Recently, LEARN had the great opportunity to collaborate on a timely Preschool PDIG with the Western Québec School Board’s consultants Lisa Diner and Anne Valcov. This year’s project was built around a simple but important question: How can we bring technology and outdoor exploration into the preschool classroom without losing the heart of play?

Led by Lisa Diner (RÉCIT), Anne Valcov (WQSB Preschool Consultant) and Chris Colley (LEARN, RÉCIT Provincial Service for the Anglophone Community), the PDIG brought together preschool educators from across the Western Québec region for two immersive days of professional learning. The aim was to demonstrate how screen-free robotics, early coding concepts and outdoor learning can align with Quebec’s play-based Preschool Program. More than just introducing new tools, screen-free robotics and outdoor learning were the vehicles we used to explore key questions about Québec’s preschool program — how to observe children meaningfully during free play, what authentic play looks like, and how we can create the conditions for more of it in our classrooms. By combining hands-on exploration, collaboration and reflection, our team supported educators in building confidence, curiosity and community as they shape the learning experiences of our youngest students.

Day 1 — Linking Play to the World Around Us

Our first day centred on outdoor play and ways to initiate or deepen outdoor learning. We began with a nature walk and “loose parts” exploration: participants gathered natural materials and were challenged to create a self-portrait using only what they found on the ground. This open-ended task sparked conversation around how simple, tactile materials connect to observation, imagination and storytelling.

 

After lunch, Heather Riosa and Teah Sarrazin from PETES shared their rich experience in Outdoor Education. With nearly a decade of taking students outside—rain or shine—they offered concrete examples of how outdoor learning can become part of daily routines, inviting curiosity, resilience and environmental stewardship in preschoolers.

Day 2 — Play in the Classroom with Screen-Free Devices

On Day 2 we returned indoors and turned our focus to screen-free robotics and coding as playful tools for communication, sequencing and problem-solving. We kicked off with an “Instant Challenge” icebreaker, then moved into a session on observation techniques — how educators can notice and document moments in free play that reveal children’s thinking and growth.

Following that, participants explored a variety of screen-free robots, brainstorming how these tools might fit naturally into play centres, story-time provocations or open-ended inquiry. Each teacher then designed their own play provocation featuring hands-on coding concepts, and the day concluded with a roundtable “museum walk” where everyone shared their creations and celebrated the learning together.

✨ Building Confidence, Connection & Creativity

Across both days, educators deepened their understanding of how screen-free robotics and outdoor learning work together to nurture curiosity, collaboration and critical thinking — all through the joyful lens of play. Participants left with concrete strategies, a shared collection of resources, and a renewed sense of connection with colleagues across the province. For many teachers in smaller schools, this PDIG provided something invaluable: a professional community of preschool peers who share the same challenges, goals and passion for playful learning.

Sharing the Learning

The impact of this PDIG will extend well beyond these two days. Resources, play provocations and reflections will be shared through LEARN’s networks, the WQSB team and upcoming provincial events like QPAT. Together, this team is helping redefine what “technology integration” looks like in preschool — showing that sometimes the best innovation happens without a screen, but always with a sense of wonder.