October 11, 2024 Playful Pittsburgh & Trying Together Launch New Resource Series Playful Pittsburgh, in collaboration with its lead organization, Trying Together, has launched the first part of its Playful Resource Series, a collection of resources designed to educate and advocate for play for all. The resource series will cover topics such as the benefits of play, how people of all ages can better incorporate play into daily life, advocating for equity in play, and more. Modeled after Trying Together’s 12-part Developmentally Appropriate Parenting (DAP) Resource Series, the Playful Resource Series includes a digital library of curated resources with printable and interactive tools organized by play type and issues relating to different age groups. The first part of this series focuses on “Play is Learning” and future topics and related resources will be released periodically through 2027 on the Playful Resource Series’ web page. Learn More The first topic covered in the series is “Play is Learning.” In this part, readers can explore resources that feature information on: The benefits and necessity of play for healthy brain development How play supports cognitive development over time How people develop executive functions through play Any questions regarding the series should be emailed to playfulpgh@tryingtogether.org.
August 8, 2024 Registration Open for UnConference: Beyond the Playground: Advancing Racial Equity in Play Registration is now open for UnConference: Beyond the Playground: Advancing Racial Equity in Play. Learn More Trying Together – in partnership with the P.R.I.D.E. (Positive Racial Identity Development in Early Education) Program, Hatch Partners in Play, and Playful Pittsburgh – will host the event on Monday, October 14 at Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Participants will attend expert-led sessions that focus on the value and necessity of play; the benefits of play-based learning; how school and state policy may impact their children’s play experiences; play, race, identity, and the arts; and the importance of risky play activities such as climbing and balancing. Keynote Speakers and Workshops This year’s UnConference will include two keynote addresses. Dr. Denisha Jones will present “Play as Liberatory Early Childhood Pedagogy” in the morning. The afternoon address will be “The Healing Power of Play and Optimism” by Antony (Ant) Toombs, of the Life is Good Playmaker Project. There will be two rounds of workshop sessions after the keynote speakers. PQAS and Act 48 credit hours will be available. Registration is required. Upon registration, attendees will be asked to select one workshop session from each timeframe. Workshops include: A session on the Playlab Framework that has been implemented in several public school classrooms in the region A dialogue-based workshop inspired by the playful engagement typical of a Parent LAB PLAY DAY A workshop exploring play equity and access in schools and communities A session exploring the critical role of risky play in early childhood education, highlighting its significance in fostering children’s physical, emotion, and cognitive development A session featuring P.R.I.D.E. artists as they share interactive themed art activities for early childhood-aged children Lunch will be served and attendees will have the opportunity to network with colleagues. More Details Free valet parking will be available for participants. Phipps is accessible via Pittsburgh Regional Transit buses and POGOH, Pittsburgh’s bikeshare program. Some sessions will be held outdoors, so it’s recommended that participants wear layers and comfortable footwear. Some walking is required between sessions. Participants should note needed accommodations during registration and a Trying Together representative will reach out. Tickets for the UnConference are $25. Space is limited, so those interested in attending should register by Sept. 30. Event details are available on Trying Together’s UnConference page.
May 20, 2024 Playful Pittsburgh to Offer Games During Three Rivers Arts Festival The Three Rivers Arts Festival will bring 10 days of free art and music to Pittsburgh’s cultural district from May 31 to June 9. This year, Playful Pittsburgh will offer games on three days during the festival. Learn More Playful Pittsburgh will offer games for all attendees at the Giant Eagle Foundation Backyard at 8th Street and Penn Street on the following days: Sunday, June 2 from noon to 6 p.m. Monday, June 3 from noon to 6 p.m. Tuesday, June 4, from noon to 6 p.m. Playful Pittsburgh will bring oversized versions of popular games – including Connect 4, Cornhole, Jenga, and LEGO blocks. Attendees will be able to take part in an afternoon of laughter, joy, and playful competition. Three Rivers Arts Festival This year’s festival runs from May 31 to June 9. Hundreds of vendors selling everything from glass work and paintings to illustrations, jewelry, and pottery will be set up in Pittsburgh’s cultural district. A number of musical artists will perform at this year’s festival, including Los Lonely Boys, the Sugarhill Gang, Furious Five Say She She, Ben Folds, Pokey LeGarge, Martha Redbone, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Nicole Zuraitis, Ozomatli, and others. The festival will also include a number of other events, including a display of photos from the 1984 Three Rivers Arts Festival, juried art exhibitions, a sculpture workshop, and games of chess.For more information, visit the Three Rivers Arts Festival’s website.
May 7, 2024 Seeking Input on Recess and Play for Advocacy Toolkit Trying Together and Playful Pittsburgh are seeking input on recess and play for the creation of an advocacy toolkit on the topics. Learn More As part of their play advocacy research, Trying Together and Playful Pittsburgh are asking parents and caregivers of children, teachers, school administrators, and community members for input. In the survey, participants will discuss how their child’s school perceives and implements recess. Collected input will go toward devising a comprehensive, community-based Play Advocacy Toolkit that will be widely shared and easily accessible. The deadline to complete the survey is June 21. The survey is now available to complete. Community Conversations on Play Parents and caregivers of children, teachers, school leaders, and community members are also invited to join Trying Together and Playful Pittsburgh for upcoming community conversations on play. Physical movement, the freedom to play, and playful learning during the school day improves a child’s social, emotional, physical, and cognitive skills. However, many American children engage in less than one hour of unstructured play per day. The conversations will focus on how play is an important part of a child’s school life. The events will help attendees learn how to advocate for play and developmentally appropriate practices in early childhood. In person event Thursday, May 30, 2024 | 5 – 7 p.m. Spartan Community Center of Hazelwood, 134 East Elizabeth Street Registration is now open Dinner and child care will be provided. Virtual event Monday, June 10, 2024 | 7-8 p.m. Zoom Registration is now open.
May 1, 2024 Recess and Play: Community Conversations Parents and caregivers of children, teachers, school leaders, and community members are invited to join Trying Together and Playful Pittsburgh for community conversations on play. Learn More Physical movement, the freedom to play, and playful learning during the school day improves a child’s social, emotional, physical, and cognitive skills. However, many American children engage in less than one hour of unstructured play per day. We’d like to know how much your child is able to play. A community conversation being held on May 30 will discuss how play is a part of a child’s school life. The event will help attendees learn how to advocate for play and developmentally appropriate practice in early childhood. Dinner and child care will be provided to participants at the in-person event. There will also be a virtual event in June. Details Thursday, May 30 | 5 – 7 p.m. Spartan Community Center of Hazelwood, 134 East Elizabeth Street in Pittsburgh Register Monday, June 10 | 7 – 8 p.m. Virtual Register Can’t attend? Take the play advocacy survey to share your thoughts.
Recess and Play: Community Conversations Parents and caregivers of children, teachers, school leaders, and community members are invited to join Trying Together and Playful Pittsburgh for community conversations on play. Learn More Physical movement, the freedom to play, and playful learning during the school day improves a child’s social, emotional, physical, and cognitive skills. However, many American children engage in less than one hour of unstructured play per day. We’d like to know how much your child is able to play. A community conversation being held on May 30 will discuss how play is a part of a child’s school life. The event will help attendees learn how to advocate for play and developmentally appropriate practice in early childhood. Dinner and child care will be provided to participants at the in-person event. There will also be a virtual event in June. Details Thursday, May 30 | 5 – 7 p.m. Spartan Community Center of Hazelwood, 134 East Elizabeth Street in Pittsburgh Register Monday, June 10 | 7 – 8 p.m. Virtual Register Can’t attend? Take the play advocacy survey to share your thoughts.
April 29, 2024 Remake Learning Days to Offer Hundreds of Events in May The Remake Learning Days Festival will offer more than 350 events – including Playful Pittsburgh’s Ultimate Play Day – in May. The three-week festival offers activities for children ages two to 17 as well as adults. Learn More From May 2 to 22, families can take part in a variety of events and celebrate learning. Activities include building a robot, coding an art spinner, directing a film, doing scientific work, exploring the outdoors, making music, printing inventions with a 3-D printer, and more. The festival will include in-person and virtual events hosted by schools, museums, libraries, after-school organizations, child care centers, and tech companies. There are a number of free activities as well as others that range from $1 to $50. Most of the events take place in Southwestern Pennsylvania, while a few others will be held in West Virginia. Ultimate Play Day – which is co-hosted by Playful Pittsburgh, Trying Together, and CitiParks – will take place during Remake Learning Days. The event emphasizes the importance and power of play for people of all ages. The free event will be hosted at the Activities Shelter at Riverview Park from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 18. The festival will also include a performance of “Leonardo! A Wonderful Show About a Terrible Monster.” Color puppets and props will bring characters from Mo Willems’ book to life on stage. For more information on the Remake Learning Days Festival, visit the festival’s website.
April 24, 2024 How to Get to Ultimate Play Day on May 18 Playful Pittsburgh will host its annual Ultimate Play Day on Saturday, May 18 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Activities Shelter in Riverview Park. There are three bus routes that can drop participants off close to the event. Learn More Ultimate Play Day is a celebration of playfulness for people of all ages. The event – co-hosted by Playful Pittsburgh, Trying Together, and Citiparks as part of Remake Learning Days – celebrates the importance of play. A number of city organizations will take part in the event – including the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy, Carnegie Science Center, Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh, Fred Rogers Institute, Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, and many more. A complete list can be found on Ultimate Play Day’s event page. Directions Participants driving to the event and taking 279 N should avoid Milroy Street. Instead of making the first left, continue on to East Street and take Baytree Street to the park. Three bus routes will drop participants close to the event. Riders can take Bus 8 from the Northside to Riverview Park. They can pick up this bus at Cedar, East North Avenue, or Federal Street. The closest stops to the park are Perrysville and Watson or Perrysville and Cherryfield. Riders can take Bus 12 from the Northside. The closest stop to the park is East Street and Venture Street, which is about a mile walk to the event. Riders can also take Bus 15 from Downtown. More Information If you have questions, contact Adam James Zahren, Program Director for Playful Pittsburgh, at adam@tryingtogether.org. To plan a route to Ultimate Play Day, visit Pittsburgh Regional Transit’s True Time System’s website.
April 2, 2024 United Nations Designates June 11 as International Day of Play The United Nations General Assembly has adopted a resolution to create a new International Day of Play. The day will take place on June 11 every year, beginning in 2024. A Global Effort The adoption of the resolution on March 25 follows a global effort led by a coalition of organizations – including Right to Play, a nonprofit with a mission to use play to empower children to rise above adversity. The coalition’s goal was to spotlight the importance of play in children’s lives, learning, and development. It also aimed to call attention to the need to protect and support children’s right to play. Global research surveying more than 25,000 children across 36 countries revealed that as many as 73% of children don’t believe adults take the benefits of play seriously, according to Right to Play. “Play is powerful,” said Susan McIsaac, President and CEO of Right to Play International. “Through play, children explore and understand the world, learn how to collaborate and empathize with others, build the confidence to claim their rights, and develop a lifelong love of learning.” Adam James Zahren, Program Director of Playful Pittsburgh, applauded the UN resolution. “I think the designation of an official International Play Day is essential because it showcases the necessity of playing for children and adults alike,” Zahren said. “Play is important for physical, emotional, and social development. It reduces stress and builds relationships. I’m thrilled to hear this news.” Convention on the Rights of the Child This is not the first time that the United Nations has recognized the importance of play. In 1989, the UN approved the Convention on the Rights of the Child. This international treaty set benchmarks against which a nation’s treatment of its children could be measured. One of its tenets was that “every child has the right to rest and leisure, to engage in play and recreational activities appropriate to the age of the child, and to participate freely in cultural life and the arts.” Sign up for the Playful Pittsburgh newsletter to stay up to date on all things play-related in the region.
