• 10th Anniversary Conference
    2019 Conference on the Value of Play
    PLAY FOR LIFE - March 31-April 3, 2019

    Learn More

  • 10th Anniversary Conference
    2019 Conference on the Value of Play
    PLAY FOR LIFE - March 31-April 3, 2019

    Learn More

  • 10th Anniversary Conference
    2019 Conference on the Value of Play
    PLAY FOR LIFE - March 31-April 3, 2019

    Learn More

  • 10th Anniversary Conference
    2019 Conference on the Value of Play
    PLAY FOR LIFE - March 31-April 3, 2019

    Learn More

Education

Annual Conference on the VALUE of Play

The Play Conference, as it is commonly known, is an annual educational conference presented by the US Play Coalition. The latest research and practices in the field of play are presented at the conference, which brings together play researchers, park and recreation professionals, educators, health scientists, architects, landscape architects, designers, planners, business and community leaders, psychologists, physicians and parents from across the U.S. and beyond. The three day event includes keynote and featured speakers, round tables on critical issues and trends, research symposium for academics, educational sessions for practitioners, action and research grant opportunities, PLAYtalks and PLAYinstitutes, networking, EPIC play breaks and more.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS
10th Anniversary Conference on the Value of Play:
PLAY FOR LIFE
March 31-April 3, 2019 at Clemson University in Clemson, SC

2018 Conference on the Value of Play Details
Photos from the 2018 Conference

Communication

News & Press Releases

Outstanding Play Researcher and Practitioner Awards Announced at 2018 Play Conference

The U.S. Play Coalition is proud to introduce its 2018 PLAY award recipients, announced at the Celebration Gala of the 2018 Conference on the Value of Play.  Established in 2017, the awards program recognizes outstanding play researchers and youth practitioners.  The winners not only receive a physical award, but also have conference fees paid, hotel accommodations and up to $500 in travel to attend the Play Conference. The 2018 Joe L. Frost Award for Distinguished Research was… Read More

From The Playground

Meet Joyce Hemphill,
the “Queen Of Play”

Hello! This is Joyce Hemphill, and I am one of guest bloggers for the US Play Coalition. So who am I? Many of my colleagues refer to me as the “Queen of Play.” I think of myself as a Play Advocate – someone who promotes the value of play. Simply put, I am passionate about play. AND I want others to be equally enthusiastic about play. My background in and expertise on play comes from… Read More

News Stories Continued
Guest Blogs Continued

  • Community Visibility

  • Play Ambassador

  • Available Grants

Research

Action & Research Grants

Grant funding is a distinctive feature of our annual Play Conference, and we are proud to have awarded $52,000 in funding to date.  Through competitive funding opportunities, we offer both Action and Research Grants to playmakers and researchers whose work has the potential to improve and expand the Play Movement.

Available Grants

  • Improving Children’s Health through Play

    research pdfs

  • The Critical Place for Play in Education

    research pdfs

  • Research-Based Case for Recess

    research pdfs

  • Current Issue of
    PLAY Pulse

    research pdfs
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