The third stop on our 2023 Play Date Tour is Fort Worth, Texas, where we will explore “The PLAY People in Your Neighborhood,” focusing on community-based play resources – knowing what is happening in your neighborhoods, schools, parks, public libraries, museums, and even at City Hall!  Attendees will gain a sense of what they can actually DO in their own communities and where they might find advocates, allies and resources to help develop and/or strengthen PLAY opportunities for everyone!

Monday, October 9, 8:00am-5:00pm*

The PLAY People in Your Neighborhood

Hosted by the TCU LiiNK Center for Healthy Play
& Fort Worth Botanic Garden

* Stick around for more networking and play at our “No Host” Happy Hour

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR THE 2023 FORT WORTH PLAY DATE!
Conference Details

2023 Fort Worth Play Date Sessions

Schedule Overview

8:00am-8:30am – Check-In with Coffee & Light Refreshments

8:30am-9:00am – Welcome Remarks

9:00am-10:00am – Keynote Session
“From Childhood Dreams to Adult Creations: Connecting Blocks and Unblocking Minds” – Jay Warren, Director of Communications and Legislative Affairs, City of Arlington, TX

10:00am-10:15am – PLAY Break 

10:15am-11:15am – Concurrent Breakout Sessions
(presenter info below)

11:15am-11:30am – PLAY Break 

11:30am-12:15pm – Concurrent Breakout Sessions (presenter info below)

12:15pm- 1:00pm – Lunch + Networking

1:00pm-2:30pm – Round Robin: Meet PLAY People in YOUR Neighborhood (presenter info below)

2:30pm-2:45pm – PLAY Break

2:45pm-3:45pm – “The Angle: Stressful or Playful” –Dr. Debbie Rhea, Director, TCU LiiNK Center for Healthy Play + with G. Kate Webb, PhD Student/Research Assistant, Texas Christian University

3:45-4:00pm – Wrap Session

4:00-5:00pm – Explore Fort Worth Botanic Garden

5:00pm-until?? – Optional “No Host” Happy Hour + Networking (Tentative Location: Flying Saucer Draught Emporium)

Featured Speakers

Featured Speakers

  • Jay Warren, Director of Communications and Legislative Affairs, City of Arlington, TX

  • Debbie Rhea, EdD, Professor of Kinesiology + Director, TCU LiiNK Center for Healthy Play

     

  • Daphne Harris, PhD, Senior Lecturer, Educational Psychology, University of North Texas

  • Cheryl Potemkin, Early Childhood Program Manager, Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT)

  • Jill Wood, Director, Adventure Play at The Parish School (Houston, TX)

  • Shannon Coates, PhD, Director of Play Frisco, City of Frisco, TX

  • Amanda McMickle,
    VP of Education, Cibolo Center for Conservation (San Antonio, TX)

  • Anna Lewis, Early Childhood Manager, Wild Earth Preschool (Dallas Zoo)

  • G. Kate Webb, PhD Student, Adjunct Professor, Research Assistant at Texas Christian University

  • Susana Cruz, Founder,
    Chicana in Nature

  • Lilley Roane
    Student, University of North Texas

  • Bethany Fort
    Executive Director, Out to Play (Texas)