Event: ECDA's Start With Play Fall Conference 2026

Exp 17 PM: From Curious to Confident: The Joy of Discovering New Foods with Basil Bunny & Outdoor Play, Better Indoor Days: Building Active Play Habits Outside to Support Calmer, More Regulated Indoor Environments

Morning Session: Basil Bunny is a gentle, playful story about the joy of discovering new foods. Inspired by themes from the CELEBRATE Feeding Project—an ongoing research initiative focused on encouraging responsive feeding practices in early learning and child care programs—the book is designed for all children, especially cautious eaters, and for anyone who loves stories filled with curiosity, connection, and warmth.

With playful songs and a sweet guessing game, Basil Bunny invites children to explore foods that are new or unfamiliar in a fun, low-pressure way. Repeated exposure gives children many opportunities to become familiar with new foods by seeing, touching, smelling, and, eventually, tasting them at their own pace.

Each gentle exposure and positive experience can help a food feel more familiar and comfortable, supporting children as they develop confidence and a willingness to explore. The goal is not to pressure children to eat, but to create positive experiences that nurture curiosity and support healthy relationships with food over the long term.

This interactive session combines evidence-based best practices around food exploration, curiosity, and “learning to like” principles with playful, practical approaches for early learning professionals.

Participants will explore the movement-based songs, guessing game, and story of Basil Bunny to create engaging, curriculum-connected experiences that encourage children to explore food with confidence, curiosity, and joy.

Afternoon Session:

Summer offers a natural opportunity to bring more active play outdoors with ease. Without the added layers and winter gear routines, educators often have more flexibility to extend movement, exploration, and connection outside. This session explores how intentional outdoor active play can be used to build simple, sustainable habits that support year-round practice with a focus on how well-planned outdoor time often helps children return indoors more focused, calm, and ready to re-engage. 

Together, we will explore how to:

• Use simple routines, like outdoor snacks or transitions, to increase time outside
• Create meaningful movement opportunities without elaborate setup or equipment
• Sustain outdoor active play during rainy or unpredictable weather
• Adapt active play experiences when outdoor time is limited or not possible
• Build habits in the summer months that support year-round regulation and learning

Participants will leave with practical, flexible strategies to make outdoor active play an intentional and sustainable part of daily practice.

Date: November 5, 2026
Time: 1:00 PM
Location: PM: The Arts Hotel: Canvas Meeting Room