HEY, ECE Renegade!
Camp Renegade Play is waiting for YOU!
The funnest virtual summit you will ever attend is at it again for the 5th year! Join us for some renegade learning July 23rd - July 24th, 2026.
Get your FREE ticket!
Sunscreen? Optional. Bug spray? Skip it. 400+ ready-to-use classroom ideas for the new school year? Now that's a survival kit.
Camp is usually where we dig into the big why of play, the theory and the philosophy that make you a believer. This year, with a new school year bearing down on all of us, we flipped it. Camp Renegade Play 2026 is all the what: real, do-it-Monday ideas you can pack up and use the first week of school.
This year at camp, we're packing yours.
ANY OF THIS SOUND FAMILIAR?
You're standing in front of an empty sensory table in August with no clue what to put in it, and the kids show up Monday.
Your loose parts shelf has been the same rocks and pinecones for two years. You're bored of it. The kids are too.
You've pinned 300 classroom ideas over the summer and used exactly zero, because who has time to dig through all that.
The dramatic play corner has been "the kitchen" since 2019, and you know it needs a refresh, but the ideas just aren't coming.
Envision this.
You walk into your room the week before school with a real list of fresh ideas for every single area. Sensory, art, blocks, circle time, outdoor, all of it.
You grab one idea, set it up in ten minutes, and watch the kids actually lean in and stay.
You've got 400+ ideas saved in one spot, so when a center goes stale in October, you open it back up and pull the next thing.
“Camp Renegade Play was an amazing experience jam-packed full of inspiring ideas. I completed the weekend feeling engaged, energized and ready for action. My cape is patched up and ready to serve as I boldly go forth to advocate for the importance of play in the lives of young children.”
2024 Camp Attendee
introducing
the 'funnest' back to school summit you will ever attend
You thought we nailed it in the past, this year we are not kidding around. We have some of the most creative and inspiring speakers ready to blow your mind with a ton of new ideas for the new school year!
I've seen enough, give me my ticket!
RENEGADE TOPICS INCLUDE:
Jennifer Baumann: 20 Outdoor Additions That Cost Less and Do More
Stephanie Siedler: Loose Parts, Open Minds: The Process Framework
Kayla Snidal: 20 Sensory Bins That Spark Curiosity, Creativity, and Play
Suzanne Cotton: 20 Ideas for Becoming Reggio Inspired
Katie Minor: Wiggles, Wobbles, and Wonder- Fine Motor
Jocelyn Manzanarez: 20 Songs Every Early Childhood Teacher Needs to Know
Jenny Yerxa Oliver: From Birthday Cakes to Big Ideas: Reimagining Play Dough
Wendy and Dani: All the Drama...in Dramatic Play
Veronica Kelly: Top 20 Interactive Read-a-Loud Books for Preschoolers
Churmell Mitchell: Transforming Behavior In Classroom Through Love, Trust, and Connection
Day 1, July 23rd
RENEGADE TOPICS INCLUDE:
Nicole Monachello: The Magic Is in the Making: Outdoor Sensory & Process Art With Purpose
Jessica Borowets: Paint is Thinking: 20 Process Art Invitations for the YES Environment
Olivia Burks: Step Inside the Story: Sensory Play Inside & Beyond the Bin
Suzanne Cotton: 20 Ideas for Light Play
Katie Minor: Wiggles, Wobbles, and Wonder- Gross Motor
Jocelyn Manzanarez: 20 Rhymes & Fingerplays Every Teacher Needs to Know
Cathy Belgrave: 20 Clay Invitations to Begin the Year With Intention
MJ Jones: loose parts
Amber Unger: Group Games That Pack a Powerful Punch
Jessica Karpathios: Small World Play Invitations
Day 2, July 24th
WHEN
July 23rd and 24th, 2026. Free ticket holders will be able to watch 10 session each day for 24 hours (example: day one's presentations go live at 8am CST on July 23rd and go away at 7:59am CST on July 24th).
WHERE
From your couch in your pajamas, office, a tent or maybe on your way to work (only if you are just listening)! You can join from anywhere you get internet access.
COMMUNITY CAMPFIRE
All campers (free and VIP) will get access to a private Facebook group where we will be partying it up before the summit starts and working together to lean in to the renegade play topics presented.
GAMES & PRIZES
Campers will have the chance to win resources and merch based on engagement, BINGO and games that happen in the Facebook group!
HI! I'M KRISTEN, YOUR TROOP LEADER.
LET'S DO THIS THING!
I'm on a mission to help early childhood educators (or anyone that cares for young children) to get more confident and comfy when it comes to the renegade types of play (the types that adults often shut down) so that we can give children the developmentally appropriate and creative childhood they deserve!
I started out teaching in a traditional preschool classroom. Complete with rotational centers, calendar time, weather time, criss-cross-applesauce-eyes-on-me-one-two-three, and hardly any free play. Once I leaned into play and started to say YES more and NO less, I came to see the magic in child led learning and play!
Join me as I connect with some very creative educators that have some amazing and unique ideas for every area of the classroom. You will become the renegade teacher I know you can be!
MEET YOUR 2026 CAMP SPEAKERS
Amber Unger
Group Games That Pack a Powerful Punch
Group games may look like "just for fun" time-fillers to the untrained eye, but educators know that they are actually opportunities for children to practice essential skills through joyful play. In this session, Amber shares 20 classroom-tested games and also highlights the learning and benefits hidden inside each one, from communication and cooperation to problem-solving and self-regulation.
www.creamcityteacher.com
@cream_city_teacher
Cathy Belgrave
20 Clay Invitations to Begin the Year With Intention
How we set up our environments at the start of the year sends a message to children about who we think they are. Clay, when offered thoughtfully, says: I trust you. I'm curious about you. There is room here for what you bring. In this session, Cathy Belgrave shares 20 clay invitations and provocations that educators can weave into their learning environments - from simple sensory explorations to open-ended provocations that unfold over days. Practical, reflective, and grounded in children's agency.
www.theintentionaleducator.ca/
@theintentionaleducator_yvr
Churmell Mitchell
Transforming Behavior In Classroom Through Love, Trust, and Connection
Most classroom behavior is communication, and a student who acts out or shuts down is often expressing an emotion they have not yet learned to name. In this session, Churmell Mitchell shows educators how love, trust, and connection become the real engine behind lasting behavior change, drawing on his flagship work with Emotions You Know™. Teachers leave with simple, practical tools to help students name what they feel, defuse reactive moments before they escalate, and turn power struggles into trust.
www.emotionsyouknow.com
@emotionsyouknow
Jennifer Baumann
20 Outdoor Additions That Cost Less and Do More
You don't need a grant or a brand-new playground to create meaningful outdoor play. In this session, Jennifer shares 20 additions that made a lasting impact in her program without requiring a large investment. These are the ideas children returned to again and again because they invited creativity, problem-solving, and deeper engagement.
www.facebook.com/PlayschoolSince1999
@PlayschoolSince1999
Jenny Yerxa Oliver
From Birthday Cakes to Big Ideas: Reimagining Play Dough
Children have been making birthday cakes, snakes, and snowmen with play dough for generations — and that's exactly why this session matters. Explore 20 fresh play dough invitations and learn how changing just one element can unlock new opportunities for exploration, problem-solving, and meaningful play.
www.lovintheprocess.com
@lovintheprocess
Jessica Karpathios
Small World Play Invitations
Want to know how a handful of fairy dust and some tiny, whimsical loose parts can completely transform the energy in your room? We’re diving into 20 imagination-sparking small world invitations that secretly double as your most powerful, undercover tool for brilliant behaviour management. Join me to discover how fueling giant imaginations through miniature play can miraculously banish the classroom chaos and support your own professional joy!
www.jessicakarpathios.com
@curiouseducatorcollective
Jocelyn Manzanarez
20 Songs Every Early Childhood Teacher Needs to Know
Jocelyn has been an early childhood music educator for over 25 years, and she knows what works. In this session, she's sharing 20 songs you'll actually use, from action songs and name games to listening songs and scarf favorites. No fluff, no Pinterest fails, just the songs that work. Learn all 20, ready to use in your classroom Monday morning. Watch anytime, and leave with a songbook you'll use all year.
www.musicallyminded.net
@musicallyminded360
Jocelyn Manzanarez
20 Rhymes & Fingerplays Every Teacher Needs to Know
Just in case 20 songs wasn't enough, let's add more to your toolkit this year with The Ultimate Circle Time Collection: 20 rhymes and fingerplays you'll actually use, the kind that build pre-literacy skills before kids even know they're learning. No fluff, no Pinterest fails, just the rhymes that work (and work hard). Learn all 20 alongside Jocelyn, ready to use in circle time Monday morning. Watch anytime, and leave with a collection you'll use all year.
www.musicallyminded.net
@musicallyminded360
Kayla Snidal
20 Sensory Bins That Spark Curiosity, Creativity, and Play
Join Kayla Snidal as she shares 20 engaging sensory bins created alongside the children in her program. Through real examples and her Capable Learners Sensory Bin Formula, participants will learn a simple, flexible approach to creating meaningful sensory experiences that inspire curiosity, creativity, and child-led play.
@capablelearnersdayhome
MJ Jones
Loose Parts
Loose parts are open-ended materials that can be moved, combined, redesigned, taken apart, and put back together in countless ways. Unlike traditional toys with a predetermined purpose, loose parts invite children to become creators, problem-solvers, and innovators.
@Reggio_inspired_mama
Katie Minor
Wiggles, Wobbles, and Wonder- Fine Motor
Movement is learning! In this presentation, we'll explore ideas for children to develop essential fine motor skills through play, exploration, and meaningful experiences. You'll be able to use these playful ideas indoors, outdoors, and even in the rain!
www.wonderforest-community.square.site
@wonderforest.community
Katie Minor
Wiggles, Wobbles, and Wonder- Gross Motor
Movement is learning! In this presentation, we'll explore ideas for children to develop essential gross motor skills through play, exploration, and meaningful experiences. You'll be able to use these playful ideas indoors, outdoors, and even in the rain!
www.wonderforest-community.square.site
@wonderforest.community
Olivia Burks
Step Inside the Story: Sensory Play Inside & Beyond the Bin
Get ready to dig in! In this session, Olivia will walk you through creative sensory experiences that go beyond the basics, from thoughtfully set up sensory bins to delightfully messy explorations. You will leave with tons of ready to use ideas that spark curiosity, support child development, and keep kids coming back for more.
www.hugsandbugsclub.com
@hugsandbugsclub
Jessica Borowets
Paint is Thinking: 20 Process Art Invitations for the YES Environment
When we use paint as a thinking tool rather than a craft supply, children slow down and experiment. We'll look at how paint works alongside other core materials like clay, wire, wood, and natural loose parts to create environments where children's ideas become visible. In this session we'll explore 20 open-ended process art paint invitations you can bring into your classroom or studio and leave ready to set up Monday morning.
www.theartfulchild.ca
@theartfulchild
Nicole Monachello
The Magic Is in the Making: Outdoor Sensory & Process Art With Purpose
www.storybookvillagepreschool.com
@storybookvillagepreschool
Stephanie Siedler
Loose Parts, Open Minds: The Process Framework
In this session, we'll review dozens of creative invitation ideas using loose parts and open-ended materials while exploring how small, intentional changes can completely transform children's experiences. Rather than focusing on constantly creating something new, we'll discover how combining familiar materials in unexpected ways, embracing repetition, and trusting children's individual exploration can inspire endless possibilities for play and learning. You'll leave with a fresh perspective on process-driven learning and an abundance of practical ideas you can immediately implement in your own classroom.
@weskoolhouse
Suzanne Cotton
20 Ideas for Becoming Reggio Inspired
Are you ready to start implementing Reggio inspired ideas into your program? Prepare to change your mindset, your environment, and your practice with this session from Mulberry House Playschool.
www.mulberrymethods.com
@mulberry_house_playschool
Suzanne Cotton
20 Ideas for Light Play
Take inspiration from Mulberry House Playschool and prepare to up your light game. We'll talk materials, projectors, and light sources that will truly enrich your program.
www.mulberrymethods.com
@mulberry_house_playschool
Wendy Turcott & Dani Svantner (The Play Coaches)
All the Drama...in Dramatic Play
Step into the world of dramatic play and discover why the "pretend" corner is one of the most powerful learning spaces in early childhood. In this engaging conversation, we'll explore how imaginative play builds language, self-regulation, social skills, creativity, and problem-solving while offering practical strategies to elevate dramatic play experiences in your classroom. You'll leave with fresh ideas and a renewed appreciation for the serious learning happening behind all the drama.
www.theplaycoaches.org
@theplaycoaches
Veronica Kelly
Top 20 Interactive Read-a-Loud Books for Preschoolers
This presentation focuses on how interactive read-alouds can support the language, literacy, and social-emotional development of preschool children. Educators will leave with practical ideas for fostering early literacy skills while creating joyful, child-centered reading experiences.
www.tigerlilyschool.com
@tigerlilypreschoollearning
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is this only for teachers?
When is this happening?
Can I buy one VIP All Access Pass for a group?
How long will I have access to the video trainings?
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Do I get a professional development certificate?
Are there transcripts available?
I still have questions!
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