Wild Play-a hit!

Hooray for everyone who attended the Parenting for Peace speaker event this evening. I was wowed when I arrived late and had a hard time finding a place to park. Every seat in Carter Hall was filled. And it was wonderful to see new faces in the audience.

I hope you enjoyed David Sobel's speech. That map of the decreasing space available to children was extremely powerful as was the video of preschool in the woods. He did a great job illustrating how developmental differences call for different kinds of play, problem solving, and risk taking in the natural world.

A huge thank you to the Parenting for Peace committee for all the work they did to prepare for David Sobel. We are all going to take a deep breath, process how things went, and then start planning for Alfie Kohn on May 3, 2011 at USM's Abromson Center.

David Sobel Tuesday Night

I know that it's tough. You leave work, you pick up your kiddo at FSP after-school care, you need to find something for everyone to eat and you look at the clock– 6:30pm. You had been planning to go to the Parenting for Peace event. You are interested in that place-based education stuff that Corie and Nicole talk about. You even told Kim you'd be there. But now there's dinner to make and you forgot to sign up for child care and who's going to miss you anyway?

I WILL!

Make a bunch of PBJ's, or grab a pizza from Ricetta's, get back in the car and come to Mackworth Island. Even though you forgot to sign up for childcare... we still have two trained adults that we're paying to watch your kiddos. The event is free. You will learn about great activities that you can use as you teach your kids about being a strong part of their communities and loving and taking care of the Earth. You will have a greater sense of ownership at FSP when you understand the philosophy of the teachers.

So where are you going to be at 7pm Tuesday night? Carter Hall! Thanks, I'll see you there. Anna