On February 4 2026, Astrid Pedneault, our dear board member, aged 61, passed away, surrounded by her family.

To the entire family, friends and close ones, the Foolish Operations family is thinking of you and we want to tell you how much we appreciated Astrid and how she played an essential role in Foolish Operations.

Sophie Pedneault, her daughter, started dancing with us in 2017 for the premiere of Paper Playground, our first immersive performance for the very young. Astrid surprised us by being moved to tears by the performance. Our first intention was to create a performance where children could play, participate, and improvise with us – in other words, have the best fun. With her tears, Astrid made us realise how rare it is for children to have a place where they can express themselves freely, where their contributions are recognised and valued. As a kindergarten school teacher for most of her professional life, standing with the children so they could learn in their own way, she reminded us how powerful that can be.

Astrid published a bold and personal PhD thesis in 2023 in which she discusses her personal journey of nearly three decades as a kindergarten teacher. We find incredible wisdom in this thesis and hope this could be read by many aspiring teachers, or anyone working in Early Years Education, including artists. 

“There are countless visions of childhood – other than the ones I described – thus, of what kindergarten should be; all stemming from a variety of contexts, cultures, and interpretations. Beyond all preconceived ideas and beliefs, however, there is a world to discover about children and about kindergarten, and many do not suspect the extent of it. I began teaching with a vision too but, because of – and thanks to – the children, I slowly unlearned and relearned a new one. With children, I kept being surprised, amazed, and humbled until my last day of teaching. Children were a constant source of wonder and always kept me challenged, but they also made me laugh like no one else could. Their wisdom – both individual and collective – often made me pause, adapt myself, reconsider things and, ultimately, made me change. (Pednault, A. (2023). Moving Towards Children: A Life Narrative of Learning From and With Children. https://summit.sfu.ca/item/36658)

We have since performed Paper Playground more than 100 times across Canada. And we have created 3 other immersive works with similar reach. We have noticed that Astrid’s tears and her reaction were shared by other parents and grandparents. 

In her work, in her life, Astrid highlighted the importance of the role of ‘love’ in education. This subject, somewhat taboo in this field, is nevertheless essential: children need love to flourish. 

Astrid was so modest, but we want her loved ones to know how important her work was. She was an official part of our board since 2022 but part of our family of mentors since the beginning. In the meantime, we hope everyone can find support with loved ones in this grief. We are with you.

Astrid’s family generously oriented family members and friends to donate to Foolish Operations. We are so thankful. In memory of Astrid Pedneault, we celebrate the contribution and expression of young children. We revel in children’s discovery of the world to re-ignite our collective curiosity and care for our world. Your donation helps us keep these values alive. Thank you.