Buckle up, because 2025 is shaping up to be an exhilarating year for the US Play Coalition! After its first year housed at IU Bloomington, we are thrilled to unveil a sneak peek into the programming and events we have in store for the year ahead. Whether you consider yourself an educator, play advocate, student, architect, higher education professional, “parks person,” or any other role where you are passionate about play, we are excited to have you join us!
First, keep an eye out for the formal “drum roll” as we will be announcing the 2025 dates for the US Play Coalition’s National Conference on the Value of Play in the weeks to come. That said, your hint is that you can anticipate that it will once again be held at Indiana University’s Indiana Memorial Union when the campus’s tulips are blooming next year!
The main event: The 2025 conference promises to be an immersive play experience like no other, celebrating the importance of play in all its forms. From inspiring keynote speeches to engaging panel discussions, and interactive workshops, this conference will be a playground of ideas and insights for play advocates. This year we will also offer a series of focused, pre-conference workshops. Stay tuned!
You will also see the Play Coalition expanding its horizons further by re-launching the revised & updated Play Facilitation Training (PFT) program this fall 2024. This training serves as an excellent initiation to the world of PLAY for professionals engaged in children’s activities across various settings such as camps, museums, childcare centers, parks, and out-of-school programs. Tailored for adults overseeing children within the age brackets of 3-5, 6-8, and 9-11, with a brief inclusion of insights regarding children aged 12 and above, the program equips facilitators with essential tools, foundational knowledge, and the assurance needed to facilitate unstructured play sessions within their respective facilities. In addition to the PFT, we plan to build out a catalog of play-related training in the months and years to come that will cater to all levels of expertise, making quality play education accessible to all.
Finally, in Fall 2025, we are bringing the excitement closer to home with the Indiana University Play Symposium, slated to be held at the picturesque IU Bloomington campus for IU staff, faculty, and students. This symposium seeks to build synergies in research, training, outreach, and grantmaking (and we will be sure to share our highlight across our socials). So, whether you are a seasoned play advocate or just dipping your toes into the world of play, 2025 promises to be a year filled with excitement, learning, and, of course, plenty of play! Stay tuned for more updates and announcements as we embark on this journey together. Let us play on! Check out our website at usplaycoalition.org or contact us at usplay@iu.edu to learn more