Dr. Fred Donaldson has changed the lives of children and families, students and teachers, by “playing by heart”- creating feelings of safety, belonging, trust, and connection, essential to every child’s journey to becoming balanced human beings.
What is Original Play?
Original Play™️ is a natural type of play that goes beyond culture, language, diagnoses, and ability levels. It is based on the fact that all children inherently know how to play, and this ability gets thwarted as they experience bullying and verbal or physical aggression. Children, teenagers, and adults who re-learn how to play discover they can reconnect, heal and re-learn kindness, compassion and non-competitiveness.
Who Should Attend?
The workshop is open to all adults, especially parents, teachers, psychologists, therapists, healthcare professionals, counselors, social workers and people interested in furthering their knowledge in conflict resolution.
This workshop is designed for adults only.
Where?
Pono, 2002 5th Avenue, New York, NY 10035
Tickets
Pono families $110 for one or two parents
General public $200 per person
For inquiries, please email info@pono.nyc.
O. Fred Donaldson is a play specialist, internationally recognized for his ongoing research and use of play with children and animals for over forty years. He has coined the term “original play” to describe his work. He has written the books Playing By Heart: The Vision and Practice of Belongingand Playing For Real: Replaying The Game of Life as well as many articles and book chapters describing his play with children and animals around the world.
The Original Play™️ program is the result of forty years of research on children’s, adults’ and wild animals’ play behavior.
Fred Donaldson is an aikidoist and a consultant to families, educational, social service, health, and environment organizations, as well as corporations and athletic groups. His playmates include special needs children, gang members, refugees, and street kids, prison inmates, cancer patients, dolphins, whales, lions, elephants, grizzly bears, wolves, baboons, and butterflies. He travels extensively throughout the world.
Fred Donaldson is a former professor at The University of Washington and The California State University, Hayward and The California School of Professional Psychology. Currently he gives lectures and workshops for organizations and institutions throughout the world.