Professional Development

Toy Association and Genius of Play, a member of the National Afterschool Association's Corporate Advisory Board, has created a virtual hub full of play ideas, expert advice, and other helpful resources. The goal of the online resources is to help bring the joy of play to your family during these uncertain times.

In times of crisis, it becomes even more evident how important one caring adult can be to a child. I believe that every afterschool professional across the country currently has one thing in common:

Mindfulness, according to mindful.org, is the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we are doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what is going on around us. Mindfulness is our awareness of what is going on both inside us and around us—the awareness of our physical, emotional and mental states.

Families and afterschool programs provide essential protective factors for children experiencing adversity. As communities are facing physical distancing challenges, it's a key time to share resources and ideas to engage and support families through wellness and nature.