Training Services

Active Games – Have fun learning new active games for the gym and small spaces.

Cooperative Games – Workshop will teach a variety of games that emphasize cooperation and teamwork.

Developing SEL through Active Game Play – In this active workshop, participants will delve into the 5 core SEL competencies as identified by CASEL and explore several examples of activities that help to develop each competency.

Fun for All: Modifying Games for Inclusion – Participants learn new games and see how they can be modified so that children with varying abilities can be included. The workshop also examines your favorite games and tries to see what changes can be made to accommodate a range of disabilities.

Fun With Fitness: Games and Activities that Target Physical Fitness – Participants take part in games and activities designed for elementary aged children that focus on the basic components of physical fitness (strength, flexibility, and cardiovascular endurance). While the activities target fitness, the focus is on having fun. Come ready to play!

Fun with Math: Games and Activities that Strengthen Math Skills – Participants take part in active games that can be played by elementary aged children in a gym or outdoor environment. The workshop also examines a variety of craft projects that provide children with hands-on opportunities to utilize and enhance math skills.

Games for You! Using Your Equipment Creatively and to its Full Potential – This is a personalized workshop. Submit an advanced copy of a list of your equipment and available facilities and the instructor will find and/or create games for your group utilizing what you already have.

Games Galore – This workshop will offer games of all kinds! Participants will learn new age games ranging from circle games, cooperative games, sports-oriented activities, and much more.

Games to Play with Groups – Maintaining Safety Protocols During COVID-19 – This active workshop introduces activities, games, and strategies for keeping the “social” in social distancing while maintaining safety protocols.

Indoor and Outdoor Games – Workshop will teach a variety of games that can be played indoors or outdoors.

Once Upon a Game: Connecting Literature with Gym Games – By connecting games to a story, we can make the play experience richer for our young students. As students make connections to the story, they will be able to better understand the rules and roles of the game. In addition, we are making cross-curricular literacy connections that are helping students to access literature in an exciting way. Participants will come away with several ready-to-use lessons for their K–2 students.

Quickies and Fillers – Do you ever have down time? Of course you do! This hands-on workshop teaches activities that you can do in a pinch with all age groups with little or no props. Perfect for times when you are waiting for the gym to become available or until the last few parents show up!

Refocusing During Downtime – In this workshop the participants will take part in demonstrations and group activities that will aid in down time and transitional periods, when children tend to be restless and disruptive.

Small Space/Big Fun – An exciting range of games and activities you can facilitate using few materials and a small space.

The Mindful Yoga Breaks Wise Owl Workshop: A Trauma-Informed Approach to Sharing Yoga & Mindfulness with Children of All Ages – Learn tools and techniques that help us manage our emotions, so we can find calm, peace, joy, and gratitude, even when things feel out of control. In this workshop, you will explore the many benefits of yoga and mindfulness. You’ll learn practical tools to incorporate into the school day as well as after school to help manage the everyday stress and anxiety that kids, teachers, parents, and caregivers are experiencing. You will also learn how to utilize these techniques for interventions with children both virtually and in person. This course takes a trauma-informed approach to sharing practice with children and addresses the current state of mental health in adults and children.

Using Cooperative Team Building Challenges to Teach Social Skills – Participants take part in small group challenges that are designed to build teamwork, problem solving, communication, and social skills. Appropriate for upper elementary and middle school aged children. Explore a variety of different challenges and examine how to use activities as an opportunity to give children direct instruction in how to work as a member of a group.

Music Improvisation – The 2-hour workshop includes progressive activities that enable participants to develop and experience their musical self-expression in a gentle and fulfilling manner. The 3-hour workshop has more time for observations, questions, and ideas to be discussed as the workshop unfolds and includes more instruction on how to present the activities to children and youth. No prior musical experience is necessary to participate in either workshop.

Behavior Management Basics – Discussion of what behavior management is and is not, and using SEL as a way to communicate and build a supportive, empowering, and collaborative classroom space with students.

How to Talk so Kids Will Listen – Based on the classic work by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish, this workshop teaches adults how to communicate with kids of all ages. Teaching us to talk less and more effectively and listen better, this workshop promises to make real changes in all of your relationships. Participants will learn specific techniques as well as the philosophy behind this empowering approach to communication.

Positive Discipline – Positive discipline is easier said than done! This workshop will review the philosophy of positive discipline and discuss techniques on how to make the process of discipline work in school age programs.

Seven Steps to Guiding Children’s Behavior without Losing Your Mind – This workshop is an introduction to concepts helpful in planning strategies to guide, cope, and understand children’s behavior.

Implicit Bias & Cultural Humility – Paying attention to biases and reducing them will improve expression and understanding of disagreements. Acknowledging the reality and role of implicit biases in guiding behaviors and beliefs can result in actionable and effective solutions to facilitate and improve relationships. This training will build and foster understanding of implicit biases, cultural humility, and strategies to address racism.

Reaching for Cultural & Linguistic Competence – There is a compelling need for cross cultural skills as providers and staff members respond to demographic changes, work toward eliminating bias, improve the quality of human services, and meet accreditation mandates. This seminar will help individuals to be more comfortable and skilled in relating to people of different identity groups and will facilitate cultural responsiveness, understanding, and sensitivity.

Coaching and Leading Effectively – In these presentations, the objective is to help current leadership in the program advance and coach the emerging leaders within their profession. The goal is to have each individual leave with new ways to help mentor and guide employees to feel confident in their day-to-day responsibilities and being part of the team. We will obtain this by learning unique conversation starters, coaching tips, and leadership training tools.

Leadership, Empowerment, and Expanded Learning – Developing enticing programming is the first step in keeping children engaged in your program. One essential key to this is fostering staff leadership and empowering them to create expanded learning opportunities that allow them to bring their passion and interests to life in the program setting. Learn techniques for igniting your staff and providing tools to help them lead programs and be a vital part of your team.

Leaping into Leadership – Have you been working on the front-line and feel you’re ready for a move but don’t know the next step? Do you want to learn about what it takes to be a great leader? Do you know your stuff but need a boost on how to run an effective meeting? Then this workshop is for you! Learn how to create an agenda, send out evites, the art of minutes, the ins-and-outs of facilitating groups, how to speak with intention and clarity, and conflict resolution strategies. This workshop will help you launch into leading.

Modeling the Way: Helping Staff Find Purpose in Your Program – The way you listen to and support your staff can make or break the synergy of your team. In this session, we will take a deep dive into what leadership in out-of-school time means. Strategies to empower your staff and model the way will be discussed as we unpack your own leadership style and how this impacts your program and connections with staff.

Adventures in Nutrition – Participants explore a number of fun and exciting ways to delve into the topic of healthy food. They will play “Junk Food Junkies vs Health Food Nuts,” “The Food Pyramid Game,” and “Healthy, Healthier, Healthiest,” as well as have their own “Iron Chef” competition. This is an active workshop — come ready to play and bring new ideas home to your program.

Building Positive Relationships with Parents – You wanted to work with kids and that part of the job is great! BUT… kids always come with parents or guardians and if you’re on the front line (or not) that can be intimidating! In this workshop we’ll discuss some of the frameworks you can use to build a plan for building positive relationships to find support, connection, and greater ease when communicating with parents.

Choosing the Right People – Hiring and recruiting staff to help develop a high quality afterschool program can be an exciting adventure. The key is being able to unlock the passion not only during the interview, but with seasoned staff as well. There are gems within your staff waiting to be mined. This workshop will put you on the path to proven techniques for choosing the right people almost every time. Presented at the 2010 National After School Association Convention to more than 100 people, there is something for everyone in this workshop.

Communication Skills – Ongoing and effective communication is essential for building and maintaining good relationships between program partners and staff, between program staff and parents, and between program staff and children. This workshop explores roadblocks to communication and provides guidelines for effective communication.

Making It All Happen: Your Extraordinary Summer from Start to Finish – The Campers are Coming! The Campers are Coming! How do we make sure we are ready to give our campers an extraordinary summer? This highly interactive, multi-hour keynote workshop goes from pre-season planning to staff orientation and through the camp session all the way to the very last day of camp. Depending on the workshop length, it can include: Tips to inspire your staff throughout the year, before they even arrive at camp; Exciting activities to maximize staff training; Ice breakers that do more than just break the ice which can be used with staff and campers; Fun programming ideas that create memorable moments, make down-time fun-time, and spice-up rainy days; Unique ideas to close your camp session in a meaningful and inspirational way.

Motivating and Retaining Staff – This workshop provides strategies to revitalize and re-energize staff. Learn to successfully lead your staff and keep them motivated throughout the year. Workshop shows how positive reinforcement, rewards, clear expectations and role modeling can help with staff retention.

Professionalism and Professional Ethics in School-Age Care – School-age care providers often struggle with their roles as professionals. However, they are part of an important profession where their role includes supporting families and guiding the growth and learning of children during out-of-school hours. Participants will identify the general qualities and characteristics associated with being a “professional” and how it relates to their role in school-age care and what it means to maintain a commitment to professionalism. Participants will also discuss, in depth, the importance of applying professional ethics at all times, including issues of confidentiality and understanding the dangers and damage that gossip can cause in the child care setting.

Staff Supervision and Leadership – Effective supervision of staff involves the ability to set clear expectations, to monitor staff performance, and to provide constructive feedback in order to help staff meet programmatic expectations. All of which is integral to maintaining the quality and effectiveness of programming for the children and families in your care. However, being the “supervisor” is not always comfortable for some people, especially when it involves dealing with staff with whom you have become friends and/or staff who are not meeting expectations. This workshop will examine the challenges and the rewards of effectively supervising staff.

Team Building for Staff – This session is designed as a fun activity for staff in order to build a sense of community and team spirit for staff persons. Games played during the sessions can certainly be applied to children, but the purpose of this session is focused on building a sense of team within a staff group. Most games will contain low to moderate levels of activity and will include an overall reflection on what was learned from the experience and how it may be applied to the work setting.

Telling Your Story: Using Program Data to Strengthen the Case for Afterschool and Summer Programs – As practitioners, we often hear about research that demonstrates the impact afterschool and summer programs have on children and families. Being aware of data and impacts that your program is having is a crucial element to telling your program story. Legislators and funders want to know their investment is making a difference. In this session, participants will practice using data to tell their story through a simple three-step process.

Afterschool 101 – This workshop is geared to afterschool staff who work directly with students. This workshop helps first-year employees learn about the broader aspects of afterschool programming. Topics will include — Day to Day Operations; Mandated Reporting; Room Management; Staff to Student Dynamics; Bag of Tricks — important for idle time!; and how to successfully end an activity.

Aligning Systems of Support for the Success of Children and Families – What is the common perception of afterschool programs? Are the programs academic only or holistically focused? Is there alignment between the out-of-school time program and the community (school district, municipal, community providers, etc.)? Are they seen as a strategy for intervention and family support? Finding the answers to these questions is the first step in building a system of support in your community. In this session, we will explore prevailing research and best practice to help better inform your discussion at the local level.

Creating Engaging & Inspiring Afterschool Spaces – “Environments always affect people in two ways: they suggest a range of activities that can or cannot occur, and they evoke feelings…” Are you using your space to its fullest potential? Does your space act as the additional teacher? Providing safety, structure, choice, inspiration, and comfort? Whether you are in a cafeteria or a classroom, there are small and large changes that can improve your programming and the lives of your children. Let’s talk about the basics and the many options that can be created in afterschool space and then take some time to design something new for your space.

Creating a Learning Environment in Afterschool – Looking for a way to transform some of the program offerings you currently use? Learn how to use the power of hands–on activities after school to bring out the different learning styles in the children and youth you work with while creating linkages to the learning day. Activity choice, common core standards, staff culture and climate, and partnerships will be discussed in this engaging workshop for directors, site coordinators, and front line staff.

Democracy in Middle School – Middle schoolers are given schedules, told what to do and where to be. They rarely have any say in programming, increase engagement, and build ownership of their program.

Project Based Learning – Afterschool programs have a unique opportunity to bridge learning that involves real world aspects children in programs experience everyday. Through strategy such as project-based learning, programs can engage youth, help develop 21st Century skills, and make a difference locally in communities. In this workshop, we will explore what project-based learning is, how to facilitate it in your program, and use student interest and choice to drive programming.

Making It Meaningful – Quality afterschool programs provide a plethora of amazing activities on a daily basis. How do we take our activities from simple hands-on experiences to engaging purposeful, minds-on, relevant, youth centered experiences? Let’s talk about the simple additions to your activity planning that will take your programming to the next level.

Making STEM Activities Meaningful – Afterschool programs are the perfect environment for meaningful STEM activities. How do we take our STEM activities from simple hands-on experiences to engaging purposeful, minds-on, relevant, youth centered experiences? Let’s talk about the simple additions to your STEM activity planning that will take your programming to the next level.

Mizzen Activity Planning – Are you struggling to find activities that are connected to learning objectives? A new staff member that could use some inspiration? Come learn about the Mizzen Education Platform! A free resource created specifically for afterschool professionals to access activities, tools, and afterschool news. You’ll have the opportunity to sign up and explore all the features it has to offer in this workshop. You’ll also be able to take part in an activity (or two)! Looking for specific content like STEM or SEL, we can do that too!

Youth Guided Program Planning – Kids just sign up and join the program right? Well that’s one way. In this workshop we’ll explore what youth guided programming is and why it’s something you might consider. Participants will discuss the benefits of designing youth-guided programming and how it enhances academic performance, creates leadership opportunities, provides enrichment, and promotes positive behavior.

Youth in Action: Expanding Opportunities for Youth to be in Leadership Roles – Young people have amazing skills, abilities, and passion for issues that affect them in their local communities. Learn about strategies for engaging more young people, creating stronger youth-adult partnerships, and finding resources for supporting youth in leadership roles. Youth across the state are already actively involved as advocates, peer tutors, youth council members, philanthropists, facilitators for youth-led workshops, and many other roles. Young people are transforming our neighborhood organizations, schools, and communities. Help your youth group expand their opportunities to practice their leadership skills as they work to build healthier communities for all of us.

40 Developmental Assets – The 40 Developmental Assets is a positive youth development framework. The two-hour training will teach participants what the 40 Developmental Assets are, how they can intentionally be used, and the power to bring positive experiences into children’s lives. The 40 Developmental Assets have been identified as positive experiences and qualities that all of us have the power to bring into the lives of children and youth.

Cracking the Code: Listening to Resolve Conflict – This workshop will help participants become confident leaders in conflict resolution techniques. They will begin developing a greater awareness of the pitfalls of ineffectual listening and realize the importance of using effective listening techniques when future conflicts arise.

Engaging Students 101: Strategies to Keep Students Engaged – Here are simple strategies for staff to create and engage students in high-quality project learning activities. Here are ten ideas that you can start practicing today to help you create more moments of flow and connections to your participants.

Exploring Mindfulness – Have you tried mindfulness yet? Not sure how to do it, what it is exactly, or how it could work in your program? We’ll talk about all of this, how to get started, useful resources, plus some mindful activities to try out for yourself and in your program!

Girls Club – This workshop will focus on ways to build self-esteem and confidence in girls from grades 4-8. Through a series of activities, learn ways to help girls become strong young women who make good decisions and become contributing members of their schools, groups, and community.

Helping Girls Make Themselves Heard – “GIRL CHATS” focuses on creating a safe zone for girls to relax and chat about their personal experiences with a mentor or a staff member. Through my experiences working with teenage girls, I have learned that our children and youth’s homes may not provide a place of refuge. When they arrive home a parent may not be home to start a conversation, like “how was your day?” I believe that afterschool educators have a platform to start the conversation and provide girls with tools to make positive life choices.

Social Emotional: Keeping It Simple: Teaching Social-Emotional Skills and Character Development – This workshop will help participants gain an understanding of SEL core competencies which includes self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, interpersonal skills, self-efficacy, and growth mindset. Also, participants will learn about the physical, cognitive, and socioemotional developmental trends that are associated with different age-groups (K-8) and how these trends relate to day-to-day programming.

STEAM Powered SEL – Scientific discovery and innovation is fueled by curiosity, understanding, creativity, perseverance, and the willingness to take risks. These same skills must be cultivated and applied in daily life to support overall life-long success. In this workshop, we’ll explore parallels between STEAM and SEL focusing on ways to intentionally highlight and develop SEL skills through STEAM lessons to build relevance, interest, and student connection.

Supporting Social and Emotional Development in Out-of-School Time – Social and emotional development is a cornerstone that provides children and youth with skills that help them learn and have success in school and life. In this workshop, participants will learn how to enhance what they are already doing in programs through a social-emotional lens. Throughout the session, we will look at selected social-emotional learning (SEL) frameworks, how to turn theory into practice, designing SEL activities including planning and implementation, integrating SEL and behavior management strategies into programming, and goal setting for your program.

The Mindful Yoga Breaks Wise Owl Workshop: A Trauma-Informed Approach to Sharing Yoga & Mindfulness with Children of All Ages – Learn tools and techniques that help us manage our emotions, so we can find calm, peace, joy, and gratitude, even when things feel out of control. In this workshop, you will explore the many benefits of yoga and mindfulness. You’ll learn practical tools to incorporate into the school day as well as after school to help manage the everyday stress and anxiety that kids, teachers, parents, and caregivers are experiencing. You will also learn how to utilize these techniques for interventions with children both virtually and in person. This course takes a trauma-informed approach to sharing practice with children and addresses the current state of mental health in adults and children.

What is SEL? – We’ll explore what SEL (social emotional learning) is. We’ll discuss 5 CASEL competencies and wheel, some of the more popular frameworks, and what that might look like in your program.

Fun with Math: Games and Activities that Strengthen Math Skills – Participants take part in active games that can be played by elementary aged children in a gym or outdoor environment. The workshop also examines a variety of craft projects that provide children with hands-on opportunities to utilize and enhance math skills.

Go Green Strategies – Global warming, renewable energy, and environmental stewardship – these are some of the phrases that children hear every day on the news and in the classroom. But how do you incorporate a green theme into your afterschool program? Go Green Strategies helps you to learn ways of teaching environmental awareness to the children in your program. Both kids and instructors will learn to think globally and act locally.

Hands on STEAM – Explore and practice 5 hands-on science, technology, engineering, arts, and math activities you will practice, brainstorm extensions for, and be ready to bring to your program tomorrow!

STEAM Powered SEL – Scientific discovery and innovation is fueled by curiosity, understanding, creativity, perseverance, and the willingness to take risks. These same skills must be cultivated and applied in daily life to support overall life-long success. In this workshop, we’ll explore parallels between STEAM and SEL focusing on ways to intentionally highlight and develop SEL skills through STEAM lessons to build relevance, interest, and student connection.