The 2026 National Conference on the Value of Play, held in Bloomington, Indiana, from April 28–30, 2026 is less than one month away! Hosted by IIDC’s Eppley Center for Parks and Public Lands and the US Play Coalition, this year’s conference “Play & __!” celebrates the ubiquity, adaptability, and boundlessness of play and highlights its importance for people of all abilities and across the entire lifespan. With more than 70 sessions and the (new!) interactive "Play Hub" for special hands-on play activities, fellowship, and networking, the conference provides a unique platform to explore how play intersects with personal journeys, professional practices, and community health. Secure your spot now through the 2026 conference website and consider booking your room at the Indiana Memorial Union’s Biddle Hotel—where rooms are booking fast! —to stay close to all the play-filled (and play-ful!) action.
A major highlight of the event will be our 2026 Keynote Speaker on Wednesday, April 29, 2026. Darryl Edwards, an internationally recognized movement coach and founder of the Primal Play Method®, will be presenting "Play & Learning to Live Again." In this keynote, Darryl will share 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.
The teams at IIDC, the Eppley Center, and the US Play Coalition hope to see you this April as we explore the " & " in play together and reclaim the joy of movement for every member of our community!