Dr. Sarah Aiono is a leading New Zealand expert in play pedagogy and the CEO of Longworth Education, a professional development organisation transforming education through evidence-based, child-centred teaching practices. With over two decades of experience as a classroom teacher and researcher, Sarah has worked extensively with schools to integrate play pedagogy into daily teaching, fostering children’s cognitive, social, and emotional growth while meeting curriculum demands. Sarah’s work extends globally, with partnerships and professional development initiatives in Canada, Australia, India, and Nigeria. As part of her doctoral research she developed the Play-Based Learning Observation Tool (PBLOT), an innovative framework helping educators balance rigorous curriculum demands with the freedom of play. In 2023 Sarah co-led a 2-year research project investigating indigenous play practices in classrooms, a groundbreaking initiative that bridged cultural knowledge, play pedagogy and modern teaching methods. An advocate for play in education and beyond, Sarah represents New Zealand on the Global Recess Alliance and serves as Oceania’s HundrED Community Lead. She also hosts the popular Play Conversations podcast, inspiring educators and leaders worldwide to embrace the transformative power of play. Sarah’s thought leadership continues to influence policy, empower teachers, and champion creativity, resilience, and innovation through play.

Proposer of Japan's first forest education center "morinos" to connect children with nature and play. Founder of Forest kindergarten, adventure playground in Gifu Academy of Forest Science and Culture.