Roots of Wonder logo — a sage-green seedling with terracotta roots beside the words Roots of Wonder
County Kildare

Workshops for parents & educators in Kildare

Kildare is a straightforward drive from Gorey, so in-person workshops in your setting are readily arranged, with live online sessions available whenever that suits better.

Kildare sits in a useful spot: close enough to Dublin that many services are dealing with commuter-family patterns, but with plenty of space, gardens and green areas that make outdoor and open-ended play genuinely practical. That combination shapes what settings in Naas, Newbridge and Celbridge tend to ask for — planning that flows from children's real interests rather than from a theme calendar printed in August.

Because Kildare is an easy run from Gorey, in-person sessions are simple to organise here. Amy prefers to work in the room itself where possible, looking at what is already on the shelves before suggesting anything new. More often than not, a setting does not need to buy resources; it needs permission to take three plastic toys away and put out a basket of loose parts instead. Schemas are a common starting point in Maynooth and Leixlip services, because once a team can name the throwing, transporting or enclosing they are watching, behaviour that looked disruptive suddenly reads as learning.

Parents across the county book the evening online hours, particularly around school transitions in Athy and the bigger towns. Kildare County Childcare Committee remains the place to go for funding and registration questions; what happens here is the practice side — one hour, one clear idea, and a booklet you can bring back to the team or the kitchen table.

For settings

Staff development for crèches, preschools and ECCE rooms across Kildare — setting packages from €399.

For parents

Evening sessions for Kildare parents on big feelings, regulation and play at home.

Private sessions

One-to-one from €25 for 30 minutes, or a private group around your own schedule.

Most requested by Kildare groups

Towns in Kildare we hear from

Parents and educators book from Naas, Newbridge, Maynooth, Celbridge, Athy, Leixlip and right across the county. In-person dates are arranged around your setting; live online sessions are open to everyone, wherever you are.

Local support in Kildare

For funding, registration and local early years supports, Kildare County Childcare Committee is the first port of call for settings and childminders in the county. Visit Kildare County Childcare Committee

What attendees say

“Planning made simple, broken down and fun to discuss.”
Maria · Workshop attendee
“Amy made supporting children through child-led activities and emergent interests so much easier to understand. She sat in the room with us completely non-judgmental and offered guidance that in turn sparked our own ideas.”
Chloe · Room leader, early years setting
“Amy's love for children shines through and her passion is contagious. If you want your fire reignited, Amy will most definitely help you light the match.”
Margaret · Parent

Kildare questions

What does an in-person Kildare workshop actually look like?
One hour, in your own room, with your own materials on the table. Amy works through the theme with the team, everyone gets a printed booklet to keep, and a certificate of attendance is issued afterwards. It is a certificate of attendance rather than registered CPD points, because registration for those has to be arranged by the individual.
Can a Kildare setting spread a package across the term?
Yes. The Seedling (€399), Sapling (€599) and Oak (€799) packages are usually delivered as separate visits rather than one long day, which suits Naas and Newbridge services that cannot release the whole team at once. The sessions build on each other, so what is agreed in week one is reviewed at the next visit.
We are a Maynooth childminder rather than a crèche — can we take part?
Absolutely. Childminders regularly book the public online sessions at €20, and a one-to-one at €25 for thirty minutes is a good fit when the questions are specific to the children in your care rather than to a whole team.
Is there VAT on top of the price?
No. Roots of Wonder is not VAT registered, so the price you see is the price you pay. A public online ticket is €20 per person, in person is €35, and a setting package is €399, €599 or €799 as a flat fee for the whole setting. Nothing is added at checkout.
Are there booking fees?
No booking fees, no card surcharge and no per-person admin charge. You pay the ticket or package price only. An itemised receipt is emailed to you the moment payment goes through, and settings can request a formal invoice before booking so it can go through your own accounts process first.
Do staff get certificates, and do they count towards a Quality Action Plan?
Every participant receives a dated certificate of attendance naming the workshop, the date and the hour completed. Settings routinely file these as evidence of ongoing professional development in a Síolta Quality Action Plan. They are not CPD points, because that requires separate registration with an awarding body.
How long is a workshop and what is included?
One hour, with a take-home booklet for every participant and a dated certificate of attendance for educators. Online sessions are €20 per person and in-person sessions are €35, with €5 off when booked at least two weeks in advance. Private groups and full setting packages are also available.
See dates & book Ask about Kildare

Workshop topics for Kildare

Other counties

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Trusted early years resources

Every workshop is grounded in Irish early years frameworks and national guidance.

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