(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.

Our 10th anniversary play swag took home the “2019 Best Merchandise” Excellence Award from the South Carolina Festivals and Events Association at its annual conference in 2020.

The SCFEA Excellence Awards celebrate the best from South Carolina!  Our “PLAY FOR LIFE” cuff bracelet, featured at our 10th Anniversary Conference on the Value of Play: PLAY FOR LIFE, won the 2019 Best Merchandise award.  With the holidays upon us, we thought it was fitting for us to do an encore campaign with our 2020 and 2021 themes added to the mix!!

So order our LIMITED EDITION, AWARD WINNING PLAY CUFF BRACELETS – they make great holiday, birthday, graduation, thank you gifts or “just because” gifts!!

Made locally in Clemson, South Carolina. These very popular cuff bracelets are available in three colors – silver, gold and rose gold.

Each color can have one of three phrases:

PLAY FOR ALL

PLAY FOR LIFE

PLAY IS SURVIVAL

Support the US Play Coalition and PLAY by purchasing a PLAYful bracelet – or get one of each!!

Overview
• Handmade item
• Material: Aluminum, Brass, Copper
• Bracelet length: 6 Inches
• Bracelet width: 1/4 Inches
• Adjustable: Yes
• Style: Minimalist

Please note: Shipping is only available in the continental U.S. at this time.
Shipping in the continental U.S. is just $3.50.  OR! Locals can save on shipping with pickup at the US Play Coalition office at Clemson University

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.

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND!  Order your limited edition 10th Anniversary play shirt through August 1!  Proceeds support our action and research grants!

Just in time for your summer PLAY days!  You can PLAY in style!!  There are 5 color options in unisex short or long sleeve AND youth short sleeve styles.

Go Up the Slide
Rough & Tumble
Jump in the Puddles
Take Risks
Play Outside
Make Believe
Roll in the Dirt
Run Your Fastest
Slide, Swing, Leap
Adapt, Imagine
Play for All
PLAY FOR LIFE

Order online before the campaign ends at 11:59pm EST on August 1!!

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!

For our 10th Anniversary we have something special up our sleeve…PUN INTENDED!

HURRY! We have a VERY LIMITED TIME t-shirt campaign for our 10th Anniversary!
There are 5 color options on unisex short sleeve, long sleeve or youth short sleeve options.

Order online before the campaign ends at 11:59pm EST April 7!!

https://www.bonfire.com/us-play-coalition-10th-anniversary/

For our 10th Anniversary we have a few special things up our sleeve…PUN INTENDED!

HURRY! We have a VERY LIMITED TIME t-shirt campaign for our 10th Anniversary Conference!
There are 5 color options on unisex short sleeve, long sleeve or youth short sleeve options.

Order before the campaign ends at 11:59pm EST March 12! (we will do another campaign soon)

*IF YOU ARE ATTENDING THE PLAY CONFERENCE, EMAIL STEPHANIE AT SPGARST@CLEMSON.EDU TO BE PART OF A BULK ORDER AND AVOID SHIPPING COST!!!

Order online:

BUT WAIT! THERE’S MORE!!!
Our 10th anniversary swag just got FANCY!!!

Made locally in Clemson, South Carolina. These very popular cuff bracelets are available in three colors – silver, gold and rose gold. Support the US Play Coalition and PLAY by purchasing a PLAYful bracelet!

Order now through March 20 and choose “pickup” to avoid shipping and pickup at the Play Conference! Otherwise it is just $3.50 to ship in the US. (only available in the US at this time.)

They make great gifts, so order as many as you want!

Order yours before time runs out…!!!!

http://bit.ly/play-bracelets

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.

The Story of How the Midwest Play Conference Came to Be

I love my job. Not many people can say that with a straight face, but I can. After my 6^th year of working as a professor at Minnesota State University – Mankato, the opportunity came to apply for my first sabbatical.  When asked about my sabbatical plans a question mark seemed to loom over my head.  I love teaching and working with students, but what else could I possibly do that would provide me with the same rewards that I get while being in the classroom? Then my lightbulb moment occurred.  

I wanted my sabbatical project to be meaningful for my own research and academic interests, but I also wanted the project make an impact on my community. I’ve been attending the US Play Coalition Value of Play Conference every year for 5 years. I’ve had the opportunity to meet playful passionate people, learn about national and international efforts to promote play and found countless ways to improve my teaching and scholarship through professional development practices. I wanted to replicate the formula and create a regional conference in partnership with the US Play Coalition, to bring the message about the importance of play to individuals in the Midwest.  Why the Midwest?  Besides the fact that I live here, there are so many educators and professionals who are passionate about play but were not familiar with the US Play Coalition, particularly in this region.

So…the first ever regional US Play Coalition conference will be held June 25th in Mankato, Minnesota. The Midwest Play Conference will feature Lisa Murphy, a motivational speaker who has years of experience working in early childhood settings, who encourages teachers, parents, and community members to be messy and playful in working with children. The conference will also feature 20 presenters who will be speaking on a variety of topics like nature play, play in early childhood classrooms, ideas for bringing nature inside, and ways to support teachers and their professional development with playful methods. The Midwest Play Conference was designed to reach out to caregivers, parents, community members, and recreation, parks and leisure services professionals, but will be beneficial for anyone who values and supports play.  By attending the conference, attendees will gain a greater appreciation and understanding of local and regional efforts to support play. Who knows, maybe it will be your chance to create a regional conference next!