PZ PGH Learning and Thinking that Make a Difference (May 2026)

This hands-on workshop invites educators to move beyond play as a "break" and re-examine it as a pedagogical tool for deep thinking and equity. Drawing on Project Zero frameworks—including Pedagogy of Play, Art | Play, and Agency by Design—participants will consider how we might think critically about play and its relationship to learning and equity in educational contexts. Practical questions we will think about together include: What are we talking about when we talk about play? What are some connections between play and learning? And, who gets to play, where, and how? Attendees will test-drive a new Play Journaling tool that can be used in a variety of teaching, learning, and childcare contexts to support critical reflection on play and its place in equitable learning. Attendees will gain frameworks, tools, and examples for fostering more inclusive and critical approaches to play in diverse teaching and learning contexts.