“Play is the highest expression of human development in childhood, for it alone is the free expression of what is in a child’s soul.”
– Friedrich Froebel
Pierre grew up in the vast forest wonderland of Northern Ontario, Canada. He enjoyed a playful childhood filled with bumps and scrapes, wonder and adventure, and eventually earned a B.Sc. in Biochemistry, a M.Sc. in Protein Chemistry and a B.Ed. with qualifications to teach at the Junior, Intermediate, and Senior levels in Ontario.
Pierre has been involved in formal and non-formal learning since 1985 and has worked at various education centres in North America and Europe. In 2003, Pierre launched PLAYLearnThink in order to promote the importance of play as a fundamental necessity for a healthy, engaging and fulfilling life.
Pierre facilitates play training workshops for adults across Canada and in Europe. He is also invited to keynote on play, inquiry and learning at national and international conferences. To date 16,112 teachers, educators, recreation leaders, health care service providers, parents/caregivers and members of the general public have taken Pierre’s Play Ambassadors Oath. Pierre also organizes and facilitates Adventure PlayDays in schools and in community spaces across Canada. To date, 15,300 children have enjoyed his PlayDays. Pierre has worked with ministries of education, school boards, municipalities, organizations and individuals to support them with their play provision. He appears in print, radio, TV and Web media in Canada and abroad and has authored a chapter on play in a book for parents.
Pierre is the current past president of the Canadian branch of the International Play Association having served on the board from 2005 to 2021. He lives with his partner Susanne and their 15 year old son Tom (from whom he learns much) in an off-grid, straw bale house nestled within the most beautiful natural playground: the Canadian Shield of Northern Ontario, where adventures abound and imagination soars.
Pierre has spoken on the topic of play and learning for various audiences, most recently for:
- the District of Timiskaming Social Services Administration Board in Englehart, Canada (January 16, 2023) – The Importance of Play in Times of Crisis
- via videoconference for the City of Toronto Children Services (May 10 and May 17, 2023) – Importance of Play, How Does Learning Happen? Ministry Document, Making the Learning Visible and Exploring Risk (two workshops, one in English and one in French)
- Communities Together for Children, Dad Engagement presentation in Thunder Bay, Canada (October 11, 2023 – evening session) – Importance of Play and Exploring Risk
- Dilico Anishinabek Family Care EarlyON, Parent Engagement Adventure PlayDay, Thunder Bay, Canada (October 14, 2023) – Importance of Play and Exploring Risk
- Brass Bell Family Resources, Community presentation in Nipigon, Canada (October 16, 2023 – evening session) – Importance of Play and Exploring Risk
- Brass Bell Family Resources, Community presentation in Terrace Bay, Canada (October 17, 2023 – evening session) – Importance of Play and Exploring Risk
- via videoconference for The Milton Community Resource Centre Symposium on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (October 20, 2023) – Outdoor Spaces for Play in French
- via videoconference for the graduate students in the Master Interdisciplinaire en droits de l’enfant at the University of Geneva, Switzerland (November 28, 2023) – Importance of play, learning through play and inquiry, exploring risk and play deprivation – in French
- via videoconference for Brass Bell Family Resources staff (November 29, 2023) – Importance of play, play in nature, exploring risk and play in times of crisis
- Carrefour francophone administration staff in Sudbury, Canada (January 15, 2024) – Importance of play, play in nature, exploring risk and play deprivation
- Carrefour francophone Board of Directors in Sudbury, Canada (February 20, 2024) – Importance of play, play in nature, exploring risk and play deprivation
- via videoconference for the City of Toronto Children Services – Toronto ECE (July 16, 2024) – Importance of play in supporting global well-being and exploring risk in the daycare setting
- via videoconference for the Child Development Resource Connection Peel ECE (October 15, 2024) – Importance of loose parts play in supporting child global well-being and development
- via videoconference for the Early Childhood Community Development Centre in Thorold, Canada (June 12, 2025) – Importance of play, learning through play and inquiry, exploring risk, play deprivation and well-being
Pierre has facilitated workshops on the importance of self-directed play in the healthy development of children, most recently:
- via videoconference for The Milton Community Resource Centre (Children’s Play: Nurturing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, February 15 (in English) and February 16 (in French), 2023)
- in Chelmsford, Canada (Importance of Play, How Does Learning Happen? Ministry Document, Making the Learning Visible and Exploring Risk – half-day in person workshop, March 10, 2023)
- in Pembroke, Canada (Importance of Play, How Does Learning Happen? Ministry Document, Learning Environment and Exploring Risk – full-day in person workshop, March 24, 2023)
- in Oshawa, Canada (Importance of Play, How Does Learning Happen? Ministry Document, Learning Environment and Exploring Risk – half-day in person workshop in French, April 01, 2023)
- in Kanata, Canada (Importance of Play, How Does Learning Happen? Ministry Document, Learning Environment and Exploring Risk – full-day in person workshop in French, May 27, 2023)
- in Hamilton, Canada (Importance of Play, How Does Learning Happen? Ministry Document, Learning Environment and Exploring Risk – half-day in person workshop in French, June 09, 2023)
- in Sudbury, Canada (Importance of Play, Exploring Risk, Outdoor Play with Loose Parts – half-day in person workshop in French, June 14, 2023)
- in Thunder Bay, Canada (Importance of Play, Learning Environment, Outdoor Play, Exploring Risk and Play in Times of Crisis – full-day in person workshop, October 12, 2023)
- via videoconference for The Centre grandir en français in Thunder Bay, Canada (Importance of Play, How Does Learning Happen? Ministry Document, Learning Environment and Exploring Risk – half-day workshop in French, October 26, 2023)
- in Sudbury, Canada (Importance of Play, Exploring Risk, Outdoor Play with Loose Parts and Play in Times of Crisis – half-day in person workshop, November 13, 2023)
- in Muskoka, Canada (Importance of Play, Exploring Risk, Outdoor Play with Loose Parts – half-day in person workshop, November 18, 2023)
- in Sudbury, Canada (Importance of Play, Exploring Risk, Outdoor Play with Loose Parts and Play in Times of Crisis – half-day in person workshop, December 20, 2023)
- in Sudbury, Canada (Importance of Play, Exploring Risk, Outdoor Play with Loose Parts and Play in Times of Crisis – half-day in person workshop, December 21, 2023)
- in North Bay, Canada (Importance of Play, How Does Learning Happen? Ministry Document, Making the Learning Visible, Exploring Risk and Play in Nature – 2 half-day in person workshops, April 27, 2024)
- in London, Canada (Importance of Play, Making the Learning Visible, Play in Nature, Exploring Risk and Play Deprivation – half-day in person workshop, May 04, 2024)
- in Sudbury, Canada (Importance of Play, Exploring Risk, Outdoor Play with Loose Parts – half-day in person workshop in French, June 13, 2024)
- in St-Jérôme, Canada (Importance of Play, Making the Learning Visible, Play in Nature, Exploring Risk and Play Deprivation – half-day in person workshop in French, November 15, 2024)
- in Hamilton, Canada (Play and well-being and inquiry-based learning – half-day in person workshop in French, November 29, 2024)
- via videoconference for Bella Bella Public School staff (Importance of Play, Making the Learning Visible and Exploring Risk full-day workshop, February 28, 2025)
- in Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, Canada (Importance of Play, Making the Learning Visible, Play in Nature, Exploring Risk and Play Deprivation – full-day in person workshop, June 2, 2025)
- in Sudbury, Canada (Importance of Play, Exploring Risk, Outdoor Play with Loose Parts – half-day in person workshop in French, June 17, 2025)
- in Sudbury, Canada (Importance of Play, Exploring Risk, Outdoor Play with Loose Parts, Playspace design – half-day in person workshop, September 04, 2025)
- in North Bay, Canada (Importance of Play, Exploring Risk, Outdoor Play with Loose Parts, Adult’s role in making the learning visible – full-day in person workshop in French, October 10, 2025)