Lindsey Widger is a passionate early educator who comes from a strong teaching and leadership background that spans a variety of educational settings and philosophies including play-based education, the Reggio Emilia Approach, exceptional needs education, and The Montessori Method. As a highly motivated personality and a passionate believer in a play-based, emergent curriculum, Lindsey never stops challenging herself to improve as an educator and is constantly involved in a large variety of professional development workshops. She has had the privilege of sharing her perspective on play at the Follow Your Lead Virtual Summit 2024, Kristen’s Cabinet of Curiosity and Creativity, and Honoring Childhood: The Podcast, as well as showcasing Olive Branch to a worldwide audience at the Play Around the Globe Virtual Festival. She often travels to pursue her love of play and has participated in The Hundred Languages of Children, hosted by NAREA and the Washington Collective in Seattle, and regularly attends conferences that span a wide breadth of philosophies related to play, such as The Power of Learning Stories hosted by EDvance San Francisco and The Play Conference in Northern California. 

When Lindsey is not teaching, participating in conferences, or collaborating with the OBCS staff, Lindsey is a mother to her young son, Avery (and her silly bulldog, Baloo) and a spouse to her loving partner, Sean. When not rigorously advocating for young children’s right to play, Lindsey enjoys drawing and spending time outdoors with her family camping or hiking.