Playfully Challenged: Leading and Learning Beyond the Comfort Zone

What if challenge didn’t feel like pressure, but like play?

In this one-day immersive workshop, we will explore the dynamic relationship between play and challenge through the dual lenses of learning and leadership. Together, we’ll unpack how play can be a powerful catalyst for deep, authentic learning, and how challenge, when approached playfully, can unlock growth, creativity, and resilience.

Drawing on real classroom and leadership experiences, participants will engage in interactive provocations, collaborative dialogue, and reflective practices that illuminate:

How challenge can be playful
How play can be challenging
How educators and leaders can create conditions where both play and challenge thrive-for students, for teams, and for themselves.

Whether you’re a teacher, school leader, or systems thinker, this workshop offers fresh perspectives, practical strategies, and energising inspiration to lead learning with courage, joy, and intention.

**Morning tea, Lunch and resources included**

About our presenters:

Becky Carlzon is the founder of two professional educational online learning networks, Learning Pioneers and PressPlay. Both of her platforms are based on research into collective efficacy, the power of community and teacher agency and collaboration. As a classroom practitioner, the heart of Becky's practice is underpinned by the Design Principles of the Learning Power Approach (LPA) and play pedagogy and are outlined in her book, which she co-authored with Professor Guy Claxton, Powering up Children. Through staying connected with LPA and play-based schools and fellow practitioners and global lead thinkers in her learning communities, Becky is at the forefront of impactful, innovative practice across the globe.

Dr Amie Fabry is passionate about improving opportunities for young children to thrive as learners and citizens of the world. In her current role as Director of Early Childhood at The Learning Future, she draws on her multifaceted experience in teaching, academia, consultancy and research to design and facilitate professional learning programs that empower and enable educators, leaders and children to flourish in early education settings.
Amie’s PhD research focused on early childhood pedagogical leadership and how it influences teachers' implementation of early childhood pedagogical practices in school settings, and is committed to raising awareness of this integral role as a driver of ongoing improvement in the early years.Amie is also the author of Lead with Intention: A Framework for Leading the Early Years of School