Thank you to all who attended our 2013 Learning Through Play conference on March 2. Check back soon for information about our 2014 conference!

Are you interested in outdoor play, getting your child ready to read or how your child learns through play? These topics and dozens more will be covered at the fifth annual Learning Through Play Conference on March 2, 2013.

As the premier location in Cincinnati for learning through play, this one-day conference includes engaging sessions for parents, educators and adults who work with children. These sessions are led by experts in their fields and engage adults in discussions on relevant topics such as helping your children learn to be successful readers, becoming an emotional coach for your children to help them manage their emotions and using play as an effective tool for learning.  

Our successful event also consists of a free Information Fair, held in our Rotunda and open to the public, where you can meet with representatives from more than 30 local organizations dedicated to educating and supporting young learners and families.

But this isn’t your typical "conference." You can bring your kids! We have many family interactive sessions where your children can create art, learn about insects or sing and dance while you learn how these activities are important for your child’s development.

Discounted early registration is available until February 25. Sessions range from $10 to $25 and parking is $6. Pre-ordered lunch and discounted museum tickets are also available.

Click here to register and see the schedule  |  Download the brochure

Program Descriptions

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Forum  |  Family Interactive Sessions  |  Adult-Only Sessions

Forum
OH Step Up To Quality Approved Training
KY Early Care and Education Approved Training

Clever Crazes for Kids (Adult Only)
Presenters: Paula Schoeff, Clever Crazes for Kids; Regina Hall, Cincinnati Museum Center
Discover how to integrate STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) into children’s everyday lives through hands-on activities. Learn how children benefit from arts and exercise by using the website clevercrazes.com.

Erasing the Bully (Family Interactive)
Presenter: Heidi Kambitsch & Heidi Madsen, Openheart Creatures
Erase the bully behavior from our homes, classrooms and workplaces through this interactive theater performance. Designed for families with children ages 3 to 18 years.

Family Interactive Sessions   
OH Step Up To Quality Approved Training
KY Early Care and Education Approved Training

Dots, Lines and Animals, Oh My!
Presenters: Jamie Muenzer & Kevin White, Visionaries & Voices
Children will experiment with paint and various tools to create abstract animals using dots, lines and patterns. Designed for families with children 3 to 10 years old.

A Musical Solution to Prevent Bullying
Presenter: David Kisor, Growing Sound
This family concert features songs that promoting acceptance, friendship, teamwork, empathy and responsibility; all positive things that prevent bullying. Designed for families with children 3 to 14 years old.

Healthy Kids for a Brighter Future
Presenter: Anne Schneider, Bluegrass for Babies
These play-based, multi-sensory activities encourage and help children remain healthy through gardening, nutrition, keeping clean and recycling. Designed for families with children birth to 5 years old.

Preschool Economics Through Dramatic Play
Presenter: Dr. Val Krugh, University of Cincinnati Economics Center for Education and Research
Explore opportunities to play with your children and help them develop economic, verbal, math and social skills while enhancing their understanding of the world and controlling their emotions. Designed for families with children 3 to 5 years old.

Awesome Storytimes That Lead to Literacy and Learning
Presenter: Arnice Smith, Public Library of Cincinnati & Hamilton County
Did you know that fun and interactive storytimes are just what kids need? You and your children will have a blast participating in this interactive storytime!  Designed for families with children 3 to 10 years old.

Picture (Not) Perfect
Presenter: Tommy Rueff, Happen, Inc
What’s wrong with this picture? Nothing!! Get ready to learn about making marks without seeing the page. You’ll have fun at turning your mistakes into creative works of art.  Designed for families with children 6 to 12 years old.  

Snug as a Bug
Presenter: Deann Bradley, Cincinnati Museum Center
Get up close and personal with the creatures that make up earth’s largest population! Build a bug, play hide-and-seek with a very hungry frog and meet some of our live insect friends. Designed for families with children 3 to 10 years old.

Caution! Minds at Play!
Presenter: Heidi Kloos, Ph.D., Children’s Cognitive Research Lab
Visit a variety of investigation stations featuring fun and exciting science activities that will encourage your children to love science. Designed for families with children ages 3 to 10 years old.

My Plate
Presenters: Deondra Kamau Means & Chris Stewart, Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati
Develop healthy habits and discover the importance of good nutrition, eating right and the value of creative exercise. Designed for families with children ages 3 to 10 years old.

Where Art and Science Meet
Presenter: Arynn McCandless, Cincinnati Museum Center
Art and science are both driven by curiosity and discovery. See how easy it can be to connect simple science concepts to the process of creating art. Designed for families with children ages 5 to 10 years old.

Building Strong and Stress-Free Families
Presenter: Sharon James, Beech Acres Parenting Center
Learn effective communication strategies and techniques on managing stress while children engage in fun, hands-on activities that teach skills to cope with transition and conflict. Designed for families with children ages 6 to 18 years old.

Every Child Ready to Read
Presenters: Lorie Bonapfel & Mary Lamping, Public Library of Cincinnati & Hamilton County
From the time they are infants, children are learning language skills that help them read. Identify and practice five simple skills to help your child become ready to read. Designed for families with children infants to 5 years old.

Spring Day
Presenters: Deondra Kamau Means & Chris Stewart, Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati
Take a trip through an enchanted meadow with Persephone the caterpillar, sailing into the spring skies as she explores the transformations around and within her. Designed for families with children ages 3 to 10 years old.

Adult-Only Sessions
OH Step Up To Quality Approved Training
KY Early Care and Education Approved Training

Analog Kids in a Digital Age
Presenter: John Hutton, M.D., Blue Manatee Children’s Bookstore
Review recent trends, marketing and health effects regarding electronic media use and children while discovering healthy alternatives such as shared reading and creative play.

Books Alive! For Kids®
Presenters: Kathy Wade & Bonita White, Learning Through Art, Inc.
Get your mind, hands and body moving to educate, empower, excite and enhance the love of reading and learning with multi-sensory, multi-cultural and multi-disciplinary methods of engaging readers at all levels.

Engaging Your Child in Nature Play
Presenters: Jonathan Swiger, Cincinnati Nature Center; Rachel Konerman, Arlitt Child and Family Research and Education Center
Outside play in nature is critical to healthy physical, emotional, social and intellectual development. Review current research and discover how Nature Playscapes make nature play a reality.

Loose Parts
Presenter: Leslie Kochanowski, Loose Parts Project
Promote creativity and collaboration in the classroom and at home by looking at the benefits of using natural and recycled loose parts as objects for play.

Raising Kids to be Self-Disciplined
Presenter: Scott Osterfeld, Beech Acres Parenting Center
Learn how you can be an effective emotional coach by teaching your children to manage their emotions, handle stress and solve problems.

Adventures Around Cincinnati: Educational Field Trips for Children
Presenters: Laura Hoevener & Terri Weeks, Adventures Around Cincinnati
Field trips are crucial for connecting children’s learning with real-world experiences. This session showcases a variety of unique, local sites and the many ways they can be used to educate children.

Facilitating Language and Literacy in Preschool-Aged Children
Presenter: Maja Kinnear, Hearing Speech & Deaf Center of Greater Cincinnati
Gain tools to recognize children at risk for speech and language delays and learn tips to facilitate development of speech-language and literacy in your child’s everyday environment.

Let’s Talk: Pre-literacy Enrichment for Pre-K Children
Presenters: Jackie McCarren and Rachel Smith, SPARK Program
Enhance shared reading time with children and learn how to connect stories with language and pre-literacy development through stories, songs, media, play and dialogue.

Play is Really Serious Science
Presenters: Bev Ketron & Sharon Young, iSPACE, inc.
Discover ways to engage and encourage young scientists to develop science process and inquiry skills that will enable them to "do science" while they are playing.

Building a Toolbox of Behavior Management Strategies
Presenter: Deborah Santiago, 4C for Children
Increase your awareness of factors that impact your child’s behavior and learn strategies to create a positive environment that will support his or her social and emotional development.

Science Experiments on a Budget
Presenter: Brian Pollock, Cincinnati Museum Center
Science experiments don’t have to "break the bank." Learn fun new science experiments for the home or classroom that encourage children’s interest in science.

Approaches to Teaching Science
Presenters: Tony Lawson & Karen Venetian, Cincinnati Museum Center
Step into the shoes of a child learning science and participate in three distinct methods of teaching science in your classroom or home.

Being a Resilient Caregiver
Presenter: Carolyn Brinkmann, 4C for Children
Children from resilient families are more resilient themselves and better equipped to solve problems and handle challenges and disappointments. Measure your own resilience and learn ways to build resilience in your children.

Bringing Up a Smarter Baby
Presenter: Constance Harrison, Beech Acres Parenting Center
Understand basic brain development in the first three years of a child’s life. Learn how adult-child interactions and play supports brain development through activities you can facilitate at home or in the classroom.

Songs for a Peaceful Classroom
Presenter: David Kisor, Growing Sound
Take a musical journey to a peaceful classroom through conflict resolution, focusing energy in a positive direction and using songs to support social and emotional development.

Improving Literacy through Shared Storybook Reading
Presenter: Deborah Santiago, 4C for Children
Support language and literacy skills by learning how to take advantage of the AWEsome moments in everyday conversations with your child and encouraging them to get involved in the story.

Ready, Set…Kindergarten
Presenter: Carolyn Brinkmann, 4C for Children
Build social and emotional skills in your child to help them handle the anxiety and worry of entering kindergarten. Prepare them for school readiness and future academic success.

Science Skills for Children
Presenters: Tony Lawson & Karen Venetian, Cincinnati Museum Center
Children young and old use the same seven process skills when learning science. Experience them in this hands-on workshop that will help you foster children’s interest and success in science.

Shared Reading
Presenter: Mary Ann Culbertson, Public Library of Cincinnati & Hamilton County
Identify and practice simple steps to stimulate conversations with children and analyze appropriate book choices to encourage shared reading with your child.

When to Call For Help…Understanding Your Children’s Behaviors
Presenters: Jaimi Cabrera & Kimberly Porter, Beech Acres Parenting Center
Learn how different mental health diagnoses affect children’s behaviors and emotions and how the power of play contributes to the ability to communicate and express feelings.