Shannon Merenstein

Shannon is founder of Hatch and co-founder of The Creativity Project. She advocates for agency, creativity, and connection in the classroom by helping educators cultivate a mindset and toolkit to support child-led play in the classroom. She co-created The Playlab Framework with colleague Dahlia Rao and 3 Pittsburgh Public School K-1 educators. Rooted in evidence-based practice, The Playlab Framework offers educators and school leaders a road map toward a protected period of play that includes opportunities for discovery, problem-solving, collaboration, and self-driven learning, as well as deep reflection and self-expression. Through Playlab, educators see children more holistically and come to better understand the strengths, interests, and funds of knowledge that every child brings to the school community. At The Creativity Project, Shannon has written and photographed hundreds of open-ended experiences, mindfulness routines, long terms projects, and diverse picture book lists that are curated into 36 monthly art + play curriculum guides based on big ideas such as Flow, Connection, and Growth. Recently, The Creativity Project launched a new course called Materials Matter that helps educators learn how to offer everyday classroom materials with a more flexible, joyful, and child-centered approach. Shannon is the author of Collage Workshop for Children with the Eric Carle Museum (Quarto Kids), a parent, and a lifelong idea maker.