June 2026 Early Childhood Days of Play: Full Schedule

8:30am CDT

Block Play: Stacked with Learning Potential

Friday June 19, 2026 8:30am - 10:00am CDT

One source described blocks as “the tool you can’t teach without.” Join this session on block play to uncover the truth behind that statement. We will discuss the definition of a block, types of blocks, appropriate set-up of the block area, stages of block play, benefits for children and the teacher's role. Your participation will lead to a deeper understanding of what children are actually...
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Speakers

Jennifer Fernandez

Early Childhood Education Strategist, School Specialty

Jennifer Fernandez is School Specialty’s national Early Childhood Education Strategist. With 30+ years of experience, she holds degrees in Spanish, Elementary and Bilingual Education. She has taught PreK4-2nd grade and was a professional learning specialist for PreK4SA in San Antonio... Read More →

Friday June 19, 2026 8:30am - 10:00am CDT
Engage AB

Keynote

10:15am CDT

Shared Predictable Chart Writing

Friday June 19, 2026 10:15am - 11:30am CDT

Innovate A

This training will introduce you to the instructional routine of Shared Predictable Chart Writing. You will gain an understanding of this literacy-based skill, where to find it, and daily use ideas to connect to your curriculum.

Speakers

Susan Key

special education specialist, ESC11

Susan Key is a Special Education Specialist for Education Service Center Region 11, supporting Assistive Technology, Complex Access Needs, and the STAAR Alternate 2 assessment. She has worked with all ages and grades of special education students within the school setting for 16... Read More →

Friday June 19, 2026 10:15am - 11:30am CDT
Innovate A

Book Talk

10:15am CDT

Hands- On Discovery: Sensory Exploration and Fine Motor Development

Friday June 19, 2026 10:15am - 11:30am CDT

Create A

Sensory and fine motor activities can sometimes be messy in a classroom, but that's okay! Our young learners should have the opportunity to explore different textures, helping to develop their small hands for more complex tasks ahead. This session discusses the importance of sensory and fine motor activities, examples of materials and where to find them, and shows implementation in pre-K...
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Speakers

Taryn Hope

Pre-K Professional Development Specialist, Denton ISD

Taryn has been a part of Denton ISD for 11 years and has 18 years of experience in Early Childhood Education. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education and a Master’s degree in Special Education. Throughout her career, she has worked in a variety of settings... Read More →

Michelle Watson

Professional Development Specialist, Denton ISD

Friday June 19, 2026 10:15am - 11:30am CDT
Create A

Make & Take

10:15am CDT

Intentional Interactions in Centers: Talking, Questioning, and Extending Play

Friday June 19, 2026 10:15am - 11:30am CDT

Innovate B

Participants will explore practical, classroom-ready strategies for using intentional conversations and purposeful questioning during center time to actively engage in children’s play and extend language, thinking, and learning.

Speakers

Petra Gatzemeyer

Consultant for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services, ESC Region 11

Petra Gatzemeyer, M.A., LSLS Cert. AVT, is the ESC Region 11 Consultant for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services. With 30 years in deaf education, she brings over 20 years of expertise in early intervention and early childhood. She holds degrees from Gallaudet University and the University... Read More →

Friday June 19, 2026 10:15am - 11:30am CDT
Innovate B

Playground

10:15am CDT

Play with Purpose: Teaching Functional Play Skills to Students with Autism

Friday June 19, 2026 10:15am - 11:30am CDT

Connect B

Play is a critical foundation for communication, social interaction, learning, and independence. In this session, participants will explore the importance of functional play for students with autism and learn practical strategies for assessing, teaching, and expanding play skills. Through examples and interactive activities, participants will gain tools for using modeling, prompting,...
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Speakers

Michael Tucker

Team Lead - Autism Specialist, Education Service Center Region 11

Michael Tucker is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and has been working with students with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) for over 25 years. He began working with children with autism in a private setting and then at the Autism Treatment Center. His teaching career has included... Read More →

Friday June 19, 2026 10:15am - 11:30am CDT
Connect B

Playground

10:15am CDT

Small Movements, Big Impact. Fine Motor Strategies and Activities for Educators

Friday June 19, 2026 10:15am - 11:30am CDT

Connect A

Fine motor skills are essential for performing precise hand movements needed for daily activities and academic tasks, such as grip and writing. These foundational skills play a critical role in a child's overall development and academic success. This presentation is designed to empower educators with a comprehensive understanding of fine motor developmental milestones and provide practical,...
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Speakers

Tracy Sloper

Field Sales Manager, Learning Without Tears

Tracy is a Territory Manager with Learning Without Tears. Having been a Preschool Director, she loves to share her experience and passion with other early education educators.

Friday June 19, 2026 10:15am - 11:30am CDT
Connect A

Playground

10:15am CDT

That Hamburger’s Been Cooked 4,237 Times! Simple Scaffolding to Level Up Make-Believe Play (...and ensure academic success too!)

Friday June 19, 2026 10:15am - 11:30am CDT

Create B

Are you feeling the ‘academic squeeze’? Join us to discover why you don’t have to sacrifice play to meet foundational standards. Based on the groundbreaking research of Bodrova & Leong, this session explores how to transform "immature" play into high-level learning. We’ll explore how brief, strategic teacher actions can scaffold children’s play & provide practical, evidence-based...
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Speakers

Mary Eldredge

Early Childhood Librarian, Kooken Education Center | Arlington ISD

Mary Eldredge is a passionate, magical mix of joyful librarian, early-childhood educator, & clever creator — all rolled into one glitter-glue-splattered champion of children. After years of teaching, she followed her heart and became a librarian. Now, her days are filled with reading... Read More →

Friday June 19, 2026 10:15am - 11:30am CDT
Create B

Playground

12:45pm CDT

Shared Predictable Chart Writing

Friday June 19, 2026 12:45pm - 2:00pm CDT

Innovate A

Speakers

Susan Key

special education specialist, ESC11

Friday June 19, 2026 12:45pm - 2:00pm CDT
Innovate A

Book Talk

12:45pm CDT

Where do Shapes Fit in the World of Geometry and Alphabet Knowledge?

Friday June 19, 2026 12:45pm - 2:00pm CDT

Connect A

Building awareness and knowledge of the attributes of shapes are strong predictors of future mathematical achievement. Engaging with 2 dimensional shapes also provides building blocks for initial alphabet recognition focusing on line and shape of letters. This session will feature music, recognizing shapes in the environment, and integration of alphabet recognition.

Speakers

Dianne Patterson

Literacy Consultant, CELEBRATE Successful Early Learning

Dianne Patterson is a national literacy consultant. Her classroom experience spans early childhood special needs, Prekindergarten, primary grades, and adult education. Dianne shares interactive presentations focusing on intentional teaching and literacy acquisition. She authored science... Read More →

Friday June 19, 2026 12:45pm - 2:00pm CDT
Connect A

Book Talk

12:45pm CDT

Sound Play: Engaging Literacy Centers for Young Learners

Friday June 19, 2026 12:45pm - 2:00pm CDT

Engage AB

Phonological awareness is a critical early literacy skill that involves recognizing and manipulating the sounds in spoken language. Implementing hands-on centers in the classroom provides students with engaging, interactive opportunities to practice these skills in meaningful ways. During this training, educators will learn how to effectively design and facilitate phonological awareness centers...
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Speakers

Whitney Ruiz

PK Teacher, Crowley ISD

Whitney Ruiz is a dedicated educator with 20 years of experience in the Early Childhood field, 10 years as a Pre-K teacher. Passionate about fostering student engagement and growth, she is always looking for ways to collaborate with others in the Early Childhood field. Through hard... Read More →

Contessa Banks

Pre-K Teacher, Crowley ISD

Friday June 19, 2026 12:45pm - 2:00pm CDT
Engage AB

Make & Take

12:45pm CDT

Enhancing Cognitive and Language Development Through Play

Friday June 19, 2026 12:45pm - 2:00pm CDT

Create A

Many early childhood professionals agree that young children learn best through play, yet its value is often challenged by calls for increased academic rigor. This session explores a research-based framework grounded in Vygotsky’s theory, positioning play as a critical driver of development. Participants will examine how pretend play supports language and literacy, and how construction play and...
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Speakers

Claudia Castillo-Magallanez

Professional Development Implementation Success Manager, Frog Street

Claudia Castillo-Magallanez is a passionate advocate for high-quality early childhood education with 30 years of experience supporting educators, children, and families. She serves as a Professional Learning Bilingual Specialist at Frog Street and adjunct faculty at San Antonio College... Read More →

Friday June 19, 2026 12:45pm - 2:00pm CDT
Create A

Playground

12:45pm CDT

Intentional Interactions in Centers: Talking, Questioning, and Extending Play

Friday June 19, 2026 12:45pm - 2:00pm CDT

Innovate B

Speakers

Petra Gatzemeyer

Consultant for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services, ESC Region 11

Friday June 19, 2026 12:45pm - 2:00pm CDT
Innovate B

Playground

12:45pm CDT

That Hamburger’s Been Cooked 4,237 Times! Simple Scaffolding to Level Up Make-Believe Play (...and ensure academic success too!)

Friday June 19, 2026 12:45pm - 2:00pm CDT

Create B

Speakers

Mary Eldredge

Early Childhood Librarian, Kooken Education Center | Arlington ISD

Friday June 19, 2026 12:45pm - 2:00pm CDT
Create B

Playground

2:15pm CDT

Dulce aprendizaje: Language, Literacy, and Play with a paleta

Friday June 19, 2026 2:15pm - 3:30pm CDT

Innovate A

In this interactive session, early childhood educators will explore how to use What Can You Do with a Paleta? / ¿Qué Puedes Hacer con una Paleta? to build crosslinguistic connections and strengthen language and vocabulary. Participants will learn to leverage English and Spanish during read-alouds and play, highlighting cognates and meaning across languages. The session models how to teach...
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Speakers

Paola Pineda

Early Elementary Instructional Coach High-Quality Instructional Materials Specialist, ESC 11

Paola Pineda is a dedicated educational professional serving as a Bilingual/ESL Coach at ESC Region 11, with 18 years of experience supporting emergent bilingual students. She has served as an Instructional Content Coach, Reading Academies Cohort Leader, District Bilingual and ESL... Read More →

Friday June 19, 2026 2:15pm - 3:30pm CDT
Innovate A

Book Talk

2:15pm CDT

Sound Play: Engaging Literacy Centers for Young Learners

Friday June 19, 2026 2:15pm - 3:30pm CDT

Engage AB

Speakers

Contessa Banks

Pre-K Teacher, Crowley ISD

Whitney Ruiz

PK Teacher, Crowley ISD

Friday June 19, 2026 2:15pm - 3:30pm CDT
Engage AB

Make & Take

2:15pm CDT

Connect With Playing... Virtually!

Friday June 19, 2026 2:15pm - 3:30pm CDT

Connect B

Connect With Playing... Virtually! explores the vital role of play in STEM learning and how it fosters curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking. Participants will discover how meaningful, hands-on experiences can be created without expensive materials or in-person interaction. Through simple, adaptable strategies, teachers will learn how to incorporate playful learning using everyday items and...
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Speakers

Lori Hamm-Neckar

Distance Learning Program Manager, ESC Region 11

Shayla Greenwood

Virtual Outreach Teacher, The Petroleum Museum

Shayla Greenwood is a Virtual Outreach Teacher for the Petroleum Museum with a combined eight years of experience. She develops and delivers STEAM focused programs for early elementary students, helping introduce foundational concepts through virtual learning and hands on science... Read More →

Friday June 19, 2026 2:15pm - 3:30pm CDT
Connect B

Playground

2:15pm CDT

Enhancing Cognitive and Language Development Through Play

Friday June 19, 2026 2:15pm - 3:30pm CDT

Create A

Speakers

Claudia Castillo-Magallanez

Professional Development Implementation Success Manager, Frog Street

Friday June 19, 2026 2:15pm - 3:30pm CDT
Create A

Playground

2:15pm CDT

Play Without Barriers: Scaffolding Literacy and Joy for Every Learner

Friday June 19, 2026 2:15pm - 3:30pm CDT

Create B

How do we ensure play for 'all' actually includes everyone? This session is a direct response to SPED educators seeking practical ways to adapt play-based literacy for students with diverse physical, cognitive, and sensory needs. We will move past the one-size-fits-all approach to explore the ‘Ms. Mary Method’ of scaffolding: adapting environments, modifying materials, and using visual...
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Speakers

Mary Eldredge

Early Childhood Librarian, Kooken Education Center | Arlington ISD

Friday June 19, 2026 2:15pm - 3:30pm CDT
Create B

Playground

2:15pm CDT

Small Movements, Big Impact. Fine Motor Strategies and Activities for Educators

Friday June 19, 2026 2:15pm - 3:30pm CDT

Connect A

Speakers

Tracy Sloper

Field Sales Manager, Learning Without Tears

Tracy is a Territory Manager with Learning Without Tears. Having been a Preschool Director, she loves to share her experience and passion with other early education educators.

Friday June 19, 2026 2:15pm - 3:30pm CDT
Connect A

Playground

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