Speaking
Bring Independent Kids to Your Community
A practical presentation for parents and communities who want to bring back a more independent childhood — where children play outside, build friendships, explore their neighbourhood and gradually gain the confidence to do more without adults hovering.
Presentation
From Playdates to Roaming: Rebuilding Childhood Independence
This presentation shares a practical, real-world approach to helping children gradually move from supervised play to greater independence and, eventually, roaming their neighbourhood.
It explores how parents can create the conditions for this to happen, how communities can work together, and how trust between families can change what children are able to do.
The presentation draws on my own experience of building an independent childhood culture in my local community — from getting children playing together, to creating connections between families, to gradually stepping back and allowing children more freedom.
What you'll take away
- A new way of thinking about childhood independence
- An understanding of why children need opportunities to play, explore and take appropriate risks
- Inspiration for creating a culture of greater freedom within your own community
- Practical ideas that can be explored through the full presentation