Don't miss out! The Play Coalition, a program of the Eppley Center, is ramping up for the National Conference on the Value of Play, held right here in Bloomington, Indiana, April 28-30. This play-filled, educational event at IU’s Indiana Memorial Union will feature over 70 sessions, networking and hands-on play activities in "The Play Hub," and much more. This year’s theme, Play & ___! celebrates play’s ubiquity, adaptability, and boundlessness. To learn more and register for this year’s conference, check out the Play Coalition's 2026 conference page.
We are also pleased to announce this year’s keynote speaker, Darryl Edwards, internationally-recognized movement coach, TEDx speaker, published author, and founder of the Primal Play Method®️, whose lived experience and public health work have positioned him as a leading voice in the science and story of active play. Mr. Edwards will be delivering this year’s keynote address on Wednesday, April 28th 2026.
In “Play & Learning to Live Again,” Darryl shares his journey from a high-stress career in investment banking technology through trauma, grief, and physical recovery, and how rediscovering play became a pathway back to vitality and meaning. Drawing on personal experience and public health practice, he explores how evolutionary-based play can help people of all ages rebuild resilience, navigate loss, and reclaim joy in a world that often diminishes it. Grounded in story and supported by evidence, this keynote reframes play not as a luxury, but as a human capacity that enables us to adapt, recover, and move forward.
We hope to see you in April!