Welcome to my blog!
This is where I share my thoughts, ideas, and activities to support the emotional growth of children.
Re-thinking Recess: How One School Is Using Play to Create Change (Part 3)
It’s Week 3 of our Re-Thinking Recess series, and Tory is back to share how they intentionally bring play indoors—not because of the weather, but because they believe play belongs inside, too. At St. Bernadette’s, indoor play is scheduled on purpose, creating...
Re-thinking Recess: How One School Is Using Play to Create Change (Part 2)
It’s Week 2 of our Re-Thinking Recess series, and we’re so glad to welcome Tory, Principal of St. Bernadette’s Elementary School in Ottawa (OCSB), back to the conversation. This week, she shares how she thoughtfully introduces new playground materials—and how her team...
Robyn Young on Behind the Educator’s Lens – Why Kids Need More Play (and What Happens When We Take It Away) with Hannah Beach
This week on Behind the Educator’s Lens, I sit down with Hannah Beach for one of the most powerful conversations I’ve ever had about children, emotional regulation, and why more play is essential for their mental health and development. We unpack: ✨ why play is the...
Re-thinking Recess: How One School Is Using Play to Create Change (Part 1)
You’ve got to check out these fabulous videos from Tory White! Tory is the Principal of St. Bernadette’s Elementary School in Ottawa (OCSB) and one of the most inspiring leaders I’ve met. After attending one of my full-day workshops on play, she took everything to...
Making Room for Grief, and for Feelings of All Kinds
My mom passed away recently. Tomorrow is her funeral. As I’ve walked through these days, I’ve been reminded in the most visceral way to practice what I so often teach: making space for feelings — not rushing them, not reshaping them, not bypassing them with forced...
Frustrating Play: what it is and how it supports development
Play is engaging, but not necessarily ‘fun.’ Often when we think of play, we think of young children and toys. Images of children laughing, squealing and running around may also come to mind. Or perhaps, on hearing the word ‘play’ we think of children dressing-up,...
When drop offs are hard: helping kids feel safe
Yesterday I visited my mom in the hospital. She has advanced dementia and holding onto time is challenging for her. Each time we leave the hospital, she is teary as it is frightening for her to be in an unknown place without her people and not clearly understanding...
The magic of one-on-one time
As you may know, I am the youngest of nine and also had many foster brothers and sisters growing up. Needless to say, one-on-one time with my mother was very rare. However, my mother planned an intentional one-on-one date for us once a year. This was always at the end...
Bridging and matchmaking: keeping connection alive in times of transition
Emotional safety is essential to learning. And the essence of emotional safety is the connection that the student feels with the teacher. Once the student is attached to a teacher, that teacher has the capacity to pass on the ‘attachment baton’. If we can...
Paralyzed by Perfection: The power of emotional safety
This week I decided to paint a mural on my wall. Automatically, without even thinking, I put on my highschool MIME sweatshirt. (YES, I was a mime in highschool. No judgement please ;). Being in a mime and clowning troupe was AWESOME.) Why was it awesome? Not...