Founder's Story
The Know & Play Space began whilst I was on maternity leave with my eldest.
As a teacher, trying to still use her skills whilst out of the classroom, I began sharing little snippets of what I was doing at home with my then one year old - simple invitations to play, developmentally-appropriate activities and the ways I was thoughtfully setting up his environment based on his interests, schemas and stage of development.
Very quickly, I realised that so many other parents wanted to support their children in the same way too.
ā
They wanted to know:
what to offer
when to offer it
why it mattered
and how to do it
But mostly, they wanted to feel confident that they were doing the
right things for their child, at the right time.
The thing is, many simply didn’t know where to begin, and it got me thinking... 'hey, I can help here'.
That's where The Know & Play Space really started.
Initially, the website became a growing bank of purposeful play ideas and printable resources, designed to support children’s development through play and everyday learning.
Then, as my eldest grew older, I noticed another pattern emerging.
So many parents were beginning to look for more 'learning-based' activities for their preschool-aged children - particularly around literacy, maths and school readiness.
But at the same time, I could also see how often children were being pushed towards formal academics too early, before crucial developmental foundations had been properly established. I couldn't not do anything about this.
That led to the creation of the Know & Play Preschool Play & Learn Guides - a more structured and intentional progression of developmentally appropriate activities designed to support the foundations of literacy, communication, early maths, fine motor development and learning through play.
Then, after having my youngest child and stepping away from the education system itself, something shifted even more deeply for me.
I began questioning more than simply what children were learning.
I found myself becoming increasingly interested in how children develop, what they truly need in order to thrive, and whether modern childhood was really allowing enough space for this to happen naturally.
ā
Everything is connected.
Children’s environments influence behaviour.
Play supports development.
Development underpins learning.
Relationships shape confidence.
Curiosity fuels understanding.
And perhaps most importantly, children do not all grow at the same pace, in the same way, experience the same seasons throughout their childhood.
I realised that my values around childhood, learning and development no longer aligned fully with the traditional system I had once worked within.
Instead, I found myself drawn towards approaches rooted more deeply in development, connection, play, emotional wellbeing, realistic expectations and protecting the wonder of childhood itself.
From that point onwards, The Know & Play Space evolved into something much bigger than activities and resources.
It became rooted in a philosophy.
It became a place to help others better understand childhood and navigate it with greater confidence, connection and intention.
It became a space built upon the belief that every season of childhood brings its own growth, change, challenge and wonder, and that when we understand children more deeply, we can support them more meaningfully.
Today, The Know & Play Space continues to grow into a multifaceted developmental support platform.
To find out everything that I offer, click the Start Here button below.
The Know & Play Space
'where all can play & grow, learn & know,
through all seasons of childhood'
ā
Thank you so much for being here.
Happy Knowing & Playing!
- Becca
My Background & Experience
Before creating The Know & Play Space, I spent many years working within education as a qualified teacher, supporting children across a range of ages, stages and developmental needs. Throughout this time, I became increasingly fascinated not only by what children were learning, but by how they learn best, and the environments, relationships and experiences that help children truly thrive.
Alongside my professional experience, becoming a parent - to two boys, brought an entirely new perspective.
As I began observing my own children more closely, following their interests, noticing schemas and thoughtfully adapting their environments and opportunities for play, I found myself questioning more deeply how we support childhood in modern life - right from birth.
Over time, my interests expanded beyond education alone and into wider areas of child development, play, educational approaches, developmental readiness, enabling environments, and the foundations of learning journeys.
Today, The Know & Play Space brings together these experiences - combining educational knowledge, ongoing professional development, research and real family life to offer guidance that is practical, realistic and rooted in childhood.
My approach is not built around one educational philosophy or pathway. Instead, it draws inspiration from a range of approaches and centres around one core belief:
When we understand children more deeply, we can support them more intentionally and meaningfully, through all seasons of childhood.