When children feel they belong, everything changes.
Behavior improves.
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Learning accelerates.
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Confidence soars.
This summit gives you the exact blueprint to make that happen in your classroom.
This isn’t just another summit…
—It's a complete training system to create an environment where every child knows they matter, contribute meaningfully, and belong.
Over three power-packed days, you’ll gain actionable strategies to:
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Amplify each child’s self-identity so they thrive with confidence.
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Build a classroom culture where inclusion isn’t a goal—it’s the norm.
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Empower families and communities to become partners in fostering belonging.
A classroom where all belong is a classroom where all become.
In Loving Memory
We dedicate this summit in loving memory of Maurice Sykes, a true pioneer and champion in Early Childhood Advocacy.
Summit Overview
A 3-Day Journey to Transform Your Classroom
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Meet Our Speakers
Our speakers have been featured on:
Creating learning environments where every child is an essential thread in the fabric of belonging.
“One of the best I have ever been a part of!”
"What a wealth of knowledge was shared over just 4 short days. Thanks to each of you for making this one of the best I have ever been a part of!"
–JENNY STEIB COLLINS
“I am reminded of the importance of what I do.”
"I am reminded that what I do and the way I do it is so important. The research is out there and supports it. We must keep doing the good work for the sake of our children and our families."
–LESLIE FRIED-RUBIN
“Highlights what is so often undervalued and forgotten.”
"Thank you, thank you, thank you many times over for the passion, inspiration and support in teaching from the heart with all the right knowledge in our back pockets! Thank you for highlighting what is so often undervalued and forgotten in a sector that should first and foremost be about connection, nurture and love for our tamariki (children). Thank you, Sally, and thank you to the amazing team behind the scenes for making this possible and free/ affordable for all! Again, thank you, from my heart to yours."
–EILEEN WILFORD
“One of the best advocates for children and play.”
“Sally you have created a wonderful forum for all of us who deeply care about children. The Free to Play Summit is a fantastic summit, which I look forward to every year. Your passion and enthusiasm for early childhood is making a difference. A wonderful person, with a great team. One of the best advocates for children and play. Long may the Free to Play Summit and Fairy Dust Teaching continue.”
–TRACY HILTON
“Amazing takeaways from excellent speakers!”
“Thank you! My first summit here and certainly not the last! Amazing take aways for me. The amount of excellent and appealing-to-me speakers during those 4 days was extremely high! You have created quite something here. Again: thank you.“
–FRAN ZIS KA
“Mind-bogglingly inspiring, with incredible speakers.”
“I have quite literally never seen or experienced anything like this summit. The work and care and thought and love you all put into every single detail is mind bogglingly inspiring. The speakers were absolutely incredible. Thank you thank you thank you!!”
–MOLLY LANNON KENNY
Why Attend the Belonging First Summit?
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Practical, not theoretical: Every session focuses on actionable strategies you can implement immediately
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Expert-led sessions: Learn from renowned educators and researchers who specialize in creating inclusive learning environments
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Community connection: Connect with like-minded educators committed to transforming their classrooms
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Flexible learning: Attend live or watch the recordings at your convenience
“Ignited the flame yet again!”
“Sally and Team - yes - you have ignited that flame yet again- a million thank yous!!”
–TRACY LLOYD
“My go-to center for ideas.”
“So much to learn. This space will definitely be my go to center for ideas from time to time.”
–ESSIEN NSIMA
“Lifts up my motivation.”
“Thank you so much for all the support and guidance we received during the summit's days. Your work, kindness and understanding has been great! The topics, play lab and speakers lift up my motivation to really fight for children and their wellbeing. Amazing , as always. Thanks again.“
–TINA TEODORESCU
“So refreshing and filled with new ideas.”
“This summit has been so refreshing and filled with new ideas to incorporate into the classroom. I keep reflecting on the importance of letting children learn through play and at their own pace. The presenters have been amazing. I feel inspired to go and practice everything I got out of this summit. Thank you Sally and staff for making this possible.”
–MARIA LARA
“More focused, confident, hopeful and joyful.”
“I feel invigorated, rejuvenated, heard, felt, and seen. My thoughts, instincts, hopes and desires for children have been validated. I feel a part of something bigger and less alone in the struggles. I feel hopeful and joyful. I feel empowered. I am more focused on my WHY and more confident in my HOW. Thank you to Sally, all the presenters, every single person who had a hand in putting together the Free to Play Summit and for everyone participating in this amazing community. You are all enough...and so much more.”
–TARA LANG
“Excited to spread this light you’ve shared with us.”
“Please keep on doing what you do. You are reaching all kinds of individuals in different parts and crevices of the world where this kind of information is expensive and hard to come by. Really excited to spread this light that you have all shared with us to our children, classrooms, colleagues, parents and families. Great team effort, kudos to the entire Fairy Dust team!!! All your efforts and planning was simply evident in every step of the way, from the format, the speakers chosen, the summit diaries, playlabs and so much more! More power to all of you!”
–MICA AGUILAR GONZALES
“Groundbreaking journey to become the best version of myself.”
"What I took away from this Summit was togetherness, happiness, freshness, joining as one and, really, doing the fine-tuning to get the work done in a fun, enjoyable, exciting way for all. Thank you for the opportunity to be part of a groundbreaking journey and become the best version of myself."
–SANDRA B.
“Above and beyond what I expected!”
"This was above and beyond what I expected and it was worth all of my extra time! Thank you so much for everything you all do and feel I was completely blessed by it all! Looking forward to the next one!"
–FAITH F.
“Has had a huge and wondrous impact on my heart!”
“Sally, you and your team truly inspire each of us that work in this field to try our hardest, to inspire others, to accept children for who they are, to love, laugh and play! Thank you again for the dedication, love and passion you bring! I truly am looking forward to next year’s summit . This was my first and I can't stop talking about it and crying at times. These sessions and the speakers spoke to our hearts. It has definitely had a huge and wondrous impact on my heart!”
–ANGELA ONGO
“All of the speakers were Five Star.”
"This was a gift of love for educators. Every day was an evolution for me personally and as an educator. All of the speakers were Five Star with a depth of knowledge, love and commitment to give students and families their best. This was more than just a summit. It was a call to protect play because "Childhood Matters". Thank-you for this six day gift and I will share it with my students, families, colleagues and our school district in Boston."
–ALICIA C.
Frequently Asked Questions
In a day and age where your time is more precious than ever, we have committed to trimming the fluff and delivering a practical and to-the-point summit.
In this year’s summit, each session focuses on actionable strategies for building profound relationships with each child, creating inclusion in your classroom, and supporting children in difficult conversations and conflicts. These sessions are packed with gold.
The links to each day’s Summit will be emailed out at 9 am CST and will be available for 24 hours no matter where you are! There are no individual times for each session, so you can pick and choose which ones you would like to watch and when each day. (*You can use the same access link each day!)
Each day’s sessions are available for 24 hours no matter where you are in the world. So you can fit them into even a busy schedule.
When you purchase the The Blueprint for Belonging Pass, you’ll receive lifetime access following the “live” summit (on May 14th) to the videos, audios, and transcripts for each session. We have many ways to help you get this content at a pace- and a low price - that works for you!
Yes! The Blueprint for Belonging Pass, includes PD. This lifetime access pass includes a 15+ hour PD certificate. (*Note: Due to ongoing third party costs, the free registration pass does not include a PD Certificate. If you would like a PD Certificate, please consider upgrading!)
Since each region is a little different with what they accept for PD training hours, we encourage all lifetime access purchasers to check directly with their province/state/territory/board to confirm if our program meets their standards.
The Summit Hub is our “one stop shop” where you can watch each day’s summit sessions. We wanted to make it as easy as possible for you to watch the sessions, so we created one link you need in order to have access to the Belonging First Summit.
YES! Everyone who registers, will be able to access for 24 hours, each day’s sessions for Free. If you choose to purchase The Blueprint for Belonging Pass, you will get lifetime access (On May 14th) to all 18 summit sessions plus exciting bonus materials after the “live” summit concludes.
On May 3rd, attendees will receive a link to the Summit Hub Page, where you can watch Day 1’s videos starting at 9 AM CST.
On May 4th at 9 AM CST, Day 2’s sessions will open up for your viewing, and Day 1’s sessions will expire.
On May 5th at 9 AM CST Day 3’s sessions will open up for your viewing, and Day 2’s sessions will expire.
We will have 6 speaker sessions on each day. Each day is available to view for 24 hours.
On Wednesday, May 14th, if you have purchased The Blueprint for Belonging Pass, you will be sent login details to your lifetime access platform, where you can watch and re-watch the videos at your convenience.
**The Blueprint for Belonging Pass MUST be purchased before May 20, 2025. No lifetime access passes will be sold after May 20, 2025.
With your purchase of The Blueprint for Belonging Pass, you will receive a link to your lifetime access dashboard following the “live” summit on May 14th. There will be a certificate request link available at the bottom of your trainings.
While each Blueprint for Belonging Pass acts as admission for one person, we are very excited to offer a discounted group purchase price when 5 or more individual passes are purchased at the same time.
Please reach out to asksally@fairydustteaching.com for more information!
Each session is between 25 to 40 minutes long. We were committed to providing short and effective sessions.
“Not one of the best – THE ABSOLUTE BEST.”
"This has been not one of the best, but rather THE ABSOLUTE BEST summit I have been a part of in my thirty-plus years as an early childhood educator! I thoroughly enjoyed every minute. Sally is great and the speakers were as well. I learned so much. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"
–VICKI C.
“Enthralling information.”
"It was a week of inspirational and motivating ideas and methods of helping our young curious, adventurous, and experimenting minds. Enthralling information on risk play, puppet play, nature play, and inclusive education. Thanks to all the presenters and Sally for coming up and sharing great information for people involved in children's development."
–AMLA N.
Join us for the Belonging First Summit!
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