📣Preschool & Kinder Educators, this one’s for you! 📣Preschool & Kinder Educators, this one’s for you!📣
Are you looking for a resource to offer families as they send their little ones off to Kindergarten? I recently published this “Message in a Backpack” article with the #naeyc to support families with this important transition from Preschool to Kindergarten. 

You can check it out & download it for free here: 👇

https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/eyc/spring2026/message-in-a-backpack

You can also access the entire Spring issue here: 👇
https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/eyc/spring2026

#EYCAuthor
#NAEYCVoices
✨A New Blog Post✨ has been added to the UC site en ✨A New Blog Post✨ has been added to the UC site entitled: "A Message on AWE: Letting the WONDERS of Life Change You"

Tonight, I am offering a virtual session on Awe & Wonder, and with this at the front of my mind lately, a blog post seemed fitting. 

I hope you enjoy this quick read! You can find it here: 

https://unlockingchildhood.com/a-message-on-awe-letting-the-wonders-of-life-change-you/

Photo credit: Chris Burgett
💗Words CAN’T describe this experience! But, I’ll g 💗Words CAN’T describe this experience! But, I’ll give it a try…
Last week, the @ecdaofpei invited me to deliver 3 days of intensive learning on Humanity-Driven Leadership in ECE at their leadership retreat. This was a deep dive for leaders, unlike anything I’ve ever delivered—and their idea to do this Retreat-Style made it even better. Learning was had, relationships were formed, community was built…love, laughs, and breakthrough-tears were shed. 
I asked this group to be vulnerable leaders who put people before productivity…and they delivered. 

I hope to offer this model out again to other communities looking to grow their leadership in this way…because it was everything and more. An investment? Sure. Worth it? You bet. 

I want to sincerely thank the @ecdaofpei for this invitation and for being such warm, welcoming hosts. It felt like coming home for me, and I am so grateful. 🫶

I also want to highlight @lou__lake Louise Lyman for her masterful visual depiction of the learning, conversations, and big ideas from this retreat. If you’re looking to provide graphic recording of your next PD session, I highly recommend👌🎨 (she’s also just the best human!) 

This retreat will forever live in my memory. Thank you, leaders✨
💚Meet me at Algonquin College's Bramburger Speaker 💚Meet me at Algonquin College's Bramburger Speaker Series TONIGHT!💚

Parents & Caregivers, this one's for you: Raising Resilient Children in Today's World

Registration closing soon...and you can attend in-person OR virtually as it will be live-streamed!

Secure your spot here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/raising-resilient-children-in-todays-world-tickets-1982288252525?aff=oddtdtcreator
🚗 🚃 ✈️ Looking forward to a fantastic couple of mo 🚗 🚃 ✈️ Looking forward to a fantastic couple of months! Hope to see you there!
For the last 8 months, Algonquin of Pikwakanagan F For the last 8 months, Algonquin of Pikwakanagan First Nation’s Mindiwin Manido child care centre has welcomed me into their programs to reflect & grow together. 

By way of a Pedagogical Partnership, we explored child & educator  well-being, how to position ourselves as attuned educators, and inclusion & belonging. We also engaged in a two-part series to uncover our values, how those values manifest in our practice, and a vision for the future of the programs. 

It has been a privilege to collaborate with this team as they are deeply invested in evolving their practices, do not shy away from deep conversations about their work together, and naturally weave good humour and joy throughout the whole process!

Next, we hope to continue building on this learning by focusing on PLAY…and the many ways we can enrich our environments, materials, and interactions by way of a thoughtful blend of theory, reflection, AND hands-on learning experiences with the team! Onward we go!
'Tis the season for ✨virtual✨ sessions! I love con 'Tis the season for ✨virtual✨ sessions! I love connecting with ECEs in ANY form, including virtually!
...That being said, I'm also so thrilled to see the upcoming in-person sessions in my calendar over the coming months! Spring is surely on it's way and I can't wait for the face-to-face connections...and green sprouts poking up through the dirt, of course!💚
Revisiting my values on an ongoing basis is import Revisiting my values on an ongoing basis is important to help me remain anchored and aligned. 
If you’ve ever wondered about the values that “live” under my practice, here they are…it is my hope that these are observed and felt by my audiences and clients with every encounter 💛

I’ll be totally transparent: Some values come more naturally to me, while others feel like “heavy lifting” because they require me to undo my conditioning or reflexive ways of being. Joy, for example, is something I’m learning to trust and I’ve found the best way for me to access my joy is through gratitude. Joy, for me, is not loud or rambunctious—it’s a deep appreciation for life and is rooted in the present moment.

One value that seems to come a little easier for me is Belonging. It is so important to me that people feel valued for who they are—and do not feel they need to shape-shift or hide. A sense of safety, in my opinion and experience, is a pre-requisite to making learning possible. 

I also like to create reflection questions to go with my values, as this helps me both in-the-moment and when I’m stepping back from complex situations. It immediately shifts me into curiosity around how I’m doing this work and often reveals opportunities for me to proceed with intentionality. 

Which specific Values drive your practice? 💭🤔And how do these Values “show up” in your work? Feel free to share in the comments!
Raising Resilient Children in Today’s World💪 March Raising Resilient Children in Today’s World💪
March 12 @ 6:30 PM (in person & virtual)
Algonquin College, Pembroke
Register here➡️: https://www.algonquincollege.com/pembroke/event/the-bramburger-speaker-series-presents-mary-hewitt-raising-resilient-children-in-todays-world/
Follow on Instagram
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Unlocking Childhood

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· June 5, 2019

Let’s Work Together!

My Unique Approach…

I understand that professional learning and consulting is as much about ‘having all of the best information’ as it is to connect on a real, human-level. My mission is to thoughtfully weave together left-brain (logical & analytical) and right-brain (creativity & intuition) modalities to ensure my audiences are empowered with the forefront, research-validated knowledge AND a deeper “inner-knowing” about their practice.

See My Full Portfolio of Sessions Below:


Are you interested in booking a free consultation? If so, please contact me at: [email protected]
Together, we can curate a one-of-a-kind offering for your organization or community!
And, Follow Along:
Join me on Facebook!
Join me on Instagram!
Check out my Yellow Chair Chats!

PORTFOLIO/MENU OF MARY’S SESSIONSDownload


You can also reach Mary using the form below:


“Listening to Mary is like sitting down with your best friend, in a safe space, to have a conversation that is deep and reflective. Thank you, Mary!”

Linda Magill, RECE Inclusion Coordinator

“Mary captivated the audience from start to finish and left a lasting impression on everyone in the room. Mary’s contributions have helped shape how we approach our work, and we look forward to continuing our collaboration with her in the future!”

Margo Smith,
Manager of Children’s Services

“The sessions you led did more than just deepen our knowledge…I now feel more aligned, confident, and intentional in my role!“

Carole Metivier, Child Care Centre Supervisor

👉 Big News!
Mary was honoured to be selected as a Speaker for
NAEYC’s Annual 2025 Conference in Orlando to speak on the topic of
Trauma-Informed Care in ECE!

I’ve Been Published In✏️ :

Some Organizations I’ve Worked With So Far :

MEET MARY…

Mary Hewitt, founder of Unlocking Childhood, is an experienced public speaker, writer, and consultant specializing in the well-being of children, parents, educators, and child-centered professionals. With 15 years in the Early Learning field as a classroom educator, early childhood education professor, and early years system leader—she leverages her expertise to develop engaging and meaningful learning experiences for her clients. Mary holds a Masters degree in Early Childhood Education, a Bachelor of Education degree, a diploma in Early Childhood Education, and a Psychology degree.

Mary dedicates much of her work to topics such as: well-being and mental health; the ‘childhood trauma-informed’ approach; how to develop an ‘attachment lens’; and nurturing emotional competence.

She has captivated audiences up to 480+ attendees and has delivered her work in a variety of contexts from large-scale arenas to individual classrooms. Mary offers keynotes, workshops, conferences, virtual sessions, and even one-on-one coaching and consultations. She has appeared as a guest on several podcasts and as a writer for various publications.

Mary credits her eclectic experiences, extensive education, and neurodivergent mind for her dynamic approach—and is passionate about sharing it with the world!

Mary resides in rural Ontario with her husband and beloved dog.

📣Preschool & Kinder Educators, this one’s for you! 📣Preschool & Kinder Educators, this one’s for you!📣
Are you looking for a resource to offer families as they send their little ones off to Kindergarten? I recently published this “Message in a Backpack” article with the #naeyc to support families with this important transition from Preschool to Kindergarten. 

You can check it out & download it for free here: 👇

https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/eyc/spring2026/message-in-a-backpack

You can also access the entire Spring issue here: 👇
https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/eyc/spring2026

#EYCAuthor
#NAEYCVoices
✨A New Blog Post✨ has been added to the UC site en ✨A New Blog Post✨ has been added to the UC site entitled: "A Message on AWE: Letting the WONDERS of Life Change You"

Tonight, I am offering a virtual session on Awe & Wonder, and with this at the front of my mind lately, a blog post seemed fitting. 

I hope you enjoy this quick read! You can find it here: 

https://unlockingchildhood.com/a-message-on-awe-letting-the-wonders-of-life-change-you/

Photo credit: Chris Burgett
💗Words CAN’T describe this experience! But, I’ll g 💗Words CAN’T describe this experience! But, I’ll give it a try…
Last week, the @ecdaofpei invited me to deliver 3 days of intensive learning on Humanity-Driven Leadership in ECE at their leadership retreat. This was a deep dive for leaders, unlike anything I’ve ever delivered—and their idea to do this Retreat-Style made it even better. Learning was had, relationships were formed, community was built…love, laughs, and breakthrough-tears were shed. 
I asked this group to be vulnerable leaders who put people before productivity…and they delivered. 

I hope to offer this model out again to other communities looking to grow their leadership in this way…because it was everything and more. An investment? Sure. Worth it? You bet. 

I want to sincerely thank the @ecdaofpei for this invitation and for being such warm, welcoming hosts. It felt like coming home for me, and I am so grateful. 🫶

I also want to highlight @lou__lake Louise Lyman for her masterful visual depiction of the learning, conversations, and big ideas from this retreat. If you’re looking to provide graphic recording of your next PD session, I highly recommend👌🎨 (she’s also just the best human!) 

This retreat will forever live in my memory. Thank you, leaders✨
💚Meet me at Algonquin College's Bramburger Speaker 💚Meet me at Algonquin College's Bramburger Speaker Series TONIGHT!💚

Parents & Caregivers, this one's for you: Raising Resilient Children in Today's World

Registration closing soon...and you can attend in-person OR virtually as it will be live-streamed!

Secure your spot here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/raising-resilient-children-in-todays-world-tickets-1982288252525?aff=oddtdtcreator
🚗 🚃 ✈️ Looking forward to a fantastic couple of mo 🚗 🚃 ✈️ Looking forward to a fantastic couple of months! Hope to see you there!
For the last 8 months, Algonquin of Pikwakanagan F For the last 8 months, Algonquin of Pikwakanagan First Nation’s Mindiwin Manido child care centre has welcomed me into their programs to reflect & grow together. 

By way of a Pedagogical Partnership, we explored child & educator  well-being, how to position ourselves as attuned educators, and inclusion & belonging. We also engaged in a two-part series to uncover our values, how those values manifest in our practice, and a vision for the future of the programs. 

It has been a privilege to collaborate with this team as they are deeply invested in evolving their practices, do not shy away from deep conversations about their work together, and naturally weave good humour and joy throughout the whole process!

Next, we hope to continue building on this learning by focusing on PLAY…and the many ways we can enrich our environments, materials, and interactions by way of a thoughtful blend of theory, reflection, AND hands-on learning experiences with the team! Onward we go!
'Tis the season for ✨virtual✨ sessions! I love con 'Tis the season for ✨virtual✨ sessions! I love connecting with ECEs in ANY form, including virtually!
...That being said, I'm also so thrilled to see the upcoming in-person sessions in my calendar over the coming months! Spring is surely on it's way and I can't wait for the face-to-face connections...and green sprouts poking up through the dirt, of course!💚
Revisiting my values on an ongoing basis is import Revisiting my values on an ongoing basis is important to help me remain anchored and aligned. 
If you’ve ever wondered about the values that “live” under my practice, here they are…it is my hope that these are observed and felt by my audiences and clients with every encounter 💛

I’ll be totally transparent: Some values come more naturally to me, while others feel like “heavy lifting” because they require me to undo my conditioning or reflexive ways of being. Joy, for example, is something I’m learning to trust and I’ve found the best way for me to access my joy is through gratitude. Joy, for me, is not loud or rambunctious—it’s a deep appreciation for life and is rooted in the present moment.

One value that seems to come a little easier for me is Belonging. It is so important to me that people feel valued for who they are—and do not feel they need to shape-shift or hide. A sense of safety, in my opinion and experience, is a pre-requisite to making learning possible. 

I also like to create reflection questions to go with my values, as this helps me both in-the-moment and when I’m stepping back from complex situations. It immediately shifts me into curiosity around how I’m doing this work and often reveals opportunities for me to proceed with intentionality. 

Which specific Values drive your practice? 💭🤔And how do these Values “show up” in your work? Feel free to share in the comments!
Raising Resilient Children in Today’s World💪 March Raising Resilient Children in Today’s World💪
March 12 @ 6:30 PM (in person & virtual)
Algonquin College, Pembroke
Register here➡️: https://www.algonquincollege.com/pembroke/event/the-bramburger-speaker-series-presents-mary-hewitt-raising-resilient-children-in-todays-world/
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