(updated 2/14/22)

Check out this sneak peek of some of the amazing educational and research symposium sessions we have planned for the 2022 IN PERSON Conference on the Value of Play: THE NATURE OF PLAY, April 2-6 in Clemson, SC.

Below is an alphabetical list of some of the session titles.
The detailed conference schedule is coming soon!

• AAA Play: Examining Play as The Linchpin to Learning
• Active Play: What Role Did It Have in Our Evolutionary Past and How Vital Is It for Our Future?
• Apples, Peaches, Pumpkin Pie, Who’s Not Ready Holler Eye
• Authentic Learning and Play Through Intergenerational Connections in Makerspaces
• Being Mindfully Curious to Discover Our Inner Play Being
• Bringing Kids Imagination to Life in Outdoor Play Through Augmented Reality
• Built and Social Nature of Neighborhoods Impact Women’s Play
• Coming To Our Senses: Envisioning Spaces for Play on A University Campus
• Community Edinburgh (Inspiration from Scotland)
• Contextual Play Hackathon – Creating Meaningful Play Solutions
• Controversial Play: Weapon, Fantasy and Risky Play-Why They Are Important and How to Support Them
• COVID Roadblocks Disrupting Play Opportunities: Fighting Back
• Creating Ecosystems of Play: The Synergies of Systems
• Developing A Love of Learning and Health Through Nature-Based Play Spaces
• Don’t Throw It Away! Make Something and Play!
• Earth Tones
• Experiential Spaces as Immersive Playscapes for Adult Players
• Exploration In Forests of Learning: Play-Based Ecosystems
• Get Up, Get Out, And Play Naturally!
• A Glimpse Beyond the United States: Considering the Trajectories of Play Via The ‘Land Down Under’
• How Global PLAY Has Influenced PLAY In the Early Years of Australian Schools
• “It Felt like Complete Chaos…at First” – A Student-Led Play Day with Non-Profit
• Just Playing: Towards A Universal Ethic of Play
• Körperkoordinationstest Fur Kinder (KTK): Assessing Motor Coordination Differences in Children Recess
• The Meaning of Play and Its Implications for Equitable Design in Outdoor Urban Spaces
• Mindfulness in a Bag – Bringing Social/Emotional Learning to life through Brown Bag Play
• National Study of Playgrounds
• Naturally, It’s Child’s Play!
• A New Perspective on Urban Playscapes: A Case Study Method
• Parent Motivations for Enrolling Young Children in Early Enrichment Programs
• Park Ranger Emergency Response Training Needs
• Play As Liberation: Exploring Self-Directed Education
• Play Protocols: Maximizing Learning Through Play
• Playcemaking: Designing Nature Playscapes with Children
• The Playful Life: The Power of Play in Our Every Day
• Playful Literacy Instruction: Making Learning Joyful and Culturally Responsive
• The Playful Remake: Repurpose Tried and True Activities to Make Them Playful
• The Power of Play Therapy
• The Power of Quality Recess: Why You? Why Now? And How?
• Recess Policy Implementation: Beliefs and Perceptions of Site-Based Decisions-Makers
• Second Nature: Technologies Enabling and Enriching Play in the 2020’s
• The State of Play: The State of Children’s Physical Activity and Access to Community Opportunities for Play in The U.S.
• Supporting Health Equity and Environmental Resilience Through Green Playgrounds
• Teaching For Social Justice: Honest Teaching of History While Building Community Through Playfulness
• Teaching Off Trail
• Time For a Reboot: Prescribing Natureplay for Emotional Wellness for Children, Teens and Families
• A Tree Grows in Brooklyn: Equity and Play
• What Did You Do in School Today? Developing Class Books Around Children’s Play Experiences.
• YES, I Have An IEP! Climbing, Forts and Snakes: Risky Playing My Way to College, Career and Beyond!
• You Can’t Fall from That: What National Playground Standards Could Learn from Childcare Regulations

The 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, educators, health scientists, architects, landscape architects, designers, planners, park and recreation professionals, business and community leaders, psychologists, physicians and parents from across the U.S. and beyond. The 2022 IN PERSON Conference on the Value of Play: THE NATURE OF PLAY explores play across the lifespan, play in the workplace, play in the classroom and address universal issues of access, equity, inclusion and more.

This session provides simple and inexpensive strategies to support children’s physical and social-emotional health. It emphasizes inclusive activities and partnerships to help caregivers engage children in PLAYful, language-rich learning opportunities.

“Playful Activities to
Support Whole Child Health”

This featured session explores playful learning resources to help caregivers support the physical and social-emotional health of children. Co-facilitated by the Alliance for a Healthier Generation and Too Small to Fail, the session begins with a fun, virtual and active icebreaker. After quick introductions to the organizations and the “Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child Model,” Jane and Daniel share a series of playful activities that encourage movement and learning. Pausing for a group reflection and “check-in” with attendees, we’ll spend time discussing cross-sector collaborations to help all children thrive. The presentation will conclude with simple action planning and sharing of a resource list. Q/A will occur throughout the session.

Meet our Experts:

Jane Park is the Director of Too Small to Fail, the early childhood initiative of the Clinton Foundation, where she leads national partnerships with corporations, nonprofit organizations, and associations to support children and families across the country. Prior to her role with Too Small to Fail, Jane served as the Associate Director of Content in the Education, Research, and Outreach department at Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit organization behind Sesame Street. In that role, she helped develop the whole child curriculum on which the television series is based and worked across the organization, as well as with external partners, to integrate Sesame Street’s educational content across media platforms—including print, video, online, social media, and toy products. Jane also led Sesame Street’s “Healthy Habits for Life” initiative, as well as the development of community outreach resources to support families through challenging situations such military deployment, natural disasters, and economic and food insecurity. Jane holds an M.A. in developmental psychology from Teachers College, Columbia University and a B.A. in communications from the University of California at San Diego.

Daniel Hatcher, MPH, Director of Community Partnerships, oversees Healthier Generation’s cross-sector partnerships with key youth-serving programs and community-based organizations. A nationally renowned collaborator and trainer, Daniel manages technical assistance services and resources for out-of-school and summer programs as they work to achieve optimal healthy eating, physical activity and social emotional health for the children and caregivers they serve. Daniel has a BA in International Relations and a Master of Public Health, both from Western Kentucky University. You can follow Daniel as he speaks across the country on the topic of healthy communities via Twitter @hatchdw.

Below is the full recording of the featured session
“Playful Activities to Support Whole Child Health”

This is one of the 80+ headliners, workshops, educational and research presentations from the 2021 Virtual Conference on the Value of Play: PLAY IS SURVIVAL – all recorded live earlier this year.

The Conference on the VALUE of Play
The Play Conference, as it is commonly known, is an annual professional development 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, educators, health scientists, architects, landscape architects, designers, planners, park and recreation professionals, business and community leaders, psychologists, physicians and parents from across the U.S. and beyond. The 2021 Virtual Conference on the Value of Play: PLAY IS SURVIVAL explores play across the lifespan, play in the workplace, play in the classroom and address universal issues of access, equity, inclusion and more.  The conference features 80+ headliners, workshops, educational and research presentations, networking and much more – all online from April 1 through December 31, 2021.  We hope you will engage with us virtually in the interest of public health, wellness, safety and education!!!

One year ago, most children and families were thrown into sudden isolation – from the people and places they relied on for connection. Children’s museums were immediately impacted by COVID-related shutdowns but took adversity as an opportunity to ensure access for children and families most in need of the supports that play provides.

Wednesday, June 9, 11:00pm ET/10:00am PT
“Playing through Isolation: Children’s Museums Activating through a Pandemic”

This session features three museum leaders sharing their organization’s transformative programs:

Laura Huerta Migus (moderator) is Executive Director of the Association of Children’s Museums in Arlington, Virginia, the  world’s largest professional society promoting and advocating on behalf of children’s museums and children’s museum professionals. Throughout her career, Laura has been devoted to the growth and education of children, particularly those from underserved and under-resourced communities. Under her leadership, ACM pursues innovative and effective partnerships to leverage the power of children’s museums worldwide.

Dene Mosier, Kansas Children’s Discovery Museum in Topeka – Transformed their Free to Play program that connects incarcerated mothers with their children for play-based visitation to a kit-based program.

Kathy Parham, The Children’s Playhouse in Boone, NC – Play Kit project partners with social service agencies and schools to delivery kits to families in very rural environments with low connectivity and in financial distress.

Deb Gilpin, Madison Children’s Museum in Madison, WI – Sidewalk Surprises program turned public spaces that families could access while facilities like playgrounds and museums are still closed into multicultural playscapes.

Learn the impact and reach of each initiative and their respective wellbeing motivations and outcomes. These exemplars are important innovations to help expand our thinking about the when and where play takes place. As we face future situations, due to climate, politics, or another public health crisis, these organizations now have important lessons to carry with them into the future to ensure children and families have access to play.

This session is part of the 2021 VIRTUAL Conference on the Value of Play, featuring weekly live headliners and networking events, dozens of recorded educational and research presentations and much more – all online through December 31, 2021.  Registered 2021 Virtual Play Conference attendees will access the session in the Attendee Hub.

This presentation will be recorded and included in our 2021 VIRTUAL Play Conference content, so don’t fret if you miss the live session!

The 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, educators, health scientists, architects, landscape architects, designers, planners, park and recreation professionals, business and community leaders, psychologists, physicians and parents from across the U.S. and beyond. The 2021 Virtual Conference on the Value of Play: PLAY IS SURVIVAL explores play across the lifespan, play in the workplace, play in the classroom and address universal issues of access, equity, inclusion and more.  The conference features weekly live headliners and networking events, dozens of recorded educational and research presentations and much more – all online through December 31, 2021.  We hope you will engage with us virtually in the interest of public health, wellness, safety and education!!!

The full detailed schedule is coming soon…but until then, below is an alphabetical list of the MORE THAN 60 recorded Educational Sessions and Research Symposium Sessions that will be core content for the 2021 VIRTUAL Conference on the Value of Play: PLAY IS SURVIVAL, available online from April 1 through June 30.

As we prepare for our second online Play Conference, there is a renewed intensity to connect play advocates, educate our national and global community, support play research and publications, and truly fulfill our mission to promote the VALUE of play throughout life. We continue to incorporate phenomenal speakers and resources with unique opportunities for learning through play!

• A Play-Based Literacy Program for The Professional Development of Reception Year Teachers
• A Prescription for Play in Education
• Access for All: Providing Equitable Hands-On Learning Experiences in A Digital World
• All Ages, All Abilities, All the Time
• Beyond Candyland: Learning Through Making Board Games
• Big Body Play Powers A Child’s Learning Trajectory
• Capture the Flag: How Traditionally Marginalized Residents Reclaim Urban Space Through Play
• Circus Is an International Language
• Crazy Games Workshop Explores Using Low Cost Materials Outside Normal Usage to Create Fun Learning
• Designing Everyday Spaces for Children
• Designing Hybrid Outdoor Play and Learning Spaces for All Ages
• Eduspeak And Play: Surviving the Wolf at The Door While Keeping Play Alive & Well in Your Classroom
• Equity and Play: Surviving and Thriving
• Future of Play: Technology Integration
• Healthy Communities, Parks and Splashpads
• Hobby Horses—A Hobby, Sport or Pure Play? Feminine Debates on A Contemporary Plaything
• Inclusive Playground Design:  A Case Study of Three New England Playgrounds
• Intergenerational Play Within the Workplace: A Powerful Mechanism for Informal Learning
• Legacy of Laughter; A Grandparent Playbook
• Let’s Start With Play. Why Play in The Emergency Department Can Be Our Best Tool for Patients
• Making Connections: People, Places, And Physical Activity
• More to Say After Outdoor Play: Bookmaking and Storytelling with Children
• No, They’re Not Too Old to Play. Bringing Loose Parts Play to South Florida Middle Schoolers.
• Nonprofit, Let’s Play America, Hangs on During the Pandemic with Virtual Play Days & Handbooks
• Paddle, Pivot, Pedal, Prance and Most of All…PLAY!
• Parent LAB PLAY DAY Series
• Parents’ Perceptions of Play Throughout the Pandemic and In the Social Justice Movement
• Performative Play for The Project Based Learning Classroom
• Play and Expressive Therapy Interventions for Enhancing Emotion Regulation
• Play as Culturally Sustainable Family Engagement
• Play Behavior of Children from an Isolated Area in Brazil: Body and Space as Cultural Expression
• Play Frisco 2.0
• Play Like Our World Depends on It: Using Playfulness to Engage Others in The Climate Emergency
• Play on The Go: Tips for Developing and Using Prop Boxes
• Play Programming During the Pandemic…. What Can We Learn?
• Play, Politics, & Policy: Building a State-Wide Movement for Recess
• Playground Design for School Communities – Moving Towards a Better Way
• Playing in a Pandemic: Lessons from Virtual and Traditional Instruction in Early Elementary School
• Pretend Play as a Tool for Development During Virtual Learning of Young Children
• Prototyping: Play Applied
• Ready Player One: Harnessing the Power of Activity and Fun Using A Digital Medium
• Recess and Play Before and During the Covid-19 Pandemic
• Reconsidering Solitary Play: Understanding Self, Place, and Nature
• Reducing the Negative Impacts of Trauma Through Outdoor Play
• Removing Invisible Barriers: A Design Call to Action from Families of Those with Differing Abilities
• Sacred Play: An Ancient Contribution to Contemporary Play Theory
• Shifting Play from Survival to Thrivival
• Social Togetherness in a Time of Social Distancing
• Soulful Play
• Sustainability of Self
• Teaching Off Trail
• The Benefits and Uses of Collaborative Competition in the Classroom
• The Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Young Children’s Play
• The Effects of a Multi Recess Intervention on Body Composition in Elementary School Children
• The Importance of Failure in Play
• The Push Play Project
• The Rubber Shark Principle: How Play Is Bridging Our Relationship with Disability Inclusion
• The Value of Adult Play Is All in the Design
• Those Summer Days: Exploring Extreme Heat’s Impact on Children’s Outdoor Play and Physical Activity
• Toy Activism Through Teddybears: Promoting Playful Resilience and Ludounity In Pandemic Times
• Ways to Play the Virtual Way
• Wordplay: How Silly Jokes, Nonsense Rhymes, and Secret Languages Thrive in Unstructured Play

The 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 2021 Virtual Conference on the Value of Play: PLAY IS SURVIVAL 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.

The full detailed schedule is coming soon…but until then, below is an alphabetical list of the Educational Sessions and Research Symposium Sessions that have been recorded for the 2020 ONLINE Conference on the Value of Play: PLAY FOR ALL.

• Adapting Play for Adults with Intellectual Disabilities
• Advocating for Risky Play
• The All New Voice of Play Website: How to Maximize This Exciting New Resource
• The American Association for Promoting the Child’s Right to Play – IPA USA Information Session
• Applying a Task-Person-Environment Approach to Designing Play Studies
• “As a parent, if I can…”: Parents’ Perception and Design of Children’s Out of School Time
• Building an Outdoor Classroom Anywhere
• Child play network influences on physical literacy in Mexican-heritage Colonias
• Creativity and Outdoor Play – The recipe for all children
• Designing Successful Play Partnerships:  PlayBuild + Tulane University
• Determining obesity rates in children with multiple play breaks in schools daily
• Documenting Children’s Play: Including the Child’s Voice
• Empowering LGBTQ+ Youth Through Meaningful Play and Recreation Opportunities
• Encouraging Time Outdoors in Naturalized Learning Environments in S. Carolina Childcare Facilities
• Examining the link between recess quality and classroom behavior in elementary school children
• Free Aquatic Play in a Controlled World
• Furnishing for Adult Play: Developing a social play space for a multidisciplinary research community
• Green Schoolyards : Neighborhood Amenity to National Necessity
• Guide to Implementing Play Streets in Rural Communities: A Tool to Increase Active Play
• How Principles in Play Connect to Pedagogy in Gifted Education and Talent Development
• The Influence of Preschool Educators’ Beliefs About Play-Based Learning on Instructional Delivery
• Is Your Recess Toolbelt Equipped?
• Joining In: Parent Perspectives on Specially Designed Inclusive Play
• Keeping the Recess in Indoor Recess: Creating Playable Spaces Anywhere!
• Leisure & Late Adulthood: Examining the Benefits of Participation during Retirement
• Local Sources for Play Space Materials and Labour – Its the Design that Counts
• Lost Opportunities: How Teaching Interferes with Learning
• Messy, Muddy, and Marvelous: Forest Schools, Education and Play
• Movement & Learning: What’s the Connection?
• Movement in Middle School – Application of the Transtheoretical Model for Physical Activity
• Pedaling to Safe Play: Factors Related to Youth Self-Efficacy for Injury Prevention Bicycle Skills
• Play and Family
• Play ranging with the Hidden Children: Notes from the field
• Play, Dementia & Alzheimers: Life and Fun Following Diagnosis
• Playing the Eduspeak Speak Game: Tips on Aligning Lessons with Play Principles
• PlaySchool:  How to Infuse Play into K12 Education
• Raptors & Ruderals: What do we mean by ‘nature play’ in an urban environment?
• Same Game, Different Play
• Seniors and preschoolers design toys together: An intergenerational play project in Finland
• Unstructured play in schools is linked to positive health benefits for teachers
• #WePlayChat: How to Use Social Media to Drive the Value of Play in a Virtual World
• Wilding nature play for children and families
• Yes, And: The Power of Teaching With Improvisational Play

The 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 has been moved ONLINE for 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.  It is our first-ever online Play Conference!

The full detailed schedule is coming soon with even more session titles…but until then, below is an alphabetical list of the Educational Sessions and Research Symposium that have been confirmed for the 10th Anniversary Conference on the Value of Play: The Many Faces of Play.

Check back often because we will update the list as our presenters continue to confirm their sessions.

Be sure to REGISTER TODAY because the early bird deadline for this PLAYful conference is February 15.

…and MANY, MANY MORE!!  You don’t want to miss this exciting professional development opportunity!  Join us at the 10th Anniversary Conference on the Value of Play: The Many Faces of Play, March 31 – April  3 at Clemson University.

The full detailed schedule is coming soon with dozens more session titles…but until then, below is an alphabetical list of the Research Symposium and Educational Sessions that have been confirmed for the 2018 Conference on the Value of Play: The Many Faces of Play.  Check back often because we will update the list as our presenters continue to confirm their sessions.

Be sure to REGISTER TODAY because the early bird deadline for this PLAYful conference is February 28.

• A Critical Approach to Play and Recreation Evaluation: Telling More of the Story
• Adaptive Sports Development: Building a 7-a-side Paralympic Soccer Club Program
• An Analysis of School Playgrounds and Parks using Geographical Information Systems (GIS)
• An Exploration of Infant and Toddler Outdoor Play
• A Walk on the Wild Side: Connecting Play and Zoo Walkways
• Activating an Urban Neighborhood for Outdoor Play:  Strategies for Replication
• Applying Play Research and Theory to School, Community, and Family Settings in Trinidad & Tobago
• Assessing Availability and Quality of Play Spaces for Cities within the East Africa Community
• Beyond Cardboard and Sticks: The Role of Toys in Facilitating Play
• Biophilic Approach to Children’s Nature-based Outdoor Designed Environments
• Building a #All-In Classroom Culture: Real-World Challenges In a Game-Based Atmosphere
• Celebrating a University Collaborative Community of Play
• Children’s PlayDays – Play Provision in a Time of Extreme Crisis
• Combining Modern Technology with Outdoor Play
• Community-Based Strategies for Building and Activating Inclusive Playgrounds
• Community Health Lessons From Volunteer Implementation of Natural Play Spaces
• Creating a Playful Event for Children with Special Needs
• Creating Specialized Outdoor Play Training To Empower Children’s Experiences
• Diabetes Day Camp: Playing To Learn, Heal and Connect
• Discover, Play, Share: Using Play To Build Early Literacy And STEM Skills In Preschoolers
• Discover the Secret Language of Play
• Exploring a Multi-Sector Approach To Play
• Four Elements of Play As Described By Ugandan Women
• Get Playful With Dance
• How Better Play Makes Better Schools
• How I Learned To Be an Adult; Lessons Learned On the Recess Playground
• How to Open a Toy Library
• How to Survive and Thrive As a Purely Play-Based Program: The Sunflower Creative Arts Story
• Idea Factory: STEM through Play
• Inclusive Design for the Aquatic Splash Pad
• Improv Parenting: Using Improv to Parent Playfully and Mindfully
• Is It Play?  Is It Learning? A Cross-Cultural Study of Children’s And Parents’ Views
• “It’s Gonna Hurt”: Roughhousing and Risk in Play
• Learning to Build
• Leisure Activities among Urban Older Adults in China: How and Where do They Play?
• Let’s Get Some GoNoodle On!
• Making Classroom Magic with Mystery Skype
• More Fences, More Freedom? Exploring How the Design of Public Play Areas Affects Supervision
• Municipal Government and Play, It Can Be Done!
• Natural Harmony: An Instrumental Guide to Blending Music & Community
• Naturestart: Professional Development For Informal and Early Childhood Educators in Blended Classrooms
• Night at the Brewseum: Adults at Play!
• Opportunities and Barriers of Play at Pediatric Gardens: A Recent Case Study
• Play and Prevention of Bullying Behaviors
• Play Based Education through a Comprehensive School Health Framework
• Playground Literacy: Supporting Active Learning through Play
• PlayMatters – Therapeutic Value of Play for Children Impacted by Agent Orange from the Vietnam War
• Play Politics: School and Municipal Decision-Making Challenges in Canada Limiting Access to Play
• Play, Time, Behavior, and Flourishing
• Prevention, Promotion and Play: Using Interactive Activities to Promote Child Health and Wellness
• Recess Results: A Survey on Educators’ Perspectives on the Benefits of Recess
• Remember Play? How Our Personal Play Histories Springboard Support for Child-Directed Play
• Results of Grassroots Efforts to Increase Nature Play Infrastructure for Children
• Scaling Up: Building Play Networks At the Regional Level
• Sensory Play: An Integral Component of Inclusive Recreation
• The Butterfly Effect: Building On the Big Idea
• The Healing Power of Play – Restoring Childhood to Kids Impacted By Disasters
• The Real Toy Story: How to Create a Toy Library by The #1 Library in the Country
• The Role of Play in the Art Museum: A Case Study at the High Museum of Art
• The Urgent Need for Play-Based Experiential Learning in Preschool and Kindergarten
• Three Key Questions to Scaffold Playfulness
• Tips, Tools, and Tales from the Field: Fostering All-Out, Joyful Play in Adults
• Transitional Play: Exploring the Play Value of Classroom Indoor-Outdoor Relationship of Space
• Water Play and Children’s Complex Scientific Explorations
• What’s Going on with the Midwest Play Conference?: A Nature and Loose Parts Play Workshop
• YMCA Of Western Ontario; Outdoor Play Project
• Your Senses at Play! Explore Playground Designs And Programs That Support Children With Autism
• Zoos as a Nature Play Destination: Nature Playgrounds at Bronx Zoo and Houston Zoo

…and MANY, MANY MORE!!  You don’t want to miss this exciting professional development opportunity!  Join us at the 2018 Conference on the Value of Play: The Many Faces of Play, April 8-11 at Clemson University.

This is the first in a series that our Play Ambassador Coordinator Ryan Fahey
is doing to highlight people and businesses doing what we love…PLAY!  Since Ryan lives in Canada, many of his features will be on our neighbors to the north, broadening the global reach of our Play Coalition.

Recently I sat down with Professor Rintoul from the University of Alberta to discuss why she places such a high value on play. Rintoul goes beyond being passionate for play as she currently runs the PAW campaign and is heavily involved with IPA. Along with these accomplishments, we are glad to have Professor Rintoul involved with the US Play Coalition as a Play Ambassador as she continues to promote the value of play!

1. What is your favourite thing to do that is playful? Why do you think play is so impor
   tant?
   

This is a tricky question….as I believe play is not always defined as an activity (thing to do) but as a state of mind. We can be playful all the time! If I were to pick a couple of my top playful things to do, I would say dancing and exploring ocean shores (I love rocks). 

2. What is “Play Around The World”?

Play Around the World (PAW) is a credit course that is designed to provide University of Alberta students with a 3-month cross-cultural volunteer experience either internationally or in Canada. Offered by the Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation at the University of Alberta, Canada, students from diverse educational backgrounds form learning communities which are structured to provide a holistic and interdisciplinary approach to learning, leadership, and programming. The main purpose of Play Around the World is to provide students with an opportunity to develop a sense of global awareness and citizenry through a service-learning course focused on Play Provision (United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child). This is achieved through collaboration with various schools, government agencies, and community-based organizations where students work with staff members to provide opportunities for play, sport, and physical activity to children and youth of all abilities. Play is viewed as a vehicle to enliven the human spirit and to promote optimal development.  By working with international and/or Canadian partners, students undergo a meaningful learning experience that enhances their global education in a variety of areas (somewhat dependent on site location) including: culture; the cultural dimensions of play, sport, recreation, and physical activity; issues of child poverty; globalization; the effects of tourism and sex tourism; and the rights of the child as well as the rights of persons with a disability. Play Around the World began in 2001. 

3. What first got you interested in “Play Around The World” and why?

The former Director and Founder, Jane Vallentyne was a colleague and friend. From the start of the program (2001) I was a supporter and always attended student fundraising events along with the public presentations. There was always something about the program that not only resonated with my work in the Faculty teaching children’s movement activities, but also aligned with many of my values regarding global citizenship and service learning. 

4. What has been your greatest highlight since being involved with “Play Around The World”?

Perhaps the greatest highlight, among many, would be the expansion to our Cambodia placement site in 2009 – 2010. Personal connections to this country make the work we have established there especially rewarding. 

5. What do you think the future of play looks like? How does “Play Around The World” support what that looks like?

It is very encouraging to see the profile of play in Canada beginning to rise to the platform it deserves. The Child’s Right to Play as outlined in the UN Convention on the Right of the Child is starting to catch the attention of many provincial and national organizations and small pockets of play advocates are spreading the declaration of the importance of play in the lives of children and adults alike. Play Around the World, as a not-for-profit organization, supports local initiatives by planning and implementing Playdays with agencies such as the YMCA or City of Edmonton as well as special events such as National Child Day celebrations. Alumni of the program are often called upon as ‘play leaders’ to facilitate sessions with children and families. Our main contribution to supporting the future of play is in the form of ‘time and talents’. 

Thank you for all that you do to promote the value of play Mary Ann!

Recently we sat down with Evie Houtz, Program Specialist for Be Active Kids in Raleigh, NC. Evie is a mother of two playful kids. She is a role model for living an active, healthy lifestyle! Here is what Evie had to say when we chatted with her about Play!

“As Play Ambassadors, it is our job teach our children how to be playful and physically active just as much as it is our job to teach them morals, values, social skills, and educational concepts.   Physical activity is any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that results in energy expenditure.   Physically active children will develop gross motor skills that later help them to take part in games and sports with their peers.  Physical activity helps children build strong hearts, muscles and bones, improve thinking skills, develop positive self-esteem and confidence and just have fun.

Kids of all ages need both structured and unstructured physically active play throughout the day.   Structured activities are adult led and have a specific learning objective.  This type of physical activity includes games like Simon Says or Red Light, Green Light and organized sports like t-ball or soccer.  Young children should get between 60-90 minutes of structured physical activity throughout the day.  Many of these structured activities help the child to learn a motor skill or increase competency in movement.  In addition children should take part in at least 60 minutes of unstructured physical activity or free play.  This type of physical activity is child centered, child led and child initiated.  Unstructured physical activity includes things like fort building, climbing trees, running around pretending to be magical beings or super heroes, or creating a city out of boxes.  Unstructured free play helps a child to be more creative, learn to experiment, to work cooperatively, and to think more critically.  Both types of physical activity should be spread throughout the day.

In helping a child to play more, know that you have many items you around you each day that can be used for active play.  We all have milk jugs that can turn in to targets or balls, sticks that can used as swords, plastic bags that turn into juggling scarves and mud that can be thrown to ward off the bad guys.  It takes some creativity, courage and a little out-of-the-box thinking, but it is so important. Getting kids active is essential to their long term health and well-being.   Studies have shown that the motivation to be active (exercise) in adulthood can be influenced by childhood experiences.”

For more ideas or how to use inexpensive items to increase physical activity, check out the Be Active Kids 8 one-pagers.

• 50 Things to do with a Cardboard Box
• 50 Things To Do with a Beach Ball
• 101 Things To Do with a Stick
• 50 Physical Activities To Do With Milk Jugs
• 50 Ways to Use Your Noodle….Pool Noodle that is!
• 20 Fun Things You Can Do in the Mud
• Fun Ideas for Using Play Things Indoors and Outdoors
• Literacy in Motion and Music That Moves

By: Ryan Fahey, B.Ed, BKin

Ryan is a new regular blogger for the US Play Coalition.  He is working to develop our Play Ambassador program and spread the word about the Value of Play.