image: US Play Coalition
A couple of years ago I attended this conference as a speaker to discuss the developmental needs of children in play environments. I went into the conference as an instructor but quickly became the pupil. All of the attendees were professionals dedicated to play and children’s outdoor environments, who have, and are, doing great things. This three-day conference is a great experience for anyone involved with design and management of outdoor play environments.
– Chad Kennedy, ASLA, Officer and Past Co-Chair of the Children’s Outdoor Environments PPN
The US Play Coalition invites you to attend the 2017 Conference on the Value of Play: Where Design Meets Play, April 2-5 at Clemson University in Clemson, South Carolina.
The annual Conference on the Value of Play brings together leading play researchers, park and recreation professionals, educators, health scientists, landscape architects, designers, planners, business and community leaders, psychologists, physicians and parents from across the country.
The three-day event includes keynote and featured speakers, play institutes, PLAYtalks, research symposium, educational sessions, roundtables, grant opportunities, networking, and opportunities for play. LA CES credits also available!
We have already announced some incredible headliners for 2017 Conference on the Value of Play. Innovative Play Space Designer Matthew Urbanski, ASLA, will be a keynote speaker, sharing his lessons learned from designing play spaces. James Siegal, CEO of KaBOOM!, and Kimberly S. Clay, Founder & Executive Director, Play Like A Girl!®, are among our PLAYtalk presenters (our version of TED talks). There are more speaker announcements to come…not to mention the dozens of educational session and research symposium presenters!
image: US Play Coalition
Early bird registration is now open until February 15! Further discounts are available to US Play Coalition members. Membership is free, and simply requires a declaration of shared commitment to the value of play.
Sponsors for the conference to date include Landscape Structures Inc., Vortex Aquatic Structures International, Playcore-GameTime, Little Tikes Commercial, Playworld, CLIF Kid, Allied Tube and Conduit, IPEMA, Burke Premier Play Environments, and Clemson University’s College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences. Sponsorship opportunities are still available. Please email usplaycoalition@clemson.edu for information.
“Our sponsors are leaders in advancing play,” Stephanie Garst, Executive Director of the US Play Coalition, said. “Their support comes from their deep belief in our work, our message, and our network, and we are so glad to bring them together with us to support play and the coalition as it moves forward.”
To learn more, please visit the conference website.
by Stephanie Perler Garst, Executive Director of the US Play Coalition
WOW! Chad, thank you for that kind intro! We are excited to have design as our theme this year and hope your ASLA colleagues will join us!