RenaePowell

Hi, I'm Renae.

I'm a Playworker, and I fancy myself a protector of play, a title I cherish. For more than 24 years, I've dedicated my professional life to advocating for play-filled childhoods and defending children's right to play.

Looking back, my career path might seem eclectic. I've been many things to many people. But when I connect the dots, every role traces back to play. The titles have changed, but the commitment hasn't. A playful approach has been the thread running through every hat I've ever worn, shaping how I work with children, families, communities, and systems.

My professional adventures have revolved around protecting the conditions that allow play to flourish and ensuring it remains a cornerstone of childhood. After all, play isn't just a pastime, it's every child's right.

Over the years, I've worked across a range of early childhood and community settings, including as an Approved Provider and owner-operator of a childcare centre and kindergarten. Each role has given me a strong foundation in child development, education, leadership, and advocacy, but it was playwork that truly resonated with me. Since 2016, I have actively worked as a Playworker, championing children's opportunities to play and creating environments where play can thrive.

I believe children flourish when they have the time, space, freedom, and permission to play in their own way. My work is grounded in the Playwork Principles, children's rights, and a deep respect for children's capability, creativity, and autonomy.

As a neurodivergent mother of four, my understanding of play is shaped not only by my professional experience but also by the everyday realities of parenting neurodivergent children and being deeply connected to community life. My personal and professional worlds continually inform one another, strengthening my belief in the transformative power of play.

Today, I support early childhood services, schools, community organisations, local governments, educators, teachers, OSHC providers, parents, and communities to create richer opportunities for play through playwork practice, loose parts environments, training, mentoring, advocacy, and community-led play initiatives.

Whether I'm working alongside children, mentoring educators, speaking at conferences, or helping communities reimagine the spaces around them, my goal remains the same:

Protect, promote, and improve children's opportunities to play.