Registration opens Tuesday, August 4 at 7:00 PM!
Facilitated by: Lauren Goossens, RECE
Join us for another “Be Well” event, where we explore and reflect on all areas of self-care and personal wellness, from the emotional to the psychological, to the social, physical, and professional too.
In this hands-on puppet-making experience, early years professionals will have the opportunity to slow down, connect with their creativity, and experience the joy of making something meaningful. Participants will create their own puppets while exploring how puppetry can support children's communication, storytelling, emotional expression, imaginative play, and relationship-building.
Leave with a completed puppet, practical ideas for incorporating puppets into your early learning environment, and inspiration for using creative materials and experiences to foster engagement, belonging, and well-being for both children and educators. This session offers a playful and restorative opportunity to nurture your own wellness while building tools you can bring directly into your practice.
Pedagogical Focuses: Engagement - Expression
Standards of Practice: Standard I: Caring and Responsive Relationships, Standard II: Curriculum and Pedagogy
Lauren Goossens has spent 19 years in early learning, but she’s never lost her sense of wonder. As a Director at St. Thomas Early Learning Centre, she’s spent nearly two decades making sure every child and family feels like they truly belong from the second they walk in. Lauren is known for her out of the box storytelling and her belief that "the way we’ve always done it" is never as exciting as a fresh, creative idea. A lover of play, strong coffee, and her own family, Lauren keeps it real and keeps it fun, reminding us all that at the heart of early learning is a great story and a sense of home.
Monday, November 9, 2026
6:30 – 8:00 PM
St. Thomas Seniors’ Recreation Centre
225 Chestnut St.,
St. Thomas, ON, N5R 2B5
Cost
Elgin: Free with Access Code
*Restricted to Elgin Participants
Registration closes on Monday, November 2 at 12:00 PM
* Ticket Types are based on the County you WORK in. Elgin participants, please use your access key to reveal your ticket type.
Registration opens Tuesday, August 4 at 7:00 PM!