Inspired Minds ECC Consulting Inc.

ONLINE WEBINAR~ Building Stronger Teams Together!
2020-04-08 18:30 - 20:00 (America/Edmonton)
Building Stronger Teams Together:
Effective Team Communication in Early Childcare (1.5 hours)
Join us for a session of fun, learning and team building activities that help us to build stronger teams together. This session includes strategies and activities that will encourage you and your colleagues to work together, learn about your own communication behaviors, communication style and how to overcome obstacles and effectively resolve conflicts in order to move your team forward. Effective communication and working together as a team are the foundations to providing a quality early childhood environment that is fun for everyone!

ONLINE WEBINAR ~ I Like to Move It! Move It!
2020-04-09 18:30 - 20:00
I Like to Move it! Move it! Enhancing Physical Literacy in the Classroom
1.5 hours
Jump! Run! Stop! Crawl! Go! Children are definitely busy bodies and need a variety of activities to keep their bodies and minds healthy. In this workshop, participants will review what physical literacy means, skills we can promote through active play and learn practical and fun ways to implement these activities into their daily classroom routines. Come with a water bottle as we will all want to try out these activities ourselves!

ONLINE WEBINAR ~ Tinkering and Toying with STEM!
2020-04-16 18:30 - 20:00
Tinkering and Toying with STEM:
Engaging Activities to Support Science, Technology, Engineering and Math with Young Children (1.5hrs)
Boing! Tink! Rumble! Roll! These are the sounds of engineers and designers in the making! But where can we start to promote and support these creative minds? Through STEM! Supporting children on their journey of investigation, predicting and exploring can be a daunting task or a great way to spice up your early childhood classroom! Put on your thinking cap as we discover, tinker and toy with different ways to promote intellectual thinking with young children through hands-on and engaging activities! Let’s follow the children’s natural interests, sense of wonder and curiosity as they put on their thinking caps with these amazing science, technology, engineering and math activities designed specifically with them in mind! Let your creative mind flow as we build on our own ideas, abilities and materials that support these young thinkers.

ONLINE WEBINAR ~ Rocks and Sticks and Wonderful Things!
2020-04-23 18:30 - 20:00
Rocks and Sticks and Wonderful Things:
Creative Outdoor Play Experiences for Young Children (1.5 hrs)
It’s time to go back to our ‘roots’ and get outside to discover the wonders and adventures that the great outdoors has for us! Outdoor play and nature play give children an opportunity to learn in ways that develop their minds and bodies. This workshop will give you some great ideas of how to promote these wonderful learning experiences for children in creative and simple ways! Whether its bark rubbing, freezing bubbles or hopping and jumping through mud puddles – every child deserves a chance to freely express themselves and connect with nature.

ONLINE WEBINAR! Know No No's Overview
2020-05-07 18:30 - 20:00
Know No No’s:
Supporting Children with Difficult and Challenging Behaviours Using Positive Guidance Strategies – Overview
Expressions and difficult behaviours of young children can baffle us sometimes when we struggle to understand them. The key to remember is that all behaviour is a form of communication…we just have to figure out what they are trying to say! Which is sometimes easier said than done. This introduction session to positive guidance strategies is an interactive and informative workshop about why children engage in challenging and difficult behaviours and how we can get to the core of this style of communication. Understanding each child and being pro-active in our approach to guiding behaviours will help keep a calm and encouraging environment for young minds to explore and learn. We will identify the communication behind the behaviours, how to build resiliency, activities to promote self-awareness and self-regulation, activities to build positive social skills and what to do when the big emotions overwhelm the children. Learn some practical strategies that can help you and the children in your room. Our goal is not to fix the behaviour but to support the child in learning more positive ways to communicate their needs, wants and ideas through positive behaviours.

ONLINE WEBINAR! Beautiful Oopsies!
2020-05-13 18:30 - 20:00
Beautiful Oopsies:
Exploring the Creativity of Open Ended, Process Oriented Art Experiences
Ready to explore your creative side? Ready to help the children explore their creative side? Creativity and creative expression are different for everyone, so it’s important to provide a variety of creative outlets for children to express their own personal creativity. Providing open ended art experiences is one of these creative outlets for children. In these experiences, the focus is on self-expression, sensory exploration and the process of discovery and creativity. In this hands-on, make-and-take style workshop, you will get to explore and understand the beauty of open-ended, process-oriented art experiences through various materials and styles of creativity. Learn not only how creativity affects child development but also learn some great new ideas and strategies to try in the classroom. Learn how to balance those crafty activities with open ended activities. Don’t forget to take home your own masterpiece to inspire the children in your program! Time to get messy, explore and learn!

Online Webinar! Ooey Gooey Messy Fun!
2020-06-04 18:30 - 20:00
Ooey Gooey Messy Fun! Designing Sensational Sensory Stations
Learning through the senses is exactly what children need to explore the world around them. So, let’s respond to these needs and get messy with Ooey gooey sensory stations! This workshop will give participants hands on opportunities to explore a variety of sensory stations for all ages and stages. In addition to these fun activities, we will also cover why it’s so important to have multiple sensory play experiences for children and how it enhances their learning and development. We will cover the main five senses as well as the additional two senses that aren’t as commonly known but are equally important to children’s sensory experiences. So, roll up your sleeves and let the messy play begin!

ONLINE WEBINAR: Laughter and Learning with ABCs!
2020-06-10 18:30 - 20:00
Laughter and Learning with ABCs! Planning Exciting & Engaging Language and Literacy Activities
Do you sing the ABC Rock and Roll song? Have you read the story, Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Boom? Do you have natural letter blocks? These are great tools for children for learning language and literacy skills and there’s way more out there for them! Letter and Literacy are everywhere in a child’s world! From street signs, to labels on food to songs, to our communication with children. Children are constantly exposed to a world rich of robust language and literacy. So, how can we support this natural learning environment with intentionality and play with children? Let’s explore together! This workshop throws away those worksheets, flashcards and tracing pages to really focus on the natural process that children learn language and literacy – through fun, hands-on activities! Find out developmentally and age appropriate activities to spark children’s interest in the process of language and literacy learning. Let’s play, read, sing and learn together!

Online Training ~ Caring Connections
2020-09-16 19:00 - 20:30 | Online!, Alberta, Canada
Caring Connections ~ Interactions that Matter

The comfort of an encouraging smile. The caring reassurance after a fight with a friend. The excitement of co-celebration as they discovery a new skill. How we interact with children has a huge impact on children’s growth and development, not only their social emotional development, but also in their abilities to problem solve, resolve conflict, and take risk because they feel safe! Children rely on positive, supportive and encouraging adults in their live to show them they are respected, safe and loved. This type of interaction doesn’t happen just by supervising, asking questions or giving direction. It comes from a deep connection between the adult and the child. A connection that takes time to build and takes intentional interactions. Let’s learn some strategies of how to build this connection with ALL children – from the ones we struggle with to the ones who love us the moment they come through our doors. Understanding what each child need to feel a connection will help us establish that bond with each child and continue to see that relationship blossom. Connection is key!

Online Training ~ We All Belong (Inclusion)
2020-09-24 19:00 - 20:30 | Online!, Alberta, Canada
We All Belong ~ Inclusion Practices in the Early Years

We live in a world that is wonderfully diverse – not only culturally but also in our unique abilities. Some of us can sing while others can solve Sudoku in a couple minutes. Children all learn at their own rate and in their own way. It’s up to us, the important adults in their lives, to help them on this journey they are travelling on. In order to do this effectively, we need to understand what these abilities are, how they are unique to each child, and what we can do to support them. This is what we discuss in this session! Let’s talk about all the different learning styles of children, from extrovert to introverts, to children with Autism, hearing impairments or with sensory processing disorder. Every child can learn! Every child belongs! Let’s make sure we can set up our environment for every child and get them on their path to the future!

Online Training ~ Wonderful World of STEM
2020-09-29 19:00 - 20:30 | Online!, Alberta, Canada
Wonderful World of STEM: Exploration and Discovery Through STEM, STEAM & STREAM

STEM – Science, Technology, engineering and Math; STEAM – Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math; STREAM – Science, Technology, Reading, Engineering, Arts and Math. No matter which acronym you use, STEM activities are bound to be a hit with children as they encourage problem solving, exploration, creativity, discovery, trial and error and collaboration! Children are naturally curious and want to try things out to see what happens. So, it’s up to us to provide these rich, playful learning opportunities to build on this natural instinct to explore and learn. Let them take the reigns on these activities as we take a step back and move away from teacher demonstrations to child led explorations!

Online Training ~ From Crying to Smiling
2020-10-06 19:00 - 20:30 | Online!, Alberta, Canada
From Crying to Smiling: Understanding Challenging Behaviors

Ever wonder WHY some children react in ways we just don’t understand? The screaming, biting and hitting came from no where! When a seemingly small situation throws them right into a major meltdown. Feeling like you’re at a standstill of what to do next? Well, then this webinar is for you! Join us as we discuss the why’s behind children’s difficult and challenging behaviors and how we can support them during these difficult moments. Learn what happens in a child’s brain when the are dysregulated and take away some tools that can help you bring them to a responsive state of mind. It’s not easy sometimes…but YOU are the one who can make a difference. YOU can help them move from reacting to responding by making meaningful connections and adding some great activities and strategies that everyone can use!

Online Training ~ The Daily Struggle (Conflict Resolution)
2020-10-14 19:00 - 20:30 | Online!, Alberta, Canada
The Daily Struggle: Facilitating Conflict Resolution

Conflict is something that we all experience on a daily basis. We all have our own perceptions and experiences and opinions, and with children…these opinions can get very vocal! It’s up to us, the adults in their lives, to facilitate how to resolve conflicts constructively so that our children can grow into success problem solvers and engage in healthy conflicts! It’s not an overnight process, but with positive supports, children will start to understand different perspectives and understand how to resolve conflicts in a healthy manner. Let’s help them on this journey of success and understanding!
Note: This session is for adults working with children ages 3 years+

Online Training ~ For the Love of Language
2020-10-22 19:00 - 20:30 | Online!, Alberta, Canada
For the Love of Language ~ Creating Joy Through Language and Literacy

It is one of the best moments we can experience with children ~ sitting down with them or laying under the shade of a tree and reading a book together! How often do we actually do this with children though? Language and literacy though is much more then just reading a book a week, practicing writing skills and memorizing letters, phonics and spelling. Oh no! There’s way more enjoyment to be had with enhancing our love of language. So, throw out those tracing pages and flashcard phonic cards and let’s bring back playfulness in language learning! Let’s explore some songs, poems, games, hands-on activities and movements that we can show children how much fun it is to listen, talk, read and write. Through children’s natural desire to understand the world around them and communicate with those in their lives, we can create an environment that is filled with rich and robust opportunities to explore language and literacy! So let’s spice up our love for language and get ready to have fun!

Online Training ~ Adventures of Play
2020-10-27 19:00 - 20:30 | Online!, Alberta, Canada
Adventure of Play ~ Exploring Risky Play

Taking risk is a necessary part of play. It’s part of how children assess what they can do, what challenges them and what to leave until a later date to try. However, many of us face obstacles, barriers and reluctance to accept this into children’s play. Join me as we discuss what risky play is, how it promotes development and how to overcome those barriers and obstacles. Let’s take a look at all the different levels of risk children engage in during their play and how we can help provide an environment that allows children to explore naturally – with risk!

Online Training ~ Mighty Transitions
2020-11-03 19:00 - 20:30 | Online!, Alberta, Canada
Mighty Transitions ~ Discovering Transitions that Work!

Oh those transitions! From here to there and back again. They could be a time of chaos or a time of calm – which one do we plan for?! That’s right! Transitions can be calm, fun and effective if we intentionally plan for them! A planning goes a long way when it comes to helping children transition throughout the day through multiple types of transitions. And since not every strategy works with every child, we need a whole pocket full of ideas (or a backpack full). So let’s get some ideas stashed away in our back pocket to pull out when we need them the most. During this session, we will brainstorm, practice and play some unique transition ideas that will be sure to add some zen and some flavor to your transition times.

Online Training ~ Observing with Intent (Emergent Curriculum)
2020-11-12 19:00 - 20:30 | Online!, Alberta, Canada
Observing with Intent ~ Enriching your Emergent Curriculum Approach

Every take the time to sit back and simply observe children playing? The conversations they have, even by themselves. The curiosity they show when they are exploring something new. The expressions of satisfaction when they are deep in thought in play and when they reach a personal goal. These observations of play tell us so much about the children’s perspective and learning journey, that we need to write this down and capture it! There are so many discoveries and ‘ah-ha’ moments throughout the day that it’s sometimes difficult for us to figure out what to write down though. So let’s learn together as we discuss strategies of intentional observations and practice how to conduct intentional observations that assist us in enriching our environment by implementing the emergent curriculum approach.

Online Training ~ Playful Planning (Emergent Curriculum)
2020-11-19 19:00 - 20:30 | Online!, Alberta, Canada
Playful Planning ~ Enriching Your Emergent Curriculum Approach

Playful learning experiences promote a sense of curiosity, exploration, and confidence, which are what we all strive to achieve when we plan for our early childhood environment and our children’s experiences. To achieve this, one of the most popular and best approaches is the emergent curriculum approach. This approach let’s the child lead the playful experiences and follow their own learning path. Our job, as early childhood educators, is to observe their interests and plan to extend on these interests. Being intentional on how we prepare the environment for these extensions is a key element to emergent planning. Join me as we discuss planning strategies that work for everyone. There is no ‘one size fits all’ when it comes to planning for children’s play, so let’s explore what your journey is with the children and how you can plan for play!

Online Training ~ Reflections of Playful Learning (Emergent Curriculum)
2020-11-26 19:00 - 20:30 | Online!, Alberta, Canada
Reflections of Playful Learning ~ Enriching your Emergent Curriculum Approach

After a full day of play, everyone is exhausted! Oh, but what fun we had! What learning transpired! It was a success! Before we forget of all the adventures and discoveries, it’s time to reflect. Reflection is a main factor when enriching your emergent curriculum approach. Reflection has many facets, and looks different for each educator and each group of children. In this session, we will look at the many different ways to reflect on playful learning; from documentation boards and learning stories to brainstorming for future experiences and revamping our environment. Personal reflection, team reflection and reflection with the children are all elements of this process. It’s time to capture the moments of play and joy in early childhood!

Online Training ~ Cultivating Creative Hearts and Minds
2020-12-09 19:00 - 20:30 | Online!, Alberta, Canada
Cultivating Creative Hearts and Minds ~ Open Ended Art Experiences for Young Children

Creativity is intelligence having fun! Alberta Einstein had it right with his quote on creativity. Children are natural artists, as all their masterpieces are a visual representation of how they see the world around them. Let us foster this self expression through open-ended creative art experiences! For children, the focus on art is the process of creativity, not the end result. So, let’s provide an environment full of creative materials that allow children to enjoy the creative journey and show us their colorful world!

Online Training ~ The Me, The You, The We (SEL)
2020-12-17 19:00 - 20:30 | Online!, Alberta, Canada
The Me, The You, The We ~ Facilitating Social Emotional Learning

Feelings! Feelings! And more Feelings! The everyday struggles of identifying and understanding big emotions is a tough gig for young children. It’s all so hard! But with the right positive supports, people and environment, children can thrive and build those skills required to manage these big emotions. SEL, Social Emotional Learning, is all about understanding the self, building empathy and build skills to understand and communicate effectively with others. Time to fill our SEL toolbox as we explore different activities, strategies and conversations to have with children to build their competencies. Let’s get together and learn how we can provide a place of vitality so every child can build the skills needed in SEL!

We All Belong!
2021-01-12 19:00 - 21:00 | Online!, Alberta, Canada
Inclusive Practices in the Early Years
We live in a world that is wonderfully diverse – not only culturally but also in our unique abilities. Some of us can sing while others can solve Sudoku in a couple minutes. Children all learn at their own rate and in their own way. It’s up to us, the important adults in their lives, to help them on this journey they are travelling on. In order to do this effectively, we need to understand what these abilities are, how they are unique to each child, and what we can do to support them. This is what we discuss in this session! Let’s talk about all the different learning styles of children, from extrovert to introverts, to children with Autism, hearing impairments or with sensory processing disorder. Every child can learn! Every child belongs! Let’s make sure we can set up our environment for every child and get them on their path to the future!

The Magic of Loose Parts
2021-01-20 19:00 - 21:00 | Online!, Alberta, Canada
Promoting Play with Loose Parts
Loose Parts! The possibilities are endless when we provide an arrange of loose parts (open ended) materials for children to explore. Remember the possibilities of a cardboard box?! Was it a den? A space ship? Or a 3D canvas to paint and draw on? The possibilities are endless! Join me as we learn the advantages of including loose parts in your early learning environment and how to promote creativity and adventure with children through loose parts. True play and imagination really shine when we add these valuable materials to our classrooms – the learning opportunities are endless! The experiences and memories are priceless!

Let's Move! OSC Training!
2021-01-26 19:00 - 21:00 | Online!, Alberta, Canada
Including Movement and Active Play Everyday
In a world that seems to promote sedentary activities, it’s important that we get children moving after a long day of school and stress. After all, this is how children learn! So, how can we get children moving every day to ensure they are healthy in body, mind, and spirit? Get them moving! Join me as we learn a variety of ways to keep children learning by moving! From those quick 2-minute activities to full 1 hour opportunities, we will ensure that children enjoy being active and engage in rich learning opportunities. Whether it’s stretching on your own, joining a small group for jumping activities or a large group completing an obstacle course, its up to us to set up the environment to help kids stay active. Let’s Get Moving!
This session focuses on facilitating play with school age children in out of school care programs.

Outdoor Fun for Everyone! Winter Edition!
2021-01-28 19:00 - 21:00 | Online!, Alberta, Canada
Igniting Passion for Outdoor Play
Let’s Get Outside and Play! We just don’t seem to hear or see that too much anymore. What happened to connecting with the world around us in a hands-on way, instead of looking at it on a screen? Do you know the names of local flora and fauna? Can you identify a variety of insects? Have you ever built rock towers or dragged a huge branch around? Let’s go back to our roots and help children connect with the outdoor world around them. Together we will identify the importance of being outside, how it stimulates growth and learning, and how it’s the natural playscape of early childhood. Let’s get children connected to the natural world, discover safety in our communities and develop a sense of curiosity and respect for our Earth and each other.

Caring Connections
2021-02-03 19:00 - 21:00 | Online!, Alberta, Canada
Interactions that Matter!
The comfort of an encouraging smile. The caring reassurance after a fight with a friend. The excitement of co-celebration as they discovery a new skill. How we interact with children has a huge impact on children’s growth and development, not only their social emotional development, but also in their abilities to problem solve, resolve conflict, and take risk because they feel safe! Children rely on positive, supportive and encouraging adults in their live to show them they are respected, safe and loved. This type of interaction doesn’t happen just by supervising, asking questions or giving direction. It comes from a deep connection between the adult and the child. A connection that takes time to build and takes intentional interactions. Let’s learn some strategies of how to build this connection with ALL children – from the ones we struggle with to the ones who love us the moment they come through our doors. Understanding what each child needs to feel a connection will help us establish that bond with each child and continue to see that relationship blossom. Connection is key!

Mighty Transitions
2021-02-11 19:00 - 21:00 | Online!, Alberta, Canada
Discovering Transitions that Work!
Oh those transitions! From here to there and back again. They could be a time of chaos or a time of calm – which one do we plan for?! That’s right! Transitions can be calm, fun and effective if we intentionally plan for them! A planning goes a long way when it comes to helping children transition throughout the day through multiple types of transitions. And since not every strategy works with every child, we need a whole pocket full of ideas (or a backpack full). So let’s get some ideas stashed away in our back pocket to pull out when we need them the most. During this session, we will brainstorm, practice and play some unique transition ideas that will be sure to add some zen and some flavor to your transition times.

Creating Magical Spaces
2021-02-16 19:00 - 21:00 | Online!, Alberta, Canada
Inspiring Early Childhood Environments
Creating a space that promotes curiosity, exploration, discovery and play is not a simple task. Trends change over time…so what’s the latest and greatest in creating an environment that truly does captures the image of the child and children’s play? It’s a setting that focuses on the child, creates a natural environment for play, and promotes a sense of belonging, safety and wellness. Join us as we discuss all the various ways this can happen in early childhood settings. Inspiration can come from a carefully placed potted plant, to calming lights in a cozy corner to the use of colour to stimulate or calm the senses. Use your own magical touch to create a space that works for you and the children in your care. Not all spaces are the same – but each one is magical!

Wonderful World of STEM! OSC Training!
2021-02-24 19:00 - 21:00 | Online!, Alberta, Canada
Exploration and Discovery Through STEM, STEAM & STREAM
STEM – Science, Technology, engineering and Math; STEAM – Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math; STREAM – Science, Technology, Reading, Engineering, Arts and Math. No matter which acronym you use, STEM activities are bound to be a hit with children as they encourage problem solving, exploration, creativity, discovery, trial and error and collaboration! Children are naturally curious and want to try things out to see what happens. So, it’s up to us to provide these rich, playful learning opportunities to build on this natural instinct to explore and learn. From robotics, to demolition and discovery to coding and technology. Let them take the reigns on these activities as we take a step back and move away from teacher demonstrations to child led explorations!
This session focuses on facilitating play with school age children in out of school care programs.

Inspiring Curiosity to Play
2021-02-25 19:00 - 21:00 | Online!, Alberta, Canada
Creating Provocations to Play
How do we create an environment that extends on children’s natural curiosity and interests in the classroom? How can we introduce new ideas, based on our observations and our understanding of possibilities for children? What activities can we do that promote play? Rooted in the emergent curriculum approach, setting up provocations and invitations are a part of how we can create an environment that stimulates curiosity, exploration and encourage independent thinking. Instead of providing activities that focus on a specific outcomes or learning skills, we provide provocations to stimulate a wholistic approach to playful learning. In doing so, we are able to be responsive to the children’s interests, extend their learning and inspire curiosity to explore. Learn how to showcase these amazing displays to stimulate and build upon your children’s interests and sense of wonder. Become
