A 3-day virtual event for Play-Based Early Childhood Educators!
The Power of Play Materials
Learn from 15 education experts how to engage, support and elevate your students’ development with a powerful variety of play materials that comes easy to you AND your students.
October 21 - 23, 2023
Discover the Benefits of This FREE Event
Watch the video below to discover how this FREE event will help you to effortlessly introduce a range of play materials into your classroom so they support the learning outcomes without shortchanging you in time or energy.
There’s a lot more to successful play-based learning than grabbing paint, brushes and sheets of paper, and letting the children run wild.
But you already know that, right?
Right now, you’re carefully selecting materials that are open-ended and can be used in multiple ways to spark imagination. You are striving for play-based learning! And you have the best intentions.
But…let’s face it. It can get expensive providing an all-you-can-eat buffet of play materials for the children. Plus, the more choices you bring, the more possible chaos in clean up. And you still need the right strategies to help the kids get the most out of each activity!
Right now you…
Spend hours picking up after the children
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Are running out of ideas and resort to the same activities
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Are frustrated that the children are misusing materials
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Struggle to scratch the surface the materials you offer
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Engage your children for 5 minutes before they’re off to the next thing
You dream of finding a way to provide a wide variety of play materials without breaking your pocket book and using your free time for clean up.
How would it feel to….
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Have a comprehensive, hands-on approach to over 15 materials
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Know how to introduce a new material with ease and intention
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Know where to get the best price on materials
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Know the developmental benefits of each material
This is exactly what you’ll experience at the Power of Play Materials Summit!
Meet Your Host
Hi, I’m Sally!
I started my teaching journey in 1996 and taught for over 20 years. In 2010, I started Fairy Dust Teaching with a passion for the wonder and magic of early childhood. I believe young children have the right to play, to be collaborators in learning and to dream. Since then, Fairy Dust Teaching has become a global platform serving 120 countries worldwide. My teaching philosophy has let me travel the globe, sharing my knowledge and experience with teachers in Vietnam, Canada, Holland, the United States, the Philippines and more. My literary works include The Wonder Art Workshop (publ. 2019) and Through A Child’s Eyes, co-authored with Sandra Duncan and Jodie Martin.
Grab your ticket and join me and 15 play experts for a one-of-a-kind event that will help you engage young children in the power of play in a way that feels natural.
I can’t wait to see you there!
What to Expect at the Power of Play Materials Summit:
When and Where
The Power of Materials Summit will run from October 21-23, with five presentations to choose from each day. This event is entirely virtual, so you’ll be able to attend from anywhere in the world with internet access.
Expert Sessions
Attend presentations from our lineup of 15 speakers with training on paint, felting, gardening, fabric, cooking and more!. Your free ticket includes 24-hour access to each presentation during the week of the summit.
Private Summit Community
You’ll also have access to our private Facebook community where play-based early childhood educators like you who are already hanging out and exploring new ways to engage children through materials! This is where you’ll be able to connect with the speakers and other attendees before and during the event!
Upgrade for a VIP Experience!
After registering, you’ll also have the chance to upgrade to the All Access Pass which includes lifetime access to the presentations after the summit wraps up, bonuses, and more! You’ll get all the details (and a special offer) after grabbing your free ticket!
Learn how to engage, support and elevate your children’s development with the power of materials from 15+ top early years education experts.
You don’t need another summit of talking heads sharing a bunch of theories about play without practical tips on how to apply them.
Good news! That is NOT what you’re going to find at this event.
The Power of Play Materials Summit was specifically created for play-based early childhood educators like you.
Instead of covering irrelevant theories about play, this summit is about giving you the exact steps to providing a dynamic play-based learning environment that works for you AND the children. Each session will cover:
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Where to source the featured material at the lowest price (or even FREE)
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How to engage children in the material (and keep them engaged)
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How to empower children to care for and clean up the material
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The best introductory invitations to offer.
Meet the Speakers
Check out the incredible lineup of play material experts you’ll learn from at the Power of Play Materials Summit!
As you can see from these amazing jam-packed presentations, this is an event you do not want to miss.
Click below to grab your free ticket and join us for The Power of Play Materials Summit!
“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
“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.
Have Questions? We’ve Got Answers.
The Power of Play Materials Summit is all about how to bring materials to children in a way that unleashes their thinking and doesn’t feel exhausting to you While there are lots of summits and other resources out there about play-based learning theories, this summit will give you practical trips and strategies to introduce the right materials to your classroom.
If you’re curious about a practical approach to introduce ordinary to extraordinary materials to your classroom, this event is for you! It’s specifically designed for play-based educators with a focus on 15 different types of play materials. And if you are at the beginning of your play-based learning journey, then this summit is a great starting point!
The main portion of the summit runs from October 21-23 with pre-party sessions happening the week of October 16. You’ll also be able to join our private Facebook community as soon as you register, so you can join in on the fun right away!
While most of the sessions for the summit are pre-recorded, there are some live elements, and the pre-recorded sessions are only available for 24 hours with your free ticket. So we encourage you to attend live if you can! We would love for you to set aside some time during the summit week to attend the live sessions, watch the pre-recorded sessions, and participate with others who are exploring the possibilities of many diverse play materials.
However, if you’re not able to attend all of the sessions live, go ahead and grab your free ticket, and you’ll have the opportunity to upgrade to the All Access Pass for lifetime access.
Your free ticket includes 24 hour access to each of the sessions. If you need more time, you can always upgrade your ticket to the All Access Pass after registering, which will give you lifetime access to the sessions along with premium bonuses from our speakers and more!
To avoid tech glitches, give you the best possible experience, and keep things easy for the speakers, the sessions are pre-recorded and will be released at a scheduled time during the summit. However, the speakers will be hanging out in our private Facebook group with dedicated threads where you can connect with them and ask your questions! There will also be opportunities to join us for bonus live events throughout the week.
Yes. All sessions have closed captioning, and notes are also available for each session with our upgrade options that you’ll see after registering for the event.
Please reach out if there’s anything we can do to ensure you’re able to enjoy this event.
If you still have questions, we encourage you to go ahead and sign up. Your questions will likely be answered during the event or in the Facebook community, which you’ll be able to join right away after grabbing your free ticket.
However, if you need to ask us a question before registering, feel free to send us an email at asksally@fairydustteaching.com.
“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.
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