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MOOC
Playful Parents Online Course
Curriculum
15 Sections
161 Lessons
Lifetime
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Welcome!
3
1.1
Course Introduction
1.2
Playful Parents MOOC video
1.3
The Learning Objectives of the Course
Module 1: The Secret World of Your Child’s Mind
Explore key developmental stages and the neuroscience of play to trade parenting frustration for fascination.
12
2.1
Welcome to Module 1: The Secret World of Your Child’s Mind
2.2
Module 1 Worksheet 1: What Kind of Adult Am I Growing Into – As a Parent?
2.3
Developmental Mismatches: When Parents Expect Too Much—Or Too Little
2.4
Video: Why Age Matters?
2.5
The Power of “Why”: Why 6-Year-Olds Ask So Many Questions (And Why That’s a Good Thing)
2.6
Module 1 – Worksheet 2: What Triggers Me – And What’s Underneath It?
2.7
Decoding the Eye-Roll: Turning Conflict into Connection with Your Growing Child
2.8
Module 1 – Worksheet 4: Voices I Inherited – and What I Want to Keep
2.9
Video: Parenting Traps
2.10
Module 1 – Worksheet 3: Where Is My Bandwidth Today?
2.11
The Inner World of Play: How Your Child Builds a Self and a Brain
2.12
Conclusions: From Understanding to Connection: Your Journey Begins
Module 2: Building Bridges, Not Walls: Effective Communication
Master the tools of active listening and non-violent communication to transform family conflict into deep connection.
14
3.1
Welcome to Module 2: Let’s Build Some Bridges!
3.2
Video: Playground Surpises
3.3
The Three Pillars of a Strong Connection
3.4
Video: Gardener or Carpenter
3.5
The Art of Truly Hearing Your Child: An Introduction to Active Listening
3.6
Module 2- Worksheet 1: The Active Listening Toolkit (Gordon’s Method)
3.7
Video: Why we clash?
3.8
Module 2- Worksheet 2: The Iceberg Detective (Position vs. Interest)
3.9
Opening Windows to Connection: An Introduction to Non-Violent Communication
3.10
Module 2 – Worksheet 3 – From Jackal to Giraffe (Rosenberg’s NVC Method)
3.11
Video: Fences, not Walls
3.12
Module 2- Worksheet 4: : Building a Loving Fence (Practicing Boundaries)
3.13
Your Oxygen Mask First: How “I-Messages” Protect You and Your Family
3.14
Conclusion: Bringing It All Home
Module 3: Positive Discipline
Shift from traditional punishment to a connection-based approach that uses boundaries as a gift for growth.
13
4.1
Module 3 – Welcome to Connecting instead of Correcting
4.2
Video: Before the Rules: Who Am I When I Discipline?
4.3
Module 3 – Worksheet 1: What Discipline Meant for Me – And What I Want to Change
4.4
“Am I Regulating… or Controlling?”
4.5
Module 3 – Worksheet 2: What Happens Inside Me When Rules Are Broken?
4.6
Video: Calm Is a Skill: Not a Personality Trait
4.7
Why Traditional Discipline Often Backfires – and What to Do Instead
4.8
Module 3 Worksheet 3: What Do I Really Believe About Discipline?
4.9
Video: Discipline is Connection – Not Control
4.10
Boundaries Are a Gift – For You and Your Child
4.11
The Reset Button – A Playful Tool for Any Age, Any Stage
4.12
Module 3 Worksheet 4: Repairing After Reacting – BuildingTrust Again
4.13
Conclusion: From Power Struggles to Playful Partnership
Module 4: Navigating the Digital World with Our Children!
Find a healthy, happy balance with technology by becoming your child's trusted guide in the digital playground.
13
5.1
Welcome to Module 4: Navigating the Digital World with Our Children!
5.2
Disconnected? The Hidden Costs of Play Deprivation in a Digital Age
5.3
Video: The Mirror in Your Hand
5.4
Module 4 Worksheet 1: Our Digital Habits: A Look in the Mirror
5.5
More than Just a Game – Finding the Balance with Screens – interview with Wendy Russel play expert
5.6
Module 4 Worksheet 2: The Playful Tech Balance Beam
5.7
Play in the Internet Age: Finding a Healthy, Happy Balance
5.8
Video – My Side of the Screen
5.9
Online Safety for Parents: Protecting Children in the Digital Age
5.10
Video: Raising a Good Digital Citizen
5.11
The Family Tech Pact: A Step-by-Step Guide to Creating Your Media Plan
5.12
Module 4 – Worksheet 3: Our Family Tech Pact
5.13
Conclusion: Beyond Parental Control: Building a Digital Bridge of Cooperation
Module 5: The Resilient Parent: How Your Regulation Builds Your Kids’ Resilience
Learn how to be the calm anchor in your child's storm by prioritizing your own emotional self-regulation first.
11
6.1
Welcome to Module 5: The Resilient Parent: How Your Regulation Builds Your Kids’ Resilience
6.2
Video – Before I Can Help My Child, I Have to Breathe First
6.3
You Can’t Pour From an Empty Cup: Why Parental Regulation Comes First
6.4
Module 5 – Worksheet 1: My Emotional Thermometer – Recognizingand Naming Your Own Feelings
6.5
Video – Name It To Tame It
6.6
Module 5 – Worksheet 2: Emotional Reset – Finding Your Center Again
6.7
Emotions Aren’t the Enemy: What Happens When We Suppress Instead of Express
6.8
Module 5 – Worksheet 3:Naming Emotions – Building Your Inner Vocabulary
6.9
Video: Create Your Calm – Before You Teach It
6.10
Module 5 – Worksheet 4: Coping Toolbox – Finding What Actually Helps You
6.11
Conclusion – It’s Okay to Fall Apart Sometimes: Rethinking Strength as a Parent
Module 6: The Spark Within: Nurturing Your Child’s Inner Drive to Learn
Rediscover the joy of discovery and become your child's learning ally by honoring their unique intelligence through play.
13
7.1
Welcome to Module 6: The Spark Within: Nurturing Your Child’s Inner Drive to Learn
7.2
Video – The Magic of “As If”: Play as a Safe Place to Learn
7.3
The Invisible Impact: How a Lack of Play Harms Our Children
7.4
Video – Finding Their “Ikigai”: A Child’s Path to Purpose
7.5
Module 6 Worksheet 1: My Child’s Ikigai: A Parent’s Observation Journal
7.6
Video – Are They Book Smart or People Smart?
7.7
From Chores to Cheers: Turning Everyday Tasks into Play
7.8
Beyond Homework Battles: How to Nurture Your Child’s Inner Drive to Learn
7.9
Module 6 – Worksheet 2: Decoding Our Homework Trap: A Pattern-Spotting Guide
7.10
Video: The Secret Power of Once Upon a Time
7.11
More Than Make-Believe: How Play Creates a “Third World” for Learning
7.12
Module 6 – Worksheet 3: Gamify Our Day: A Playful Problem-Solving Planner
7.13
Conclusion: Tying It All Together
Module 7: More Than Words: Modeling Friendship, Boundaries & Connection
Understand how your own social connections and self-respect serve as the living blueprint for your child's future relationships.
14
8.1
Welcome to Module 7: More Than Words: Modeling Friendship, Boundaries & Connection
8.2
Do You Still Know How to Make a Friend?
8.3
Lonely Parent, Lonely Child: How Social Isolation Echoes Across Generations
8.4
Module 7 – Worksheet 1: Your Social Circle – A Map of Connection
8.5
Video – Friendship is a Verb – Show, Don’t Just Tell
8.6
Module 7 – Worksheet 2: My Circle of Connection – Who’s In,Who’s Draining, Who’s Missing?
8.7
Friendship is a Practice: Small Habits that Model Connection
8.8
Video – Helping Kids Navigate Peer Pressure – Without Fear
8.9
Module 7 – Worksheet 3: Boundaries That Breathe – Rethinking Closeness and Space
8.10
Circles, Not Walls: Teaching Boundaries Through How We Live
8.11
Module 7 – Worksheet 4: Saying “No” with Kindness – Practicing Healthy Boundaries
8.12
Video – Play’s Social Mirror – Are You Watching Closely?
8.13
Video – The Joy of Stuff: Sensory and “Loose Parts” Play – Interview with Wendy Russel play expert
8.14
Conclusion: The Social Blueprint You Build Every Day
Module 8: The Embodied Path to Self-Worth
Discover how self-initiated, embodied play builds the foundational "I can!" feeling that fosters lifelong self-worth.
13
9.1
Welcome to Module 8: The Embodied Path to Self-Worth
9.2
Video – The Embodied Roots of Agency
9.3
Module 8 – Worksheet 1:The “I Did It!” Journal (Agency Spotting)
9.4
The Body in the Brain: Understanding Body Schema and Body Image
9.5
Video – The Parent’s Role: Creating the Space for Play
9.6
Feeling Good Inside and Out: Nurturing Self-Esteem and Agency
9.7
Module 8 – Worksheet 2: The Gardener’s Reflection (My Authentic Voice)
9.8
Video – The “Superhero” and the “Special Effect”
9.9
Module 8 – Worksheet 3: Our Superhero Toolkit (A Playful Plan)
9.10
Body Image & Self-Esteem: Talking Through Playful Metaphors
9.11
When Body Image or Body Schema Becomes a Problem
9.12
Module 8 – Worksheet 4: The Language Swap (From Form to Function)
9.13
Conclusion: The Heartbeat of Self-Worth
Module 9: From Stressed to Playful: Finding Your Calm in Parenthood
Release the pressure of parental burnout by using "playful pauses" to reset your nervous system and reclaim joy.
13
10.1
Welcome to Module 9: From Stressed to Playful: Finding Your Calm in Parenthood
10.2
Your Oxygen Mask First – The Power of Playful Recharge
10.3
Oxygen Mask First: Why Parental Stress Matters More Than You Think
10.4
Video – Not Just Tired: Recognizing Burnout
10.5
Module 9 – Worksheet 1: Checking the Dashboard – Recognizing Your Early Warning Signs
10.6
Burnout Begins in the Body: What Every Parent Needs to Know
10.7
Module 9 – Worksheet 2:The Stress Inventory – What’s Draining Me (and What’s Not Mine to Carry)
10.8
Video – Stress is Contagious, So is Calm
10.9
Module 9 – Worksheet 3: Joy Audit – Rediscovering What Makes You Feel Alive
10.10
Your Nervous System Is Listening: How Play Regulates Stress at Its Source
10.11
Video – Small Joys, Big Impact, Daily Micro-Moments of Play
10.12
Module 9 – Worksheet 4: The Playful Pause – Micro-Moments to Recharge
10.13
Conclusion: The Parent Reset: Your Calm is Your Gift
Module 10: The Heartbeat of Your Family: Values, Traditions & Connection
Identify your family's core values and create simple, playful traditions that strengthen your unique sense of belonging.
13
11.1
Welcome to Module 10: The Heartbeat of Your Family: Values, Traditions & Connection
11.2
Video: The Value Stock Exchange
11.3
A Snapshot of Family Values Across Europe
11.4
Module 10 – Worksheet 1: Our Family Constellation
11.5
Are We a ‘Postmodern Family’? Understanding How Families Are Changing
11.6
Module 10 – Worksheet 2: What’s Our Family’s Flavor?
11.7
Video – Family Traditions
11.8
The Golden Threads: Weaving Your Family’s Story with Traditions
11.9
Module 10 – Worksheet 3: Our Family Traditions Map
11.10
Video – Playing in Nature
11.11
Becoming a “Green Family”: Rooted in the Past, Growing a Better Future
11.12
Module 10 – Worksheet 4: Becoming a “Green Family”
11.13
Conclusion: The Legacy of Your Family Heartbeat
Module 11: When the Map Changes: Building Resilience in Times of Family Crisis
Learn how to use play as a language for co-regulation and healing during divorce, loss, or the blending of families.
12
12.1
Welcome to Module 11: When the Map Changes: Building Resilience in Times of Family Crisis
12.2
Video: Crisis and Resilience
12.3
Module 11 – Worksheet 1: The Crisis Reset Button
12.4
Anchor in the Storm: How to Co-Regulate Through Separation
12.5
Module 11 – Worksheet 2: The Anchor’s Inner Story
12.6
Video: Our New Family Map
12.7
The Unspoken Words: Play as a Child’s Expression of Loss
12.8
Module 11 – Worksheet 3: The Story Card Method: Reflecting on Change
12.9
The Blend Zone: From “Us vs. Them” to Shared Identity
12.10
Video: The Family Huddle
12.11
Module 11 – Worksheet 4: Our Family Team Playbook
12.12
Conclusion: Your Resilient, Playful Family
Module 12: The Postmodern Family: Love, Identity, and Connection
Celebrate the diverse reality of modern families while supporting your child's authentic identity and dismantling rigid stereotypes.
15
13.1
Welcome to Module 12 – and to the Postmodern Family!
13.2
Beyond the Fairytale: Embracing the Postmodern Family
13.3
Module 12 – Worksheet 2: Our Playful Language Plan
13.4
Our Family Speaks in Many Tongues: The Joys and Journey of Bilingual Parenting
13.5
Video – Our Family Story
13.6
Module 12 – Worksheet 1: Our Family’s Unique Strengths
13.7
Video: Bilinguialism and Identity Abroad
13.8
A Garden of Identities: Nurturing Your Child’s Authentic Self
13.9
Video: The Coming Out Conversation
13.10
We’re All in This Together: Eliminating Gender Roles at Home
13.11
Module 12 – Worksheet 3: The Gardener & Carpenter Audit
13.12
Video: Multilingualism and Multiculturalism
13.13
The Echoes of the Past: Dispelling the Myth of the “Good Old Days”
13.14
Module 12 – Worksheet 4: Conscious Family Traditions
13.15
Conclusions: Build Your Own Fairytale!
Course Conclusion
1
14.1
Course Conclusion: Your Playful Journey Continues: Carrying Connection Forward
Bonus Material
1
15.1
Video – Playful Parents – at Christmas
Video: Create Your Calm – Before You Teach It
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