An event earlier this week allowed early childhood educators to learn how to embed children’s inquiry, cause-and-effect reasoning, problem-solving and literacy into a learning platform of play. 

The Play to Learn event took place from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 27, at the Southwest Plains Conference Center in Sublette.

Dr. Gayla Lohfink, Kaylee Schwieterman and Dr. Amber Miller facilitated the in-person event. 

The session was attended by preschool, kindergarten and primary educators, as well as instructional coaches and administrators.

There were breakout sessions on STEM, music, literacy and oral development, social-emotional learning, challenging behaviors and more. 

Amanda Petersen, director of the Kansas State Department of Education’s (KSDE) Early Childhood team, and Natalie McClane, an education program consultant on the KSDE Early Childhood team, presented at the event.

“It aligned nicely with our KSDE work to encourage effective play-based learning in preschool, kindergarten and the early grades,” Petersen said. “We spent most of the time talking about the All in For Kansas Kids strategic plan and the Governor’s Early Childhood Transition Task Force. We’re expecting many opportunities later in 2023 for Kansans to engage in this work by attending community engagement sessions and sharing feedback.”