2011 and 2012: The Power of Play Workshops presented by Shannon Eggers

Child stimulation and development Workshops for parents and childminders

The Power of Play workshops provide parents and childminders with all the information they need to provide age appropriate stimulation and play for optimal development in children. Early childhood development is the key to establishing a solid foundation for all future learning and development. The workshops focus on development for the first four years of life and provide practical solutions for making age appropriate stimulation and play simple and enjoyable.

4 Key Points of the Workshop

  • Understanding developmental milestones and how your child learns (0 – 4 years)
  • How to provide age appropriate stimulation through play to provide optimal development
  • Practical ideas and solutions for implementing stimulation and play in your everyday life
  • Inspiration and motivation to play

Who are the workshops aimed at?

  • Working Parents
  • Stay at home Parents
  • Domestic Workers and Childminders
  • Grandparents

 Working Parents:

In today’s busy world Mom’s and Dad’s are constantly wondering how to juggle the important role of parenting with the demands of work and running a home. The challenge of being a working Mom or Dad is that you need to be able to maximise the time you spend with your children so that it really counts for both you and them. Quality time, bonding, communication and age appropriate play are critical for building good family relationships and ensuring your child’s optimal development.

It is possible for parents to ensure they build great relationships with their children and contribute significantly to their stimulation and development if they know how to make the most of the time and resources available to them. Furthermore, if parents know how to add value to the stimulation and development of their children in the formative years they begin to lay a firm foundation for future learning and growth.

Stay at home Parents and Grandparents:

Parent’s who take the decision to stay at home with their children are faced with the task of being both innovative and energetic around stimulation and development. In the formative years children are eager to learn and explore and parents play a critical role in guiding and supporting their child’s growth and development.

Stay at home parents can often feel overwhelmed with the responsibility of providing the right type of stimulation for their child or just at a loss for new ideas that make play and development enjoyable for both their child and themselves. It is possible to provide all the necessary stimulation for your child in the formative years with a little knowledge and a good dose of inspiration.

Domestic Workers and Childminders:

Some parents have to work after their little people are born and some parents choose to work. Regardless of the reason behind returning to work your child’s stimulation and development are still of the utmost importance to you. When parents entrust a domestic worker or childminder to look after their child they want to be assured that their child is receiving the very best attention. A domestic worker or childminder empowered with the knowledge of how to provide age appropriate stimulation and optimal care for your child is a great asset.  The Power of Play workshop will provide your childminder with the energy and inspiration to take an innovative and fresh approach to stimulation that will have countless benefits for your child.

With an in-depth understanding of child development and her practical experience Shannon offers invaluable advice and insight on various topics pertaining to achieving optimal development of little ones.  Shannon feels strongly that if parents are empowered to play and communicate effectively with their children then they are able to raise happy, healthy, well rounded little people.  With a passion for parenting, family matters and early childhood development Shannon strives to share practical and real solutions and ideas to empower parents to be the best Moms and Dads they can be.

The Power of Play workshops are aimed at empowering parents with practical ideas of how to make the most of the time they have to spend with their children. 

Course Content

Parent Workshops:

Everything you need to know to ensure the optimal development of your little one through age appropriate stimulation and play.

  • The importance of play and stimulation for optimal development in the formative years (0 – 4 years)
  • A basic understanding of developmental milestones (0 -4 years)
  • When is the right time to play to ensure the maximum benefits from stimulation are received
  • How to fit play into a busy day so that it counts
  • Making sense of child development
  • Different types of play for different areas of development
  • Simple, cost effective ideas for play that offer maximum developmental benefit
  • Ideas for play to ensure a TV free day
  • Choosing toys and games for your toy box for optimal development
  • Inspiration to use what you have at your disposal to create a world of learning for your child
  • Communication through play and why it is so important for relationship building and good self-esteem
  • Play and bonding
  • Emotional intelligence and the role of play
  • Ensuring safe play

Domestic Worker and Childminder Workshops:

Everything you need to know to ensure the optimal development of your little one through age appropriate stimulation and play.

 The importance of play and stimulation for optimal development in the formative years (0 – 4 years)

  • A basic understanding of developmental milestones (0 -4 years)
  • When is the right time to play to ensure the maximum benefits from stimulation are received
  • The important role of the domestic worker or childminder in development
  • Making sense of child development
  • Different types of play for different areas of development
  • Simple, cost effective ideas for play that offer maximum developmental benefit
  • Ideas for play to ensure a TV free day
  • Inspiration to use what you have at your disposal to create a world of learning for the child
  • The importance of good communication and positive feedback for the child
  • Ensuring safe play

 More about the workshop facilitator

Shannon is married to Clive and is mom to busy toddler Olivia and baby William.

Shannon has a master’s degree in Play Therapy and works as a Play Therapist in private practice in Johannesburg.  Shannon provides therapeutic support and intervention to children facing behavioural and emotional challenges and assists parents who require support, advice and parental guidance. 

In recent years Shannon has dedicated a significant amount of her time to a stimulation programme at a children’s home in Johannesburg.  This period of continued learning afforded Shannon the opportunity to witness the direct impact of a lack of play and stimulation, and to think creatively about how to overcome these challenges by providing practical game and toy ideas that encourage milestone development. 

In 2010 Shannon acted as the Production Manager for the Explore Play DVD series developing the expert content and game material for the series that focuses on play and stimulation for babies and toddlers.  

Shannon is a regular guest on the parenting show Great Expectations on e.tv and recently appeared on the Fresh Living television show where she was part of an expert team sharing ideas with a busy mom on how to juggle work and raising a child effectively.

In October 2010 Shannon spoke at Ann Richardson’s popular Toddler Sense seminars at centres around South Africa on the importance of play for optimal growth and development. 

Shannon contributes to magazine and newspaper articles on child development and parenting on an ongoing basis.

In a continued effort to share resources and parenting advice that empowers parents Shannon has recently launched a Facebook Page called ‘Practical Parenting Page’

Contact Shannon on shannoneggers@vodamail.co.za for further information.