About Bedrock Play
PLAY is the Bedrock of Childhood Development and that’s why we design, host and facilitate programs that specifically expose children to play and all the ways it benefits them.
Our Philosophy
Children's lives have changed drastically in a short amount of time - just a couple decades ago children had up to 4 or more hours per day to spend in free play time with friends, most likely outside, now we are down to an average of 45 min. Times have changed, our culture has changed, but children's need for self-directed play has not.
School-based occupational therapists used to have a relatively small subset of physical and intellectual disabilities they supported children with - congenital and chromosomal abnormalities, cerebral palsy, those with low function due to autism. But now, the caseload is never-ending. There is an overwhelming demand for OT in schools and pediatric settings especially related to children struggling with sensory issues (seeking/needing more or less sensory inputs), emotional regulation (having control over one’s emotional state), and lack of ability to focus/maintain attention.
1/4 of kindergarteners now require IEPs.
Most schools have an OT and every OT has a huge caseload.
Teachers are handling not 1-2 disruptive kids but rather 4-6 disruptive kids.
Could there be a correlation between this major shift in the school support landscape and the decreased time in play? Absolutely. I believe a lot of the struggles children face these days, whether they have IEPs or OT support or seem to be having a “normal” childhood experience (which now seems to include a certain level of anxiety), come from the LACK OF PLAY children now have in their lives.
Giving children the OPPORTUNITY and helping them to develop the SKILLS to PLAY provides them with essential development emotionally, physically and socially. Research shows that Free Play Situations (and not a classroom or sports environment) are the environments in which children are most likely to challenge themselves, take risks, be vulnerable, make mistakes, push themselves to try new things, and learn to rely on themselves to problem solve.
It is in play that children through the millennia have developed their sense of self-confidence and “practiced” being human. These are experiences that are essential for a child’s development.
PLAY (and specifically OUTDOOR PLAY) helps children by:
Developing their sensory integration capabilities - our bodies crave healthy sensory input in the same way that our metabolic system craves healthy food
Developing the physical body through unrestricted movement. Kids use their whole body during play, strengthening the gross and fine motor systems as well as the core and postural muscles, and even supports the development of their eye muscles.
Developing the skills needed to be in relationship with others. Play demands communication skills, negotiation, compromise, and empathy for other people’s needs and perspectives. We are social beings in a social world and the ability to be successful in that realm is dependent on social skills learned through play (and not on a worksheet or from a show).
Developing executive functioning skills, or our ability to make choices, feel autonomous, and be in control of our life by visualizing what we want and taking steps to get it.
Developing our individual self and figuring out what brings us joy!
These days, even when parents want their kids to play outside, there seem to be many barriers to making this happen, whether it is because they don't live around other children, both parents work and there isn't time, parents feel pressure to have their children in scheduled activities every day, or children have a hard time disconnecting from their screens, and so on.
It takes a concerted effort to make sure our kids are getting the play time they need, but it may mean some difficult changes that go against the flow. Limiting screen time, letting your child get bored, creating outdoor family time, cutting back on scheduled adult-directed activities, making free time on the weekends, connecting with neighbors, overcoming fears – these are not easy but can lead to a healthier child who can play independently, knows their body, has learned to get along with others, and most importantly, has had the chance to figure out who they are and what makes them unique. We are here to support and help you provide this for the children in your care.
At Bedrock Play, we believe that PLAY is absolutely necessary to our development as humans and it is missing from many children’s lives. We need to change that. That’s what Bedrock Play is here for.
You can also learn more about how our founder Beth’s journey and how Bedrock Play came to be here.
What Kids Experience at Bedrock Play
Play is the centerpiece of Bedrock Play which currently uses the TimberNook curriculum. Despite what many people think, the focus of TimberNook is not Nature - it is PLAY. It just happens that Nature is the perfect sensory experience for all of us and provides for the sensory needs of the developing child.
A lot of places may say they’re “play-based,” but the amount of free play is minimal, or it’s more adult agenda-driven. The TimberNook curriculum is child-driven, holding the container for what children are doing naturally and should be doing naturally.
At Bedrock Play, Uninterrupted Play is the majority of what kids experience. This means that kids have access to a lot of tools and space and they drive the play, they collaborate, they imagine and they create and experience the Play themselves.
Because adults can influence play, we minimize adult influence as much as possible. Our facilitators will watch from the perimeter and be available to step in only if needed, for example if a child is taking a risk that doesn’t feel like it matches their abilities, if someone might be harmed, or if a conflict is not resolving. Our role as adults in the setting is to be a tool or mediator, not a leader. As a result, children will delve deeper into their experience, will work things out and develop even more in the process.
Who our Programs are for
We believe PLAY is essential for all children and accordingly, we think this model would benefit EVERY child. We want to teach parents the importance of PLAY and how to inspire more play while also supporting children however we can. Our nature-based programs are suitable for a wide range of children, whether typically or atypically developing, whether they are thriving in their current situation or are struggling, whether they love the outdoors or consider themselves to be the indoor type.
Because our founder Beth is an Occupational Therapist, some may think that this program is only for children that require OT, but that’s not the case at all. Through outdoor free play, we are supporting every child in developing the skills and abilities they need to thrive in life. We are not “doing OT” with the kids; our aim is to give them access to opportunities to develop the foundational skills needed to succeed in life and where applicable, to actually prevent any need for future OT!
Please note - the TimberNook model is to minimize adult interaction with the children during play. This helps the kids to feel like they are on their own and empowers them to help themselves and each other. Our child to staff ratio is currently 6:1. If your child is in need of direct 1:1 attention, please reach out to address if we can accommodate your needs.*
We offer three weekly programs during the school year for different age groups. These are primarily attended by children who are homeschooled or who are in other part-time programs, though we recently have had success in getting a one day a week excused absence from some schools in order for kids to attend our classes. If you want more info on that, please contact us! And of course, we love providing workshops and Field Trips for all.
Summer camps are attended by children from our local public schools, private schools and homeschool communities.
*This would likely look like us providing 1:1 support if we have a staff member available (which is an added cost) or if the situation allows for it, one of the parents can be the 1:1 provider following a training with Beth (an independent added cost).
Helpful Links
Are you a parent interested in having your child join us at Bedrock Play?
Check out some of the programs we offer:
Are you interested in having a Field Trip at Bedrock Play?
Are you interested in the Bedrock Play Philosophy and would like to learn more with a workshop at your organization/community group/school or want to connect with our founder Beth for coaching or consulting?
Are you interested in joining our team as an employee, volunteer or field work student?