The Purpose of the Protectors of Play Professional Learning Journal

The Protectors of Play Professional Learning Journal was created as a resource for educators to think, wonder, reflect, and reconnect with their practice. In the busy, fast-paced early learning environments, we don’t always get the time to pause and think about why we do what we do, what we are noticing about children, and how play is unfolding in our spaces. This journal is an invitation to slow down and engage in reflective practice in a meaningful and ongoing way.

Grounded in children’s rights, play-based pedagogy, and holistic early learning frameworks, this journal is designed to support educators in making their thinking visible, deepening their understanding of play in the early years, and strengthening their professional identity. It is not meant to be completed perfectly or all at once, but rather used as a living document — something you return to over time as you grow, learn, and evolve in your practice.

Being a Protector of Play means we continue to learn, reflect, and advocate. This journal is one small way to support that important work.