Diversity in Play: A Joyful Mosaic
Friday, June 6, 2025 and Saturday, June 7, 2025
Delta Dartmouth Hotel
The Delta Dartmouth Hotel is located at 240 Brownlow Ave in the Burnside Industrial Park. Our event will be hosted in the Park Ballroom, to the right of the main hotel entrance. Free parking is available on-site.
About:
This year's Spring Symposium will provide an opportunity for early childhood educators and other partners working within the early learning and child care sector the opportunity to participate in an engaging learning experience that will expand traditional understandings about the role of play in children's lives. Beginning from the idea that children - and to some extent the adults who care with them - come to know and experience their world through play, we seek creative ways of thinking about, centering, and engaging children and educators in meaningful play in early childhood education and care environments.
PD Certificate:
Participants who attend the symposium (Saturday, June 7) will receive a certificate for completion of 6.5 PD hours that will be sent electronically following the event.
Participants who attend both the pre-symposium workshop (Friday, June 6) and the symposium (Saturday, June 7) will receive a certificate for completion of 9 PD hours that will be sent electronically following the event.
Registration:
AECENS Members, please log in to your account to get the member discount.
Not an AECENS member yet? Your registration for this event includes a one-year AECENS membership. Check out the perks of membership here.
One lucky AECENS member who registers by May 4, 2025 will win the early bird registration prize of a $50 SportChek gift card.
Group Invoicing:
If you are registering a group of staff and would like to be invoiced, please register each individual separately and send a list of names to us at ed@aecens.ca
Agenda:
Friday, June 6, 2025
1:00-1:30 p.m. - Registration
1:30-4:00 p.m. - Pre-symposium workshop
The Pedagogy of Possibilities: Cultivating Inquiry-Driven Learning Through Play with Dr. Jamie Leach.
6:00-8:30 p.m. - Banquet and Awards Gala with Dr. Christine McLean, M.C.
Saturday, June 7, 2025
Trade show will be open on Saturday during registration and breaks.
8:30-9:30 a.m. - Registration and continental breakfast
9:30-10:30 a.m. - Welcome and Keynote Address
A Passion for Play: Exploring the Possibilities of Play with Tina Geers
10:30-10:45 a.m. - Break
10:45-11:15 a.m. - Cultural Play Traditions with Kudzi Mumba
11:15 a.m. - 11:45 p.m. - Mosaic of Play networking challenge
11:45-1:00 - Lunch (catered)
1:00-3:00 - Mosaic of Play concurrent sessions (with break 1:45-2:15)
Session 1: Jessica Connors - Inspire with Intention
Session 2: Marlene Francis - Play within the Indigenous Culture
Session 3: Dawn Gerin & Liz Hicks - Laugh, Play, and Change the World: One Infant at a time
Session 4: Barbara Keizer - The Importance of Play for Children who have Experienced Trauma
Session 5: Jackie Youngkyoung Lee - Risky Play Across Cultures
3:00-3:30 - Mosaic sharing and networking challenge wrap up
3:30-4:00 - Door prize draws and closing remarks
Please note that unpaid registrations will be cancelled after 48 hours.
