Assistant Playworker

Position Summary: Playworkers are responsible for facilitating play in natural spaces for children ages 0-12. This work includes creating playscapes with simple loose parts (such as sticks, fabrics, and mud kitchen items), fostering child-led pretend-play, bringing children to interesting sites in nature to stimulate further play, and gathering groups for circle time, meal time, and nature walks.  Playworkers must be comfortable assessing potential risk in the woods, and facilitating play without interfering in it. Playworkers do not lead play or participate in it– they facilitate it. Candidates for this job must be willing to work in a mixed age environment, with children who are diverse racially, developmentally, and temperamentally. This job requires responding to children respectfully, kindly, and holistically. It also includes integrating principles of justice, respect, and liberation into the school environment. We favor self-directed learning and emergent curriculum, and experience with these learning methods is preferred. Candidates for this job are encouraged to learn more about the practice of Playworking before interviewing with us. Expertise or experience with Playworking is not required, but an openness to embrace the practice of Playworking is necessary. 

Wonder Woods is a 501c3 non-profit program akin to many of the forest schools currently flourishing across Western Europe and the U.S. that follow in the tradition of indigenous land-based models of learning. We meet in all seasons and (almost) all weather and operate in various locations within the Forest Preserves of Cook County. A forest school, also known as forest kindergarten, or nature preschool, is a type of early childhood education that takes place in forests or woodlands. We help children form a kinship with nature and each other. We believe they learn best when they are exploring topics they want to learn about while doing so in natural spaces. We support self directed learning and help children discover their own interests by inviting them to explore different topics through various games, activities, materials, skills, and child-led free play. We are a queer-affirming and future-oriented organization. We embrace change and commit to learning, unlearning and adapting in order to live our values and prepare young people to remain in relationship with the natural world on a rapidly changing planet. 

For more information and to apply:

https://www.wonderwoodschicago.org/_files/ugd/c4140d_26bd1bafb26e46739852ceea0625972c.pdf

https://www.wonderwoodschicago.org/_files/ugd/c4140d_110505376e5548ae87c1d8466bcd7670.pdf