Turn Books into Invitations: Hands-On Professional Learning for Playful Literacy
Current Offerings
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Professional Learning for Adults Supporting Toddlers (18 months–3 years)
The Wonder Shelf Professional Learning Experience invites educators, caregivers, and parents into a deeper understanding of how literacy truly develops for toddlers.
Designed for adults supporting children ages 18 months to 3 years, this session reframes reading from a seated activity into a whole-body, sensory, relational experience. Participants explore how thoughtfully pairing books with open-ended materials transforms a simple shelf, basket, or play space into a powerful literacy invitation.
Rather than focusing on outcomes, products, or performance, The Wonder Shelf centers observation, responsiveness, and play as the foundation of early language development, comprehension, and joy with books.
Participants will explore:
How toddlers experience stories through movement, sensory exploration, and connection
How to curate simple, flexible book-and-material pairings that invite revisiting and exploration
How everyday interactions build vocabulary, comprehension, and narrative understanding
How to support toddlers with diverse sensory and communication needs through environment design
This experience supports adults in slowing down, noticing more, and trusting the literacy that unfolds through play.
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Sensory Play & Process Art for Preschoolers (Ages 3–5)
Bringing Literacy to Life through Sensory Play and Process Art is a hands-on professional learning experience designed for preschool educators, caregivers, and families seeking developmentally appropriate, play-based approaches to early literacy.
This session reframes literacy as something young children live inside of, not something they sit through. Participants explore how oral language, story comprehension, vocabulary, background knowledge, symbolic thinking, and emergent writing naturally grow when stories and information-rich texts are paired with sensory play, open-ended materials, and process-focused art.
Rather than separating fiction and nonfiction into isolated lessons, this experience helps adults understand how preschoolers build meaning across stories, real-world concepts, and lived experiences. Narrative and informational texts are explored side by side, revealing how both support curiosity, language development, and comprehension when learning is grounded in play.
Participants will explore:
How to extend both narrative and informational texts through sensory play and art
How process art supports retelling, sequencing, and meaning making
How to design flexible literacy routines that fit real classrooms and homes
How to create inclusive environments that support diverse learners
How these practices align with the Maryland Revised Early Learning Standards
Instead of adding programs, worksheets, or scripted lessons, this experience centers simple, sustainable practices that honor children’s natural ways of learning.
This professional learning supports adults in shifting from managing “reading time” to cultivating environments where stories are lived, revisited, and loved.
Play by the Book professional learning experiences from WonderPlay Learning equip adults to turn everyday read-alouds into meaningful, play-centered literacy experiences. Designed for early educators, librarians, parents, caregivers, and community partners, these sessions blend research-informed practice with hands-on participation so adults leave feeling confident, capable, and ready to use what they learned right away.
Rather than focusing on scripted lessons or rigid outcomes, Play by the Book invites adults to experience literacy the way young children do. Through sensory exploration, movement, conversation, and creative expression, participants discover how books can become living invitations that spark curiosity, connection, and deep meaning making.
In every workshop, participants step inside the experience. They explore how stories and informational texts can be extended through sensory play, process art retelling, dramatization, and simple language-building routines that strengthen comprehension, vocabulary, and joyful engagement with text.
Grounded in Full Inclusiveness
All Play by the Book adult learning is rooted in the belief that every child belongs and every child deserves access to joyful, meaningful literacy experiences.
Sessions include practical, realistic guidance for adapting environments, materials, and routines to include all young children, including learners with diverse sensory needs, communication styles, developmental profiles, and abilities.
Participants learn how to:
Design sensory experiences with multiple access points (touch, movement, visuals, language, choice)
Set up spaces that support regulation, independence, and participation
Offer adaptations for sensory sensitivity, motor needs, attention differences, and emerging language
Use flexible grouping, visual supports, and predictable routines to help all children engage and communicate
Make play invitations inclusive without reducing them to a single “right way” to participate
Inclusivity is not treated as an add-on. It is woven into how environments are designed, how materials are offered, and how adults observe and respond to children.
What Participants Will Learn
Across all Play by the Book professional learning experiences, participants gain practical strategies they can immediately apply in classrooms, libraries, homes, and community settings, including:
How to choose and use narrative and informational texts as starting points for play
How to design simple sensory invitations and provocations connected to key story elements and concepts
How to use process art as a tool for retelling, comprehension, and meaning making
Playful routines that build oral language, vocabulary, and storytelling without turning play into a lesson
Facilitation strategies for different settings, including group storytimes, classroom centers, and family events
Inclusive approaches that ensure all children can access, explore, and enjoy literacy experiences
What Makes This Professional Learning Different
Play by the Book professional learning is interactive, supportive, and immediately usable. Participants do not leave with binders that sit on shelves. They leave with clear examples, adaptable templates, and a growing sense of trust in play as a powerful literacy pathway.
Sessions emphasize observation, responsiveness, and environment design rather than performance, products, or pressure. Whether participants are planning a classroom center, leading a library storytime, hosting a family literacy event, or supporting learning at home, the strategies translate easily into real-world practice.
Professional learning can be offered as:
A one-time workshop
A multi-session learning series
Customized training for schools, libraries, and community organizations
Let’s Work TogetherCall for Pilot Partners
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Play by the Book is inviting a small group of organizations to participate as pilot partners in an upcoming professional learning experience focused on playful, inclusive literacy.
This limited pilot opportunity is designed for early learning programs, libraries, and community organizations that want to explore how books can become invitations for sensory play, process art, movement, and meaningful language-building experiences. Pilot partners help shape this work through real-world implementation and reflective feedback.
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We are seeking interest from:
Early learning programs, including preschools, childcare centers, and family childcare homes
Public and community libraries
Community-based programs serving young children and families
Pilot partners are organizations that value developmentally appropriate practice, inclusive environments, sensory play, and joyful approaches to early literacy.
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Selected pilot partners will receive:
A Play by the Book professional learning experience, tailored to the age group and setting served
Hands-on, interactive training for educators, staff, or caregivers
Practical strategies that can be implemented immediately in classrooms, storytimes, or family programs
Support for adapting materials and environments to include all learners
Professional learning is offered at a pilot rate covering materials only. This allows organizations to participate at a low cost while supporting the materials needed for a meaningful, hands-on experience.
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In-person professional learning is available within 60 miles of Calvert County, Maryland
Virtual professional learning is available across the United States
Materials can be shipped directly, or
A detailed materials list can be provided for local sourcing
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In exchange for pilot pricing, participating organizations agree to:
Share honest feedback on the professional learning experience
Reflect on how strategies worked within their specific setting
Support the refinement of Play by the Book through brief surveys or conversations
This is a collaborative pilot, not an evaluation. Feedback helps ensure the work remains practical, inclusive, and grounded in real-world needs.
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Item descriptionPilot partnerships are limited to three organizations
Sessions will be scheduled January–April 2026
Pilot spots are filled on a rolling basis
👉 Organizations interested in participating are invited to complete the interest form below.
After submitting the form, you will be contacted to discuss fit, format, materials, and scheduling.
We look forward to partnering with a small group of organizations to explore how playful literacy, sensory experiences, and inclusive design can come together to create meaningful learning for children and the adults who guide them.