Pathways to Progress

Your Imaginary Friend teaches specific open-ended imaginative play ideas, tips and prompts to parents, teachers and caregivers. The ideas are almost all free and they are meant to be tailored to any child. I have used them successfully  for years in preschool classrooms and they also helped me raise my own children. They help strengthen the bonds between child and parent or caregiver, make care easier and help  make the adults' day to day lives more fun as well! My trainings are also designed to inspire caregivers to share their own imaginative ideas so everyone will walk away inspired and equipped with things they can try the very next day. 

 

Stephanie Olson is Your Imaginary Friend. She is a preschool teacher, imaginative play expert, speaker, freelance writer specialized in parenting and mother of two nearly grown humans. She still works as a substitute preschool teacher and started Your Imaginary Friend in order to help make parenting and caregiving easier and more fun. She lives in Seattle, dreams of Paris and believes there is nothing in life a little Tater Tot hot dish couldn't fix. 

​In this online session, you will discover the importance of helping every child build their STEM identity through early exposure to science and numeracy skills. Even if you don't consider yourself a "science person," you can help your children develop a lifelong love of science. We will share ideas on how to follow children's natural curiosity about the world and how to pursue STEM learning in any classroom environment and with any budget. We will also share ways that Imagine Children's Museum can support you as you integrate more STEM opportunities into your curriculum.

 

Session leader: Nick Spicher, Imagine Children's Museum

 

Nick Spicher has designed and implemented fun and engaging STEM experiences for all ages throughout his career. He has been at Imagine Children's Museum since 2017, where he launched STEM summer camps for preschool and elementary students, developed new public programs, and created classroom experiences on topics such as robotics, engineering, electric circuits, and chemistry. He currently serves as Program Innovation & Evaluation Strategist, a role which allows him to continue developing and evaluating new programming that is aligned with Imagine's educational priorities.

Early intervention is critical for child care providers—especially when supporting neurodiverse children. Understanding early identification and evidence‑based strategies lets providers create inclusive, individualized environments that promote each child’s development and learning. With timely intervention, educators can spot concerns sooner, collaborate effectively with families and specialists, and adapt routines and classroom supports to reduce barriers and build confidence. These practices improve outcomes for neurodiverse children and strengthen the learning community for everyone.

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Join Dr. Jill McDaniel, Clinical Director at Providence Boyden Family Autism Center, Anna Gibson, Director of Early Intervention Services at Sherwood Community Services, and 

Felisa Garcia Castellanos (Hablo Español)

Community Health & Wellness Support Specialist, LETI, as they share practical insights, and classroom‑ready resources for child care educators.

ESSB 5500 - Defining the cost of quality child care for the biennial survey

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HB 1128​​ - Establishing a child care workforce standards board.