lots of practical examples and tips they will talk about symbols, how they fit into an early year's context and reflect on what they have learned implementing Widgit Online in a childcare centre.

Duration: 60 mins

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STEM

Math

Geometry and spatial sense is a critical yet underserved area in mathematics teaching. And after many months of disrupted learning, many educators are searching for ways to refresh and even restore foundational math knowledge and skills.

 In this third in our series of web workshops on math in the early years, join Usha Shanmugathasan as we unpack curricular goals and understand the why and how of geometry and spatial sense instruction in a kindergarten to gr. 2 classroom.

 You will leave the session with practical ideas to implement whether you are teaching virtually, or face to face or both!

Duration: 60 mins

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Join us as we explore a variety of math possibilities in the outdoor environment. After many months of disrupted learning, many educators are searching for ways to refresh and even restore foundational math knowledge and skills. In this second of our series of web workshops on math in the early years, we’ll look at practical strategies for engaging children in math in the outdoor classroom focusing on toddlers to kindergarten ages.

We will talk about what nature and the built outdoor environment affords us when practicing numeracy skills. Plus, how educators can take familiar indoor math learning activities and materials outdoors.

Duration: 60 mins

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Critical in so many aspects of daily life, numbers and number sense is so important for young students. And after many months of disrupted learning, teachers are finding foundational knowledge and skills need to be restored.

Join Lesley Pike and Melissa Seco as they share ideas and intervention strategies they’ve used to replenish and reinvigorate number sense in the early years’ classroom. They’ll look at hands-on, innovative and fun Number Sense instructional strategies for your kindergarten to grade 2 programs.

Duration: 60 mins
 

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Coding

In this session, experienced teachers and professional development leaders Melissa Seco and Lesley Pike look at unconventional ways of building coding skills in the early years.

Classrooms right across Canada are including coding in earlier grades for example, the new Ontario curriculum includes coding in Grade 1.

Join us to see how marble runs, patterning and games like sudoku, all promote the skills needed to code!

Duration: 60 mins
 

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Classrooms right across Canada are including coding in earlier grades for example, the new Ontario curriculum includes coding in Grade 1. In this session, experienced teachers and professional development leaders Melissa Seco and Lesley Pike, will continue the conversation on: 

• How to transition from unplugged coding experiences to plugged coding experiences.
• How to incorporate coding relevant applications, websites, and devices into early years education programs.

They’ll illustrate strategies and techniques with the popular teaching robots Blue-Bot, Bee-Bot, Cubetto and Botley. 

Duration: 60 mins
 

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We will also share some things that we have found helpful to have when coding in early grades, based on some of the learning opportunities we've had (aka mistakes!) and how we've learned from them.

Presenter:

Melissa Seco
  Melissa has been both a teacher and Instructional Leader in Mathematics/Numeracy (K-8) and Early Years (K-2). Melissa’s main areas of interest include: early years, visual arts, mathematics, STEM, and inquiry-based learning. Currently she is a Grade 1/2 teacher and Digital Lead Learner (DLL), and she occasionally teaches AQ courses at OISE.

Lesley Pike  Lesley is a Toronto based educator who has taught Kindergarten to Grade 6 and worked c

Check out some popular early years classroom coding robots that don’t need screens. Classrooms right across Canada are including coding in earlier grades, with the new Ontario curriculum including coding starting in Kindergarten. In this session we’ll compare and contrast the features and design of Bee Bot, Blue Bot, Botley, LEGO Coding Express, Cubetto and the new Rugged Robot for outdoors, exploring how they can fit into pedagogical goals. Receive a certificate of completion and enter to win a Cubetto.

Blocks

Hands on STEM exploration has never been more important and blocks deliver: geometry, volumes, construction, the basics of physics and engineering and artistic expression in 3 dimensions.

Join us to explore new additions for your block and construction learning area – curved, notched, cylinders, figurines and vehicles; Polydron, UHL, Plus Plus and Octoplay; wood, magnetic, and sustainable plastic alternatives.

Plus receive a certificate of attendance and enter a draw for blocks and other construction resources for your classroom.

Duration: 25 mins

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The original STEM learning resource! Join us for a full course 20 min blocks feast. One of the most essential and foundational learning areas of any early childhood classrooms, this session will fill your plate with the proportional essentials, amuse your bouche with figurines and vehicles and spice it up with bling to inspire creative expression. And we won’t forget about al fresco - blocks outdoors, too.

Duration: 20 mins
 

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Light and Colour

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Engaging exploration and loose parts play we’ll look at how harnessing light, dark, colour and reflection, children can develop important STEM skills while engaging their imagination and creative expression. Join Bogdan and product manager, Anna Coules as we delve into:

  • Options for creating an inclusive sensory space.
  • How different light appliances from LED panels to furnishings with light built in, compare.
  • Low cost, easily implementable light and colour upgrades.
  • Stacking sand and other natural elements with light.

Plus activity ideas for science, math, creative arts, even literacy and communication.

Duration: 30 mins

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Embracing Cultures, Nurturing Identities

First Nations

Samantha and the team at the EarlyOn program in Baawaating (Sault Ste. Marie) believe that Indigenous children must learn about the forces that shape them. Indigenous identity must be fostered at every opportunity.

The culture of First Nations’ children - their languages and kinship systems - must be modelled, taught and celebrated so that Indigenous children grow to be proud of who they are.

This session will share a snapshot of the unique history of First Nations people from the perspective of Indigenous early childhood educators. How that perspective inspired the methodology used to create an Indigenous culturally based early years family resource centre that places the knowledge and worldview of First Nations’ peoples at the centre of learning for parents/caregivers and their children.

Duration: 60 mins

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With story telling and active play educators in an early years classroom can engage young children to introduce Indigenous philosophies. But educators are often reluctant to try and don’t know where to begin.

 This session will provide ideas and inspiration by describing real world strategies from a child care centre in Winnipeg. Tara will share the experiences, books and resources she’s used to bring Indigenous teachings to children at the University of Winnipeg Child Care Centre.

Duration: 60 mins
 

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Multi-Cultural

The presentation will highlight the connection between self regulation and well being and identity, and how we can foster a sense of belonging for our students through holistic approach.

Presenter: Usha Shanmugathasan

Usha was part of Fraser Mustard Early Learning Academy, the all-kindergarten school's first faculty as a Lead Math Teacher creating innovative programs such as Math Studio and Expressive Arts.

Today she teaches JK-1, while pursuing a Masters of Education at OISE/UT in Educational Leadership and Policy

New play resources and online tools can help make your centre inviting to anyone in your community and enrich young people’s cultural experiences. Join us as we look at recent multi-cultural, anti-bias additions to LKG’s 2022 collection that can enhance dramatic play, literacy, communication, and creative arts exploration in any early year’s classroom. Plus request the certificate of completion and you’ll enter a draw for our prize pack of multi-cultural, anti-bias play resources.

New in furnishings and resources for creating multi-cultural, comforting environments that can reduce anxiety and increase engagement. Therapy dolls, light and reflection, engaging textures, multi-cultural themes, and home-like furnishings to create a calming space. Plus, a new cloud-based app for easily creating classroom visuals for clear communication even in dozens of languages.

Outdoor Learning

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Duration: 45 mins

Outdoor areas can mean so much more for early childhood educators than a place for children to burn off excess energy. But where to begin in transforming an outdoor play area into an outdoor classroom?

Join Iain and Bogdan as we look at planning your outdoor learning area.

  • Organizing your space into learning areas
  • Rot Rules –embracing natural processes in your space
  • Balancing nature in your furnishings while protecting your investment
  • Incorporating water
  • Making room for trikes and scooters

Plus sample plans, care guides and other materials to help you reimagine your outdoor area.

Whether your centre is adjacent to a woodlot, or surrounded by tarmac, we’ll share the LKG furnishings play resources and strategies that can help make discovery learning outdoors possible.   

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Taking learning outdoors is so important for a childcare centre or early years classsroom: health, socialization and the rich stimulus of fresh air. In 2024 we’re seeing the trend for open-ended, versatile furnishings for a flexible outdoor learning environment, grow. Join us to take a closer look at the latest in innovative offerings that can transform your outdoor play area:

  • Art tables, easels and storage from Outlast for an inspiring outdoor studio.
  • Canadian made water, sand and mud centres made from cedar by Tuya.
  • Cedar Playhouse, picnic tables and puppet theatre – transforms and creates a focal point for an outdoor play area.
  • New durable, resources for mud and sand, including sustainably made trucks and pails from Denmark.

And More...!!

Duration: 45 mins

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Outdoor learning doesn’t stop when the snow falls. Many Canadian jurisdictions mandate outdoor learning for kindergarten, and pre-school year-round. And fantastic natural learning opportunities abound -- freeze, melt, snow, ice etc.

In 25 minutes, we’ll share some practical tips and strategies for caring for and maximizing the life of your outdoor classroom equipment. Including:

  • Inspecting, lubricating and simple fixes for trikes, scooters, turtle buses and strollers.
  • How to care for different outdoor wood furnishing: acetylated, cedar, eucalyptus and Thermory wood
  • Safe cleaning and refinishing tips

And More...!!

Duration: 25 mins

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Our outdoor environments are all so often underutilized and looked upon as a space to let children burn off their energy and solely engage in their free play.

The outdoors affords children with opportunities to explore and learn about the world around them and can be viewed as a classroom without walls.

 In this session, we will discover and discuss the possibilities when recreating our indoor learning environment in the outdoors, regardless of the weather.

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Where: Virtual
Duration: 50 mins

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Across Canada, early years educators are embracing the challenge of taking their classrooms outdoors. Iain (LKG Sales Manager) and Bogdan (Director of Marketing) will demonstrate a variety of furnishings for teaching outdoors that harness a child’s natural need to play and explore.

Topics discussed: 

  • Explore the world of Outlast by Community Playthings. See what sets these products apart and how they are built to last a lifetime, in all weather conditions.
  • Compare various wood options for outdoors, including Outlast’s acytelated wood, Canadian red cedar and other options.
  • See examples and ideas for implementing these products in a variety of environments to help take indoor curricular strands - creative arts, math, language arts, science etc. - outside
  • Learn sanitization and care tips


Informed by pedagogy and real world examples, this presentation will give teachers, ECE’s, centre managers, principals and administrators practical information for sorting through a variety of outdoor learning products.

Outdoor Learning

Refreshing your outdoor classroom or planning a new space, you’ll want to join Iain and Bogdan for an overview of new furnishings and resources for the outdoors.

The latest in Thermory wood and in Canadian made Red Cedar furniture - benches, mud kitchens and water tables. New play to learn resources from stone rollers, to play food, blocks and more.

Wood outdoor learning equipment and furniture that inspires independent, open-ended play. From a tables and benches, to blocks and mud kitchens, the Outlast line of weatherproof wood furniture is warrantied not to warp shrink or rot even in Canadian conditions for life. Smooth surfaces for writing and drawing, water tables and mud kitchens for investigation and experimentation, a block and plank system that fosters engineering, gross motor development and risky play. We’ll show you how Outlast – endlessly, flexible, and portable – can adapt to your changing needs without the cost of a built-in play-structure. Plus, what happens when you stick an Outlast table in a frozen pond for 6 months. 

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Art, Loose Parts and More

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Vibrant dramatic play areas can be inviting storytelling hubs that ignite curiosity and promote meaningful learning experiences. In this webinar, we’ll explore creative ideas for encouraging young children to bring their stories to life. 

In this 30 min webinar you’ll see:

  • How to create a dedicated space for puppets and dress-up, where children can freely engage in imaginative play.
  • See dolls and dollhouses that foster empathy, promote an understanding of diversity, and enhance problem-solving skills in young learners.
  • Explore how to create themed environments or “mini-worlds” to promote literacy and storytelling.
  • NEW for 2025 -- the latest enticing and inspiring upgrades for your dramatic play area.
  • Practical strategies for organizing and designing spaces for collaborative play and self-expression.

Duration: 30 mins
Presenters: Anna Coules & Bogdan Pospielovsky

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Dramatic play centered around food, from the store to the kitchen, sparks a child's imagination and provides valuable opportunities to develop communication, math, literacy, and STEM skills.

In this 30-minute webinar, we will explore how open-ended furniture, and blocks can inspire children to build their own food-themed dramatic play environments, such as a grocery store, kitchen, lemonade stand, or restaurant.  

Thinking of refreshing your play kitchen?
Join us for an exciting look at the latest modern wooden designs, featuring everything from sleek, compact styles to timeless traditional kitchens. We’ll also explore how a variety of kitchen dramatic play furniture and diverse play food can reflect different home styles.

Duration: 30 mins
Presenters: Anna Coules & Bogdan Pospielovsky

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In this session, Looking to update you learning areas after a long school year? Need something fresh for summer programs?Join LKG Product Manager Anna Coules for a look at some new resources and furnishings for both indoor and outdoor spaces. Including:

  • New locally made outdoor furnishings made from Canadian cedar.
  • Stunning new additions to the popular Sense of Place dramatic play furniture designed for our youngest learners.
  • Engaging introductory loose parts sets made from natural wood and wool.
  • Delightful cork blocks and toys for indoors and out.
  • Unique magnetic building sets.

Plus tips, draw prizes and a certificate of completion for all who join us. 

Duration: 20 mins.

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Join Dr Diane Kashin, RECE for a webinar on loose parts provision in early learning environments. Loose parts are open-ended materials that spark children’s imagination, agency and learning in wonderous ways. These tactile and versatile materials deserve more than just a loose parts shelf, as they can support all learning areas and can be featured throughout the environment. This webinar will focus on the value, curation, and placement of loose parts. It will encourage thinking about how to offer loose parts invitations in ways that support children’s exploration, discovery, play and inquiry.

Duration: 1 Hour

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Are the cubbies and backpacks of your children overflowing with arts-and-crafts projects? Does it all look the same and fridge worthy?  

In a process approach to creative arts, rather than step-by-step instructions where the end product is the goal, the focus is on exploring new techniques with quality materials as close to “adult” as possible, to develop skills and engage creativity.

Amanda Benton, Early Years Support Specialist and RECE educator, will show how key 21st century skills -- innovation, problem solving, self-direction – are engaged by a process approach.

She’ll share strategies for an arts learning area with a process focus including

  • Invitations that ignite imagination and creativity
  • Organizing for self-regulation
  • Locating learning areas/zones
  • Displaying Work

Join us for a practical introduction and learn how you can get started with a process focussed creative arts approach.

Duration: 1 Hour

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Where: Virtual
Duration: 45 mins

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Why wood? Made by nature, wood has so many benefits when used for toys. In this free webinar, Dr. Diane Kashin, RECE of Technology Rich Inquiry Based Research will focus on the developmental and learning benefits of wooden toys and will feature some of our favourites!

Wood speaks to the senses. At a time when families are looking to purchase gifts for children that have meaning and are meaningful, wooden toys provide an alternative to the commercialism of plastics. This session will share Diane’s love of wooden toys! We will learn why wooden toys never go out of style and can be passed down from generation to generation.

DURÉE: 1 Heure

ENREGISTREMENT DE LA RÉUNION


Le Coronavirus a complètement transformé les milieux de la petite enfance.

Cet atelier vise à poursuivre notre réflexion sur les adaptations à prévoir, nos attitudes, nos attentes, les possibilités de réaménagement tout en explorant les opportunités présentes dans l’apprentissage en plein air afin de continuer d’offrir un programme de qualité et sécuritaire pour lequel nous sommes reconnus.

En profitant du développement professionnel offert en ligne nous pouvons augmenter nos connaissances, notre efficacité et notre créativité afin de surmonter cette crise.

Présentatrice: Hélène Pouliot-Cleare

Passionnée par l’éducation, Hélène Pouliot-Cleare œuvre dans le milieu de l’éducation depuis plus de 40 ans dans le Centre-Sud-Ouest de l’Ontario, en plus d’animer des ateliers et formations au plan provincial, national et international, en français comme en anglais. Ses conférences abordent une grande variété de sujets liés à la petite enfance, à l’apprentissage de la langue dans un milieu minoritaire, au leadership et à la motivation personnelle.

2021 has brought us some delightful engaging new additions to our loose parts collection: colourful, earthy, and even a bit of dazzle. Join us to see what’s new, and some of the unique favourites in Louise Kool’s loose parts collection. We’ll also look at new tables for indoors and out for sorting and exploring, trays, sanitization tips and more.

Guest Speakers

Professional Development Leader @Bridges

Susie Blackstein-Adler

Professional Development
Leader @Bridges

Susie leads the professional learning team at Bridges. She has backgrounds in occupational therapy and education and has over thirty years of experience working in the field of augmentative and alternative communication and consulting to classroom teams concerning access to curriculum. She has done research on computer access, the inclusion of students who have complex learning challenges, and accessible coding. Susie provides professional learning on educational and assistive technology both nationally and internationally.

Manager @Progress Child Care Centre at Centenial College

Janet Burchert

Manager @Progress Child Care Centre at Centennial College

Janet has been an RECE for 41 years and the Manager of Progress Child Care Centre at Centennial College for over 20 years. The childcare centre is lab school of the highly-respected Child Studies program at Centennial College.

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Mark Rocamora

Registered Early Childhood Educator (RECE) @Centennial College Progress Childcare

A full-Time Registered Early Childhood Educator at Centennial College Progress Childcare for 15 years. He has been supporting ECE students since September 2013, in recognizing the significance of the learning environment as the “3rd Teacher.” His personal philosophy of teaching and learning is that children cannot be categorized, and each child’s uniqueness and diverse differences can be fostered through the celebration of play. He believes that the warm environment of acceptance and encouragement that Progress Childcare strives to create can make a real difference in a child’s life.”

Urban Indigenous EarlyOn Coordinator @Sault Ste. Marie Indian Friendship Centre EarlyOn

Samantha Boyer

Urban Indigenous EarlyOn Coordinator @Sault Ste. Marie Indian Friendship Centre EarlyOn

Samantha Boyer is an Ojibway, Irish woman from Batchewana First Nation and member of the buffalo clan. A graduate of Shingwauk Kinoomaage Gamig and Algoma University, she holds an Honours degree in Sociology, Anishinaabe Studies and Anishinaabemowin. Her passion is working with Indigenous people as a helper; helping to forge a stronger, healthier future for her community and family. Samantha fills the position of Indigenous Cultural Competency Facilitator and Urban Indigenous EarlyON Coordinator for the Sault Ste. Marie Indian Friendship Centre, though she is currently on maternity leave.

Indigenous Teachings Leader @University of Winnipeg Child Care Centre

Tara Myran

Indigenous Teachings Leader
@University of Winnipeg Child Care Centre

Tara Myran is from Long Plain First Nation and has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology and Rhetoric Communications from the University of Winnipeg. She attended residential school when she was eight years old. She has always been passionate about instilling the importance of education to her five children.

At the University of Winnipeg Child Care Centre she volunteers her time where she teaches the children Indigenous teachings once a week. She does this through reading Indigenous books, puppet shows, teaching the 7 sacred teachings and the Ojibway language of each of the animals. She believes that the 7 teachings are universal and therefore can be adapted to different cultures and the importance of these teachings are lifelong. While pursuing her undergraduate degree she was part of the Indigenous Summer Scholar Program (ISSP) where she participated in field research for a project that delved into mental health issues and outcomes for Indigenous women throughout pregnancy, “Indigenous Doulas for First Nation’s Women Who travel for Birth”. The importance of having an Indigenous Doula present to incorporate traditional practices and knowledge into the birthing process is of particular interest for Tara.

She’s currently pursuing a Master's in the Development Practice program at the University of Winnipeg. She hopes to incorporate her Indigenous knowledge and experience when working in First Nation communities with sustainable development to address health-related issues that many Indigenous communities face. 

Early Years Support Specialist (RECE) @London District Catholic School Board

Amanda Trimmer-Benton

Early Years Support Specialist (RECE) @London District Catholic
School Board

An RECE from London, Ontario, with over 25 years of experience, Amanda currently is the Early Years Support Specialist at the London District Catholic School Board supporting fellow RECE’s in Kindergarten programs. Amanda also teaches in the Child Development Practitioner program at Fanshawe College.

In collaboration with Strive (London/Middlesex/Elgin’s professional learning organization), Amanda has facilitated various professional learning opportunities on topics including: Loose Parts, Deconstructing Provocations, Early Years Math, Outdoor Learning Community of Practice and Continuous Professional Learning. In 2017, Amanda was invited to the FRP Canada National Conference: The Power of Play to team facilitate a ‘Walk Shop’ that provided interactive learning about playgroups in the forest and exploring the outdoors with families. Amanda has a passion for sharing and developing engaging learning environments for young children that provoke and inspire inquiry.

Teacher Librarian @TDSB

Lesley Pike

Teacher Librarian
@TDSB

Lesley is a Toronto based educator who has taught Kindergarten to Grade 6 and worked centrally as a Math Coach for 5 years. She is currently beginning a new chapter in her career this fall by working outside of the classroom in a support role as a Teacher Librarian. Her main areas of interest are math and coding, she also loves looking for new and exciting picture books to use in her classroom.

@TDSB

Melissa Seco

@TDSB

Melissa has been both a teacher and Instructional Leader in Mathematics/Numeracy (K-8) and Early Years (K-2). Melissa’s main areas of interest include: early years, visual arts, mathematics, STEM, and inquiry-based learning. Currently she is a Grade 1/2 teacher and Digital Lead Learner (DLL), and she occasionally teaches AQ courses at OISE.

OCT

Usha Shanmugathasan

OCT

Passionate about the early years with a focus on mathematics, S.T.E.A.M and coding Usha was part of the original Faculty that opened Fraser Mustard Early Learning Academy, the all-kindergarten school. There she was the Lead Math Teacher and created innovative programs such as Math Studio and Expressive Arts. Formerly a K-12 Learning Coach for the Toronto District School Board with Masters of Education at OISE/UT in Educational Leadership and Policy, today she teaches JK-1, delivers and facilitates professional development for educators across Ontario.

RECE

Diane Kashin

RECE

Diane is a registered early childhood educator in the province of Ontario and retired ECE professor. Diane taught at both the degree and the diploma level for over 30 years. Diane’s doctoral thesis on emergent curriculum was published in 2008 and she has co-written three ECE textbooks, Empowering Pedagogy in Early Childhood Education (2016), Playing and Learning in Early Childhood Education (2019) and Outdoor and Nature Play in Early Childhood Education (2019).

Hélène Pouliot-Cleare

Hélène Pouliot-Cleare

Passionate about education, Hélène Pouliot-Cleare has worked in education for over 40 years in Central-Southwestern Ontario, in addition to leading workshops and training at the provincial, national and international, in French and in English. Her lectures cover a wide variety of topics related to early childhood, language learning in a minority setting, leadership and personal motivation. 

Iain Wallace

Iain Wallace

National Sales Manager@Louise Kool

Iain started his career in education 20 years ago, working in a school for students with special needs. He has worked in many capacities, and since 2016 has held the position of National Sales Manager for Louise Kool & Galt and Bridges. He has presented and been an exhibitor at domestic and international conferences and loves any opportunity to talk with people about the products and services we represent. As a father of two young boys, he stays very active in his spare time working to tire them out and enlists them as quality testers for any new products we bring in.

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Bogdan Pospielovsky

Director of Marketing @Louise Kool

Bogdan has been working with educators for almost 25 years including marketing, training, system implementation, product development and curriculum localization. A teacher by training, he taught in Ontario, Moscow, and Chicago before being drawn to technology and curricula for students with special needs. Since 2016 he’s been Director of Marketing for Louise Kool & Galt and Bridges. He has spoken and presented at conferences across Canada and in the US and has written articles for several Canadian and US publications. When not blogging for LKG and Bridges he can be found in the block area of LKG’s showroom building his dream ski hill/moon colony/dance palace.

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Anna Coules

Marketing Manager @Louise Kool

Anna Coules has a knack for finding wonderful furniture and resources that are crafted to enhance children’s learning. This OISE grad had an exciting teaching career as a Special Education teacher in England. After her return to Canada, she spent time gaining experience in furniture manufacturing, partnering with retailers and product curation. In early 2022 she decided to combine her unique experiences, joining Louise Kool & Galt as a Product Manager. In 2025, Anna joined the marketing team as a Marketing Manager.

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Bonnie Ip

Product Manager @Louise Kool

With over 10 years of experience in product management, Bonnie has developed a keen eye for selecting high-quality, engaging products. She is passionate about curating resources that support both play and development for early years learning.
Her interest in educational toys was sparked by her own young family, inspiring her to seek out products that encourage creativity and learning for children of all ages.