July 2026 Early Childhood Days of Play

Play is work! Refresh and reframe the way you view play. Learn how child-led play can help students better access grade-level content, gain autonomy and independence, communicate, meet sensory and motor needs, improve emotional regulation, and make progress toward IEP goals. Discussion and brainstorming sessions will equip participants with ideas for breaking educational boundaries in a more playful classroom environment.

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 supports to make play accessible. From sensory-heavy story bins to adaptive role-play, you’ll gain a toolkit of inclusive strategies that honor every child’s developmental stage while fostering a genuine love for stories.

Grounded in the Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines and early literacy expectations, this session explores how Texas educators can intentionally connect developmentally appropriate PreK instruction to the Science of Reading. Participants will examine how rich language experiences, structured play, and purposeful pre-writing experiences support later decoding, comprehension, and written expression.    Participants will leave with actionable ideas to enhance their existing PreK instructional practices and build strong, joyful pathways to kindergarten readiness and long-term literacy across Texas classrooms.

In this session, participants will explore best practices in early childhood education, learn how play-based learning aligns with content standards, and discover five essential skills that foster meaningful friendships and successful play experiences for young children.

Grounded in the Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines and early literacy expectations, this session explores how Texas educators can intentionally connect developmentally appropriate PreK instruction to the Science of Reading. Participants will examine how rich language experiences, structured play, and purposeful pre-writing experiences support later decoding, comprehension, and written expression.    Participants will leave with actionable ideas to enhance their existing PreK instructional practices and build strong, joyful pathways to kindergarten readiness and long-term literacy across Texas classrooms.

Play is work! Refresh and reframe the way you view play. Learn how child-led play can help students better access grade-level content, gain autonomy and independence, communicate, meet sensory and motor needs, improve emotional regulation, and make progress toward IEP goals. Discussion and brainstorming sessions will equip participants with ideas for breaking educational boundaries in a more playful classroom environment.

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, reinforcement, and play expansion techniques to increase engagement and create meaningful opportunities for communication and social development.