Pikler USA held its third annual conference in Los Angeles on July 21, 2018. The theme was Where Pikler Meets Neuroscience: How Play Relates to Cognition. Bonnie Neugebauer was the recipient of this year’s Pikler/Lóczy USA Founders Award. Throughout her career, Bonnie has advocated tirelessly on behalf of children. She is Co-Founder and Director of Program Development at the World Forum Foundation. She curates content for Bonnie’s Global Cafe, and she’s the Founding Editor of Exchange Magazine. Through her work, Bonnie brings together people and ideas from around the globe, all united in the goal of better care and services for young children.
Presenters were Dr. Alberto Adalid, Gabrielle Anwar, Elsa Chahin, Professor Paola Guraieb, Judit Kelemen, Ruth Anne Hammond, Dr. Ken Jaffe, Dr. Peter Mangione, Dr. Eszter Mózes, and Professor Oleg Palmov.
These world-renowned experts discussed how the Pikler pedagogy provides a strong foundation for children’s developing brain connections. Each presenter explored how play impacts a child’s ability to learn, think, and engage with the world, and about how important play is in infant and toddler growth and development. By Laura Willhoite