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WINTER 2015 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE 3
Contents
Play and Playground Magazine | Volume 15 No. 4 | Winter 2015
8
Features
Coming Together to Protect Play
8
By Jay Beckwith
Inclusion Takes A Village
12
By Marnie Norris
The Therapeutic Benefits of Free Play Outdoors
16
Unhindered From the Adult World
Photo courtesy of Rusty Keeler
12
By Angela Hanscom
It Takes A Community To Put Play Everywhere
19
By KaBOOM!
20
The Impact of New Games: Then and Now By William J. Michaelis
26
Neighborhood Play Around the World By Pop-Up Adventure Play
28 Photo courtesy of Marnie Norris
16
30
Missoula Children’s Theatre – Making Magic with Communities Improving Communities through Parks and Recreation By Samantha Bartram
34
Community Resource Directory
DEPARTMENTS 5 7
CPSI Course Calendar PGPedia: Shane's Inspiration
Courtesy of Angela Hanscom 4 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE WINTER 2015
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CPSI Course
Calendar January 6-8
Landover, MD
(301) 352-7203
February 16-18
Murfreesboro, TN
(615) 790-0041
29-02
Galveston, TX
(512) 267-5550
March 7-9
Mission, KS
(785) 235-6533
8-10
Long Beach, CA
(916) 665-2777
9-11
New Brighton, MN
15-17
Phoenix, AZ
(602) 335-1962
15-17
Bismarck, ND
(701) 355-4458
16-18
Brighton, CO
(303) 231-0943
22-24
St. Charles, MO
(573) 636-3828
29-31
Winter Park, FL
(850) 878-3221
5-7
East Hartford, CT
(860) 721-0384
13-15
Newport News, VA
(804) 730-9447
19-21
Lombard, IL
(708) 588-2287
20-22
Troy, MI
(517) 485-9888
Cranberry Township
(814) 234-5276
Hillsboro, OR
(503) 867-8447
(763) 571-1305 x100
April
May 3-5
June 8-10
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WINTER 2015 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE 5
Curtis Stoddard - Publisher Magazine Publisher Curtis Stoddard
Editor Rita Watts
Advertising Director Tate Schuldies
Design Jake Amen
Accounting Evelyn Coolidge Webmaster Jake Amen
Contributing Authors Samantha Bartram Jay Beckwith Terri Elander Angela Hanscom Bill Michaelis Marnie Norris
Copyright, 2015 published by Playground Professionals, LLC, 4 issues per year, sub rates, back copies, foreign, reproduction prohibitions, all rights reserved, not responsible for content of ads and submitted materials, mail permits.
CORPORATE OFFICE Playground Professionals LLC P.O. Box 192 Saint Anthony, Idaho 83445
www.playgroundprofessionals.com
Playground Professionals Is Under New Ownership In 2000, I approached Harris Publishing with the idea of publishing a magazine to champion the playground industry. Originally called Today’s Playground and then Playground Magazine, the publication reached thousands of readers with insightful information from industry leaders. Having been in the industry 30+ years, I launched a new endeavor in 2010 with Playground Professionals, an industry resource website. The Playground Professionals website contains The Play and Playground Encyclopedia, Play and Playground News Center, and two directories containing contact information for manufacturers and local contractors, sales reps, and consultants. In 2013, Playground Professionals purchased Playground Magazine from Harris Publishing and renamed it Play and Playground Magazine. We quickly made the magazine available to be read online digitally for our readers from our website. We are proud of the editorial content we have included these last three years, and we believe you have found these issues to contain valuable resource information. Playground Professionals was built with the intention to one day pass it on to others to continue and that day has come. Happily, two of our employees, Tate Schuldies and Jake Amen, have purchased the company and are excited to take the helm and continue the work that we have started. We greatly appreciate the support you have given us these past five years and trust you will continue your support of Playground Professionals under their new leadership. The transition has been seamless as they continue what we have built together.
What Is Community?
The idea of community suggests a social group of people residing in a specific locality or sharing common interests. A community could be a physical neighborhood or it could indicate a wide span of like-minded individuals creating a larger society. President George H. W. Bush popularized the phrase “a thousand points of light” when describing the good that America’s communities and volunteers could do for others. The thought was to inspire a culture of volunteerism that would result in creating healthy communities that could realize their power to make a difference in others’ lives. Volunteerism is on the rise with today’s millennials embracing the concept of giving back even more than their parents did according to a recent poll. The phrase “It takes a village to raise a child” has been attributed to several African societies who have similar proverbs to this effect. This idea fosters the premise that communities also have an impact in influencing the lives of children. This issue of Play and Playground Magazine explores many ways of engaging the community to affect the lives of children. Creating playgrounds for children is often a labor of love involving volunteers. KaBOOM! is the national non-profit dedicated to bringing balanced and active play into the daily lives of all kids, particularly those growing up in poverty in America. Since 1996, KaBOOM! has collaborated with partners to build, open, or improve more than 16,000 playgrounds, engaged more than one million volunteers, and served 7.4 million children. National Recreation and Park Association’s Parks Build Community initiative works to build and revitalize parks to provide thriving gathering places for the community. Shane’s Inspiration has the mission of creating social inclusion for children with disabilities through the vehicle of inclusive playgrounds and programs. Playgrounds are vital for strong communities. Although “stranger danger” has kept many children inside their own homes, Pop-Up Adventure Play seeks to invite families to participate in free, public celebrations of childdirected play, stocked with loose parts (such as cardboard boxes, fabric, tape, and string) and staffed by playworkers. An introductory version of the classic adventure playground model, they welcome people of all ages and abilities to enjoy free play together. We invite you to discover the many benefits of community involvement, both for yourselves and for others.
6 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE WINTER 2015
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From the Play and Playground Encyclopedia http://www.playgroundprofessionals.com/encyclopedia/s/shanes-inspiration
Shane's Inspiration WHEN SHANE ALEXANDER was born to Catherine Curry-Williams and Scott Williams in 1997, he was diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy, which prohibited him from moving or breathing on his own. He died a few weeks later from this genetic disorder. Had he lived, he would have been confined to a wheelchair.1 Catherine read an article about a family on the East Coast who had also lost a child and had turned their grief into action by creating a playground. After researching playgrounds on the West Coast, Catherine and Scott realized that Shane would have been denied the right to play with his friends and family at a neighborhood or school playground near them. This thought was the motivation that resulted in Shane’s Inspiration, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of children with disabilities. Joined by Tiffany Harris, a family friend, Catherine and Tiffany raised $1 million for their dream of an accessible playground.2 Shane’s Inspiration is one of the first Universally Accessible Playgrounds (UAP) in the Western United States and one of the largest in the nation. It is located in Griffith Park, Los Angeles, California and
opened on September 21, 2000. This 2 acre playground gives children with disabilities the opportunity to play alongside other children on sensory-rich and physically challenging equipment. In the fifteen years since the opening of this flagship playground, Shane’s Inspiration has helped raise millions of dollars to develop over 56 inclusive playgrounds around the world with 75 more in development.3 Many programs have been incorporated into Shane’s Inspiration. Shane’s Club began in June 2002 in memory of Shane Williams. Now called My PlayClub, they have launched numerous inclusive play clubs across the nation and around the world. Opened to all children of all abilities, they have monthly meetings at one of Shane’s Inspiration’s Universally Accessible Playgrounds. They have face painting, arts and crafts, and other children’s activities. They also have volunteers from local community groups who become “Shane’s Buddy” when paired with a child with a disability. Membership in the club is free.4 The school field trip program pairs a class of children with typical abilities with a special-needs class for a day of integrated play. Over 2,600 students and 50 schools in Los Angeles County
The Play and Playground Encyclopedia
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participate annually in this program. The social inclusion education program called Together We Are Able combines in-class awareness of disabilities with an interactive field trip to a UAP for handson opportunities for students. The public education program introduces the need for Universally Accessible Playgrounds to the community and brings awareness to as many people as possible, generating an understanding of the need for integrated play and integrated playgrounds.5 Footnotes
1 “About Us.” Shane’s Inspiration. < http:// www.shanesinspiration.org/about-us/ > 16 Dec. 2015. 2. “History.” City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks. < http://www.ci.la. ca.us/RAP//dos/playground/accessibleplay. htm > 14 Feb. 2011. 3. Op. cit., “About Us.” 4. "My PlayClub.” Shane’s Inspiration. < http:// www.shanesinspiration.org/my_playclub/ > 16 Dec. 2015. 5. “Together We Are Able.” Shane’s Inspiration. < http://www.shanesinspiration.org/programs/together-we-are-able/ > 16 Dec. 2015.
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WINTER 2015 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE 7
Coming Together
Protect P by Jay Beckwith
Photo courtesy of Pixabay
ANTHROPOLOGISTS who study intact indigenous peoples find that they generally do not have a word for play. Children in these communities just do what kids have always done, naturally and without much “parenting.” The French philosopher Rousseau largely formed our modern idea of play as a distinct behavior in the mid1700s. He urged that children be given freedom to enjoy sunlight, exercise, and play and recognized that there are definite periods of development in a child’s life. This notion of play became more universal as society was increasingly industrialized to the extent that places to play were scarce, which in turn led to the creation of playgrounds. These came about as a result of motorized vehicles commandeering the roads making it, in the eyes of the community, unsafe to play in the street. Play in
the street was primarily ball and running games, hopscotch, jump rope, and the like. Following Rousseau’s romanticized notion of play, these new playgrounds added “exercise” equipment such as monkey bars and swings. By the end of the 19th century, slides and merry-go-rounds had been added completing what we now view as the traditional playground. The point of this brief history lesson is to highlight that “play” as we now envision it is a direct product of society. What society gains from playgrounds is to create a place where play is sanctioned, where it’s supposed to happen, and by inference, this makes other places “not OK to play here.” When society creates playgrounds as the place where play is allowed children, society can now send kids off to school where they are expected
8 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE WINTER 2015
to do their school “work” and then, if they are lucky, be sent outside to burn off energy, so they come back in, sit still, and work some more. We are just now coming to understand that this separation between play and work, be it a job or studies, is not such a great idea. These days it seems that there is a study every week that demonstrates the push for academics before children turn eight years old has measurable negative consequences on a child’s later performance at school, in their jobs, and in their personal lives. And it’s not just children that need to play. The business magazines are rife with stories about creative people and enterprises that welcome playfulness at work. Playfulness is now understood to be the wellspring of creativity, and creativity means big bucks. www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
it, are beginning to repudiate the notion that playfulness should be placed into a box.
The Community Connection
Societies are made up of communities, and it is in these subgroups where we find the unique expressions of how the community sees itself. A community often expresses its identity most clearly in the way Swings became part of the traditional playground by the end of the they provide for play. For 19th century. Photo courtesy of Library of Congress example, contrast the community of Ithaca, New York with its adventure playground, Hands-on- to be there because they share the same Nature Anarchy Zone and Mud Day with values, and a positive reinforcement patschool districts across the nation that have tern is created. eliminated recess. Or compare elaborate Smart city governments recognize that and inclusive play spaces such as Magical their parks and recreation department is Bridge Playground in Palo Alto, California the front door to their community. Parks with cities that buy essentially identical are among the first impressions, and play structures for all of their parks claim- first impressions tends be the most lasting that standardization improves and ing. Schools generally make the second lowers the cost of maintenance. impact, and here again it is the playPlaygrounds are an exercise in placeground that sets the early impression of making. They are a physical manifestahow much children are valued. tion of the community’s intentions and values. Where one community values fun, The Nextdoor Neighbor another may value conformity. Where a As our analysis gets increasingly finetown may let their play spaces fall into grained, we can look at the impact on disrepair because of budget cuts, another play by small groups and the neighbormay organize volunteers to do what needs hood. Those that look at the issues of to be done. public health and happiness tell us that Community identity is an interesting American neighborhoods are often domiphenomenon. Some towns have a strong nated by two emotional qualities, isolaWhat we are seeing at an ever-accelsense of self, they know who they are, tion and angst. The isolation comes from erating pace is another paradigm shift in and they foster and preserve their idenmany factors including long workdays which society, or at tity. What happens over time is often by both parents, detached singleleast segments of that people who like what they family housing, high mobility that leads to see when they first visit a new loss of extended family connections, etc. community often end up movThe angst comes mainly from the coning in. In essence, strong towns ditions of our modern times with instant grow largely with people who access to a fountain of fear-inducing self-select information about personal security, economic and environmental uncertainties, and a general feeling of helplessness. With isolation and angst as a common emotional backdrop, is it any wonder that parents can become over controlling of their children and circumscribe their play? Dr. Peter Gray has written extensively about this issue. In a recent article, “Risky Play: Why Children Love It and Need It” in Psychology Today April 2014, Mud play at the Hands-on-Nature Anarchy Zone, Ithaca, New York. he cited this research finding: Photos courtesy of Rusty Keeler
to
Play
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WINTER 2015 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE 9
In a recent survey of over a thousand parents in the UK, 43% believed that children under the age of 14 shouldn’t be allowed outside unsupervised, and half of those believed they shouldn’t be allowed such freedom until at least 16 years of age!
Such overprotectiveness is also rampant in the U.S., but when we look elsewhere, the story is different. For example, from The Atlantic City Lab [http:// www.citylab.com/commute/2015/09/ why-are-little-kids-in-japan-so-independent/407590/] September 28, 2015:
Parents in Japan regularly send their kids out into the world at a very young age. A popular television show called Hajimete no Otsukai, or My First Errand, features children as young as two or three being sent out to do a task for their family. As they tentatively make their way to the greengrocer or bakery, their progress is secretly filmed by a camera crew. The show has been running for more than 25 years.
There are two primary reasons for this radically different parenting style. First, Japan has a significantly lower crime rate. While the U.S. has a lot of work to do on public safety, we have been making rapid progress on lowering crime. We now have a crime rate [http://www. brookings.edu/blogs/brookings-now/ posts/2014/05/how-to-reduce-incarceration-and-keep-crime-low] that is about the same as it was in the late ’60s during which time kids were free to roam widely. In comparison, current trends in parenting are irrationally becoming increasing protective. If the highest crime rate communities are removed from the statistics, most American neighborhoods are nearly as safe as those in Japan. But it is not just crime, but also the fear of cars, that makes parents protective. Unfortunately, it is difficult to tease out statistics on injuries to children from cars when they are at play rather than walking or biking. It is clear that the overall carpedestrian related injuries are down, but that is most likely due to fewer children being outdoors at all. The reason that Japanese parents are less concerned about autos is that their
communities are designed more for people than for cars. Again from the City Lab article:
Public space is scaled so much better—old, human-sized spaces that also control flow and speed,” Dixon notes. In Japanese cities, people are accustomed to walking everywhere, and public transportation trumps car culture; in Tokyo, half of all trips are made on rail or bus, and a quarter on foot. Drivers are used to sharing the road and yielding to pedestrians and cyclists. Finally, Japanese children do not fear strangers, and they learn from an early age that they can ask anyone for help. In contrast, the drumbeat of “stranger danger” is so intense here that an unmarked delivery van may be reported, stopped, and questioned just for going about their normal business. Modern city planning is beginning to take into consideration these issues. For example, cities such as Portland, Oregon, Boston, Massachusetts, and many others have excellent urban planning and programs that make riding a bike or walking very safe. Unfortunately, most of the increased safety results are achieved by simply creating separate paths of travel away from cars. Putting bikes into their own lane does little to enhance the playability of neighborhoods where the play is often in front yards, driveways, and the street. Mike Lanza in his book Playborhood has taken this issue head on. In his writings and in his front yard, he campaigns for a very local approach to play that reaches out to neighbors to help them understand that the neighborhood is the children’s home too, and they have an equal right to the common spaces, streets, and sidewalk.
All in the Family
While the society and community are the broad context in which play is framed, at the end of the day, it is the family that is the primary determinant of the quality and quantity of children’s play. One would expect that families would copy their child-rearing style on the way their parents did things. These days this is clearly not the case as most adults bemoan that the things they enjoyed as
10 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE WINTER 2015
Photo courtesy of Mike Lanza
children are no longer part of today’s childhood. So, if they don’t copy their parents, where do families get their ideas and role models? Sociologists have begun to study “parenting peer pressure” and find that there is enormous influence by society on parents [http://blog.kinstantly.com/ mommy-correctness-on-the-playground/] to follow what is deemed as “acceptable” behavior. If you don’t copy your peers, you risk social ostracism. This can be seen in such cases as the recent news report where parents have been reported to Child Protective Services for allowing their 8-year-old children to play alone in the park and nearly lost custody of the children. The notion that a child must be supervised at all times is pervasive. Astonishingly, grandparents, who themselves let their children roam freely, now often join in this campaign to overprotect children. Thus, even if parents want to be more trusting of their children and the safety of their neighborhoods, they find little support from their friends, extended family, or neighbors.
Media Madness
We cannot ignore the impact on play of popular culture and the role of media. On one hand, every minute spent with a screen is a minute lost of play. Recent studies put children’s screen time at 5 to 6 hours per day. Some of this time is spent on smart devices at school, so the actual amount of time taken away from play is somewhat less, but still social media and entertainment are a huge reason kids are playing less. And note, as the educator, psychologist, and writer, Dr. Thomas Armstrong has noted, Play is NOT digital. Digital is all about 1’s and 0’s programed by adults. Play, on the other hand, is imagined by children in all the nuanced and subtle places where 1’s and 0’s do not reach. www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
Photo courtesy of Pixabay
As noted previously, pervasive media also tends to grossly overstate the dangers to children and at the same time provides no counter positive message. We don’t hear that crime rates have declined nor are we shown good examples of communities taking their neighborhoods back from cars and the positive changes that result.
How to Make Change
The warnings about the negative impact of the decline in play are everywhere. Screen time is linked with nearsightedness. Loss of getting dirty is linked with asthma. Play deficit is linked to reduced executive function leading to bullying and poor socialization, decisionmaking, and academic performance. The loss of physical activity results in obesity as well as elevated cardiac and diabetes risk. And on and on. Over the past decade there have been many well-intentioned efforts to address this problem without any indication that the trends are diminishing, let alone being reversed. Clearly, a different direction is needed. We are surrounded by all manner of existential threats, take your pick: climate change, terrorism, economic inequity, China, and more. To most people they all are much more important than the loss of play. Yet we have to think this through. Who will have to face these problems? Who will come up with the solutions? Preparing our children for what comes next must become our highest priority. Yes, we need to do the best we can to mitigate the impact of the threats we can see today, but in the final analysis, it is our children who will bear the greatest burden.
Photo courtesy of Rusty Keeler
Here are a few things we can do. Value Play. We know that letting kids play almost to the exclusion of everything else, especially in the early years, is critical to their healthy development. The continued push for academics at younger and younger ages must stop and be reversed. And play needs to become part of everyone’s life and not restricted to certain times and places. Calm Our Neighborhoods. We need a massive effort to renovate our neighborhoods so that the danger from cars is reduced. These days the public’s will is lacking for this until we begin to do so on a broad scale; then people will begin to see what a wonderful change occurs with this simple step. Cities such as Oslo, Dublin, Paris, Madrid, and Brussels are already implementing car-free areas. The movement to close neighborhood streets for play is gaining some traction. Shame the Media. It is unconscionable that the drumbeat of fear is allowed to go on unquestioned and unchallenged. We have to call out the media and demand that they tone it down and begin to be more balanced. Millennials are increasingly getting hip to the mass media and are increasingly turning to social networks to get the truth. This “underground” information source is where the message about the importance of play is thriving. Playful Communities. Anything that comes on a screen is less exciting, less engaging, and less healthy than real life. Some communities have a festival nearly once a week. We can too. How about a lot more flash mobs? Instead of the typical once a week, wouldn’t full-time farmer’s markets be more fun?
Play like your life depends on it! www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
Photo courtesy of Rusty Keeler
Crazy as it sounds the science is now overwhelming supportive that putting play as the number one priority for ourselves and for the country is the best answer for most of the ills that we face. Fear makes us huddle in the dark. The feeling that we can’t change anything makes us truly helpless. Play on the other hand connects us, builds confidence, clears the mind, and opens the heart. These are the tools we need for the future.
What do you think?
Join the conversation online at playgroundprofessionals.com
PLAYGROUND PROFESSIONALS
Jay Beckwith
• Began designing play environments in 1970. • Has written several books on designing and building play equipment. • Is a Certified Playground Safety Inspector. • Has written publications and developed programs for playground safety. • Has consulted with playground manufacturers in their design process. • Writes a blog at playgroundguru.org. • Completed a comprehensive upgrade of the Gymboree Play and Music apparatus. • Currently developing location based mobile games with the goal of using smartphones in outdoor play. Read more by Jay Beckwith at
playgroundprofessionals.com
WINTER 2015 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE 11
Inclusion Takes A Village by Marnie Norris IF YOU ASK ANYONE in the Village of South Elgin, about an hour northwest of Chicago, they will tell you the same fact: this is no ordinary community. South Elgin is a community that cares deeply. Karen and Joe Cluchey, South Elgin natives, along with many others, are a living example of that. They decided to make a difference for children and adults with disabilities that will leave a legacy of true inclusion in this community for the next generation. During the 2009 recession, when new park and playground projects were least likely to happen, they rose up to the task of building a state-of-the-art, fully-inclusive playground. And that effort really did take a village.
The First Spark
The inclusive playground in S.E.B.A. Park was initiated when the Village of South Elgin entered a national inclusive
playground contest hosted by Shane’s Inspiration, an international non-profit leader that partners with communities to design, develop, and program inclusive playgrounds, and Landscape Structures, an international leader in inclusive playground equipment. “It was originally started when our Director at the time received an email about the contest,” shared Kim Wascher, now South Elgin’s Parks and Recreation Director. “We put it out to our foundation, and asked if someone wanted to run with this.” Karen received the phone call. Realizing the work this would entail, she had to decide if she could take this project on. That’s when she remembered one little boy who never got to play. “Years ago, I was working as a special education assistant in the classroom with my little friend Zach, who was a kindergartner at the time using crutches and braces,” Karen recalls. “He wanted to do everything by himself. But as soon as he
got to the playground, there was no way for him to interact with his classmates,” she said. “He would take off as quickly as he could to be with his friends and more often than not he would be falling and tripping. He didn’t have a playground where he could be included.” The personal experience of people with disabilities inspired the entire team. “As staff, leading by example is key,” stated Shane Hamilton, Parks and Recreation Supervisor. “We have staff here who also have family members with disabilities. We get it. Everyone at the time just got it.” And they took that personal passion and began reaching out into the community. “I spoke with teachers, middle school principals, business leaders with the Village, and explained to them what this was and asked them if they could write a letter of recommendation, which all of them said yes definitely. Without even asking, they all said what can I do, how can I help? I want to be a part of this,” remembered Karen. South Elgin was one of the contest winners, which established a partnership with Shane’s Inspiration, whose design and development team guided the process. Their first piece of guidance: build your base.
Growing the Village
The jubilant playground committee 12 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE WINTER 2015
The staff at parks and recreation, Karen, and her husband Joe knew this would require a large group of stakeholders to realize the vision. “The Village supported the concept but at the time didn’t have the funds to commit to the project. We are a small agency and don’t have staff to write all the grants. So we approached the FUNdation (a local philanthropic organization of which www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
Karen is a member) to start a committee,” Shane shared. The committee grew. They enrolled special educators, a former principal, business leaders, and many others. This diverse group offered access to diverse, potential funding sources. “We were going to different groups and asking for their help. And we would find people who were so excited about it, because everyone has their story of inclusion needs,” said Joe, a former Fire Chief for South Elgin. And that outreach included those who would directly benefit from a fully-accessible, welcoming play space. “There are individuals in this community with disabilities. And when we started talking about it, they started sending emails to our village website. They started showing up at recreation board meetings and saying, thank you,” Shane recalled. “As a recreation organization and volunteer committee, we are really plugged into the special needs community.” This critical outreach engaged people with disabilities with the process. Utilizing Shane’s Inspiration’s community design model, it also allowed this important group of stakeholders to give input into the design itself, making sure the S.E.B.A. playground didn’t miss an inclusion beat. “Every aspect of the design process we couldn’t have done without the support of Shane’s Inspiration, because we were new to designing an inclusive playground,” shared Karen. “We started with their community design workshop to tap into our community and see what they were looking for in an inclusive playground. From there, we gave our design needs to Shane’s Inspiration’s design team, who did a marvelous job of designing a playground that fit the needs of our area.” Design in hand, they were ready to fundraise in a struggling economy, which presents many needs and few resources. Given this, how do you sell an inclusive playground as a critical community need when most have little idea of what it is?
Sharing the Vision, Raising the Money
Unless you’ve seen a child with a disability able to swing for the first time in his life, it can be hard to describe the power of an inclusive playground. And communicating your vision clearly is key when raising those dollars. “People don’t necessarily understand www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
inclusive playgrounds,” stated Karen, who speaks from a good deal of experience now. “But once you make that presentation, they get it. You can see the lights go on.” The playground committee started with their marketing content by partnering with Shane’s Inspiration to develop a sponsorship package. “We all sat down and put together a presentation that was consistent to everywhere we went. So we all went to various groups, but we all used that same presentation. And it touched the heart strings,” Shane said. Once the material was ready, they spread the word to strategic potential partners and the community at large, combining grassroots support with higher-level corporate and foundation sponsorship. “We had to be creative and look in many places for support. We made people understand that this is a destination facility. This is not just for South Elgin. This is for the entire community and beyond. That definitely helped with the fundraising,” Karen stated. Even school children were inspired to create change. “It inspired awareness. We had school kids saying, ‘We want to raise money for this playground.’ And they did. They started ‘Change for Change’ by collecting coins.” Joe remembers. And the donations kept coming in through cash and physical support. The playground committee turned over every stone. Kim Wascher shared, “All of the earth work for the project was an in-kind dona-
tion. We received all the engineering that way and completed the sensory garden through an in-kind donation with a landscape company and an Eagle Scout. That would have been so expensive.” The committee’s consistent vision, focus, and word of mouth paid off. The Hoffer Foundation, the philanthropic foundation of the Hoffer Plastics Corporation, a South Elgin partner of 63 years, became one of the early angel investors through a matching grant. “Our whole passion has been taking all the blessings we’ve been able to accumulate and be a part of the community and improve the opportunity for people to enjoy themselves,” shared Bill Hoffer, President and CEO. Bill’s first contact was Karen. “She came up and met with all of us and really outlined her dream of this park and playground along the river. It really struck a chord. It was almost serendipitous, everything coming together. I think Karen deserves a tremendous amount of credit for her passion and her leadership in making this happen.” However, he and his daughters were inspired to give for another, more personal reason. “We have a young man with autism who works here. We’ve learned a lot about his passions,” shared Bill. “We’ve gotten a real opportunity to see inclusion first-hand. We’re touched by this idea of creating S.E.B.A. Park and having it all inclusive, where families with a child with a disability could go down there and the whole family could participate together. It really struck a chord with us.” The Hoffer Foundation’s matching
WINTER 2015 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE 13
grant spurred more investment. However, fundraising presented continuous challenges. Sources would come forward, then fall away. And, anyone who has been a part of a long-term passion project knows it can be hard to sustain the inspiration. What kept them going? According to Sue Welu, former principal, special education teacher, and committee member, “It was the group. We could laugh through times that were difficult, and there was always someone to continue us in the right direction. And everybody played a role in that, so it wasn’t just one person.” For everyone, the community and the commitment to inclusion kept them spreading the message during the hardest fundraising periods. “You just have to be resolute in your commitment,” said Joe. “Think of the impact it will have. We are in the position where we see the people it will benefit. So by putting yourself there, how do you quit?” They didn’t. “Not one person said we should stop this. It wasn’t even in the conversation,” confirmed Shane.
Passion + Planning + Communication + Community = Success.
The S.E.B.A. Park inclusive playground opened on a warm sunny day on August 8th. The day before, the playground committee members and recreation staff were still pushing themselves to learn more about inclusion. They participated in Shane’s Inspiration’s training on fostering social inclusion through My PlayClub®, their family program, and Together, We Are Able®, their powerful social inclusion education program that promotes compassion in schools. Then it was time to hit the playground! “The day before we opened up the park, the committee got to go down and see it,” shared Sue. “We had the young adults with disabilities from Fox Valley Special Recreation there, and the squealing that was going on as they were experiencing this for the first time just brought tears to your eyes.”
Playing It Forward: The LongTerm Legacy of S.E.B.A. Park’s Inclusive Playground
Today, the inclusive playground in South Elgin is a busy place. In the summer, the playground averaged two buses per day. One school for children on the autism spectrum drove an hour from Chicago just to play there. Based on attendance alone, this powerful community appears to have been successful, because it is providing a resource where none existed for families living with significant disabilities. “Now, every ramp, every platform leads to something to do. At eye-level, there are things for a child in a wheelchair to do. And that doesn’t mean that the typical child can’t come here to play. They love it. These kids get out of their cars and say, ‘It looks like Disneyworld!’” exclaims Shane. The physical barriers have definitely been removed. But measuring long-term success, in terms of a change in acceptance and awareness of people with disabilities, can be more difficult. How do you measure the impact of inclusion when the barriers to it are invisible? “Sometimes the relative impact is hard to judge because of what you’re trying to do here. When these families' kids go to one of the regular parks, they get to sit over there on the side while the other kids get to run and play and jump. In their world, this can become their park. Hopefully, it will provide a real memory to them as an individual and for their family,” reflected Bill.
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From what the committee members have observed, the families are deeply impacted. Joe remembered one father, who was pushing his daughter with severe physical and mental disabilities in the Sway Fun, a rocking boat. “He was sitting right across from her, and we were just kind of pushing it back and forth, and she was just smiling and laughing. The guy came off in tears, and he said ‘You know what? When you have a child that’s profoundly disabled, you don’t always get many good days. This was one of the best ones.’” Other snapshots of success arise from the social environment that the playground is creating. For Shane, that has a personal impact. “When we get our little guy who has autism down there, we don’t have to worry about pointing or laughing. Inside the walls of this play space, we are not seeing any negativity. In fact, it is the exact opposite. Parents are saying ‘See you next Saturday.’ No fear, just acceptance,” he said. To further sustain the awareness, Shane’s Inspiration is returning in the spring to help launch Together, We Are Able® in the local schools. The Fox Valley Special Recreation Association will launch My PlayClub® during that same time period. Inclusion truly has rooted at S.E.B.A. Park. People from all over see it growing on the playground. The best testament to this community’s success is that it’s spreading.
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Joe shared a memory of when a neighboring community first listened to their inclusive playground presentation. “A guy told us, ‘Why would I donate to your project when we don’t have anything in our community?’ Guess what they are working on now? They are building their own.”
If You Build It
The inclusive playground at S.E.B.A. Park took a few years to realize. The first play space and sensory garden are complete. An additional early-childhood phase is in the works, for which the committee is enthusiastically fundraising $335,000. With so much experience behind them, they have some sound advice to share for communities looking to build their own inclusive playgrounds. Be Informed: “Understand what you are getting into. There are costs that you might not think about. For example, because of the location being in a flood plain, there was a lot of earth work and water storage that came into play. And also make sure that all the roads and pathways are accessible. Make sure all that is done before you open,” shared Kim. Identify Your Champions: “Who are
going to be your champions? Find the right people. Without Shane’s Inspiration, we would not have had our focus. We would not have had the right direction. We would have failed. It’s the little things, like Shane’s Inspiration’s team saying to Karen ‘Don’t give up.’ It’s those few words. Partner with people who know what they are doing, people who are experienced in this.” See What’s Out There: Joe added, “The best way to do it: go see someone else’s. We went out to Shane’s Inspiration’s inclusive playgrounds in Southern California. Open up your minds, open up your heart. Go watch an inclusive play date.” Don’t Take It Personally: For Shane, it took a thicker skin. “I can’t tell you the amount of times we were told ‘no’ before getting the million dollars we raised. You’re going to be told ‘no.’ Don’t take it personally. Let it go in one ear, right out the other, and start talking to the Photo courtesy of Village of South Elgin Parks and Recreation next donor.” Be Creative and www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
Communicate: Karen looked everywhere for fundraising inspiration. “Think out of the box. Talk to different people. Get ideas from everyone. The more people involved, the easier it is to divide up the work. There are angels out there to invest. You can find them and make them understand the needs.” Have Faith In Your Impact: “Don’t give up. It can happen. Have faith that you are making a difference. After seeing the difference it’s made in our community, it is worth every single challenge,” said Karen. Her husband Joe couldn’t agree more. “When you see the difference it makes, how do you not fight for it to be successful? Go watch the impact this will have on people. This learning environment that you are creating is life changing.” This Village truly is a community that cares about changing lives for all its community members, for the better.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Marnie Norris is Director of Programs for Shane's Inspiration and has worked with them since 2002. Shane’s Inspiration is a national organization whose vision is to foster a bias-free world for children with disabilities. Their mission is to create inclusive playgrounds and programs that unite children of all abilities.
Share your communities inclusive playground story at playgroundprofessionals.com
WINTER 2015 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE 15
The Therapeutic Benefits of Free Play Outdoors Unhindered From the Adult World by Angela Hanscom, MOT, OTR/L THE SOUND OF A HORN echoes through the woods. “What is that?” I ask, surprised to hear a musical instrument in the middle of the forest. One of our camp counselors points to a boy slightly hidden in the marsh behind some bushes. He has taken a discarded hose and made it into a horn. He blows it again. Another child nearby yells, “Meeting! Meeting! Time for a meeting!” Children come running out from behind trees, boulders, and the marshy area to gather around their newly appointed leader perched up high on a log that transcends to the top of a partially
constructed teepee. This is the “teepee” team. The children have decided upon this name in the beginning of the week. Some have camouflaged faces. Others are holding handmade bow and arrows. They have serious looks on their faces. Hands start to rise up as their leader poses a question. Plans are devised. In the far corner of the woods, are some giant boulders. On top of these boulders is the “rock clan.” They watch the other team closely from their seats made out of tires and hay. They decide it is time they hold a meeting as well. Only
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they conduct their meeting in silence, not wanting the other clan to know they are assembling. The rock clan devises a plan on how to steal the “jewels” the teepee team coveted and hid on top of the teepee. War cries are let out. The horn sounds again. The rock clan springs into action to try and steal the jewels. The teepee team defends the teepee and puts attackers in “jail.” This complex play scene continues throughout the week, getting more and more complicated with each passing day, as new plot twists ensue. There is no talk of being bored or asking what is next on www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
the “schedule.” When it is time for free play, the children jump right back into their roles and begin their elaborate game they had created, independent from adult direction. Surprised at the creativity and complexity of the children’s play, a parent asked me, “Did you come up with this idea of ‘war’ play for them?” The answer was simple: no. Free play is the children’s time to decide the rules and create the play schemes. And every time is different. Some weeks the children play house, using the woods as their inspiration. Other weeks, children create stores. Super heroes often come alive, and other times kids develop hierarchies similar to the clans they had developed in the above example. However, one thing remains consistent: the more children play, the more elaborate and creative they get. When the adults step back and allow for free play to occur, limits are tested and children gain many valuable physical, sensory, emotional, and social skills: Children test their physical limits. They challenge their bodies when they run through the woods dodging trees, navigating hills, and climbing boulders quickly and efficiently. They have to. Their “lives” depend on it! Or at least that’s what it feels like when they are immersed in a bout of pretend play with a group of other children in the wild. During free play, children tend to take more risks than usual. Caught up in the moment, they may scale a tree a little higher to avoid an “attacker” or roll down a hill to get into character, true combat style. With continued practice, children develop stronger bodies, better coordination, and improved body awareness. When children play outdoors on a regular basis, there is no need for exercise. Through meaningful play experiences, children will challenge their muscles in new ways, get aerobic exercise, and improve their endurance over time. In fact, children are likely to be more motivated to move often when engaged in free play versus participating in specialized exercise sessions run by adults. Children engage their senses. Take away the walls and children are surrounded by a magnitude of different sensations. Using the “war” example in the beginning of this article, picture this: As the children run through the woods, the wind is gently blowing against their faces; sunrays peek through the trees, warming their skin www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
as they play; their bare feet experience a multitude of different touch experiences as they run on dried out leaves, pine needles, small sticks, dry and even moist dirt. Walking and running on the uneven terrain challenges the child’s balance sense, as their body has to consistently adjust to the rolling and bumpy ground. Rolling down the hills provides muchneeded vestibular (balance) input and picking up heavy tires and sticks provides great proprioceptive (senses in the joints and muscles) feedback. Their senses are fully engaged leading to healthy sensory and motor development. The great outdoors offers the ultimate sensory experience to the growing child. There is no better replacement for this. Children practice emotional regulation. During play, children also learn how to regulate their emotions, anger, and fear. Peter Gray, [https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/freedom-learn/201206/ free-play-is-essential-normal-emotionaldevelopment] a research professor at Boston College studies play behavior in children. He states that children develop their emotional skills during risky and pretend play. In fact, children will purposefully put themselves in “dangerous” but tolerable situations, in order to practice controlling their fear and anger. Examples of this type of play are climbing trees, swinging high and fast, play fighting, wrestling, and taking on character roles such as being the “monster” during pretend play. He also states that “play doesn’t always look happy.” Through play, children learn to manage their emotions, an essential skill
that is needed throughout life. We see this all the time at camp. When children develop their play schemes, there is often an element of fear and excitement. Sometimes the children come up with ways to “steal” things from the other team. They steal everything from pieces of the other team’s fort to coveted items such as jewels, necklaces, nature bracelets, homemade weapons, etc. This can go on for days until one or more children get tired of the stealing and feel that this is no longer acceptable. At that time, they are forced to work through their frustrations and anger in order to keep the play going. Children also participate in “sword” fighting with friends using long sticks. They learn to regulate how much force to use to prevent actually harming the other child. The sheer motivation to keep playing helps them to manage their emotions. Other children create contests such as how long they can hold onto the rope swing and who can climb the highest on the tree. Kids become soldiers, villains, super heroes, and more. Through free play, children have the opportunity to resolve conflicts, experience excitement, and learn to deal with frustrations and even anger. Children improve their social skills. “I’ll trade you three pine cones for the sunshine necklace,” a nine-year-old girl says to a five-year-old boy. Pine cones are worth dollars in our woods. “Wow! Deal,” the little boy says. The sunshine necklace is the most coveted and “powerful” necklace according to the children. It holds the most super powers out of all of the necklaces in the woods, including
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invisibility, strength, and speed. The girl gives out a little yelp of joy and runs off with the necklace to show her friends the prize she just received. During free play, children have ample opportunities to practice the skills of negotiation, trading, speaking their mind, problem solving, and compromising. If they want to be accepted by a group of children, they learn whining and yelling are not the best ways to communicate their needs. As play schemes develop, children take turns adding their own ideas and negotiating the rules and regulations surrounding their play. They work to determine who will be the leader, the top spy, the “second in command,” and the guard. As they take on roles, they learn to reach out to their friends for help or to exchange more ideas. In fact, to keep play going, it takes a lot of work. Children need to be in constant communication and negotiation with each other. It is during play, where children learn how to become flexible and stand up for their needs and the needs of others.
Free Play Away From the Adult World
In a time when children are given less opportunity for free play than ever before, it is critical that we start recognizing the therapeutic value of free play outdoors. Free play is not simply a time to “get energy out,” but it is essential in fostering healthy child development. This playtime is especially therapeutic when children are given the opportunity to play away from the adult world. More and more it is becoming the norm for adults to direct children’s play. Children are often signed up for a multitude of afterschool activities, such as
scouts groups, band lessons, art exploration sessions, and organized sports. Sometimes these occur every day of the week and are often run by an adult. These are all great activities for children; however, they should be a supplement to children’s play allowing time for childdirected play as well. At the same time, popular parenting magazines and blogs tote the benefits of playing with your children. I agree. We need to play with our children. This is our chance to spend time and bond with them! But they also need time to play with friends and on their own independently. How else will they learn to take control over their play if not given the opportunity to do so? When given the chance to play independently and with peers, children will naturally challenge their bodies, their senses, their emotions, and their social skills all on their own. They don’t need an adult to role-play emotions with them or to constantly tell them to be “careful” or to stop what they are doing. Children need
to move their bodies in all different ways, test new theories, create their own games and rules, and to play for hours on end in order to develop strong senses, bodies, and minds. They do this best through real authentic play experiences, especially outdoors, where all the senses are ignited. It is time that we start making free play outdoors a priority. Healthy child development depends on it.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Angela Hanscom is a pediatric occupational therapist and the founder of TimberNook, which focuses Read more on nature-centered develfrom Angela opmental programming in New England. Angela holds a master’s degree in occupational therapy and an undergraduate degree in Kinesiology (the study of movement) with a concentration in health fitness. She specializes in vestibular (balance) treatment and sensory integration. She is also the author of the upcoming nonfiction book, Balanced & Barefoot: How Unrestricted Outdoor Play Makes for Strong, Confident, and Capable Children (New Harbinger Press, due Spring 2016), which discusses the effects of restricted movement and lack of outdoor playtime on overall sensory development in children. www.timbernook.com
Passionate about outdoor play? Tell us about it at
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It Takes A Community To Put Play Everywhere THE IMPORTANCE OF PLAY in children’s mental and physical development is well documented. Yet, the number of children fully engaging in outdoor unstructured play appears to be dwindling. Currently, only one in five children live within walking distance of a park or playground, resulting in this generation spending less time playing outside than any previous generation. There are multiple reasons for this, including heavy sports schedules and an uptick in screen time, but the fact is that many communities lack access to appropriate play spaces, leaving kids with nowhere safe to play. This play deficit is having profound consequences for children physically, socially, and cognitively as children need a place to play every day in order to be active and healthy. But there are individuals and organizations working to implement a change. Parents and communities across the country are coming together to build playgrounds in schools, parks, and residential areas. These play spaces truly bring out the best in people as neighbors collaborate to promote local children’s health and creativity. KaBOOM! has developed successful partnerships to do just that. KaBOOM! believes all kids deserve great places to play. With its partners, KaBOOM! is advancing toward achieving its vision of working to catalyze and create great places to play, empowering advocates to promote and protect play, and elevating public discourse around the importance of play. KaBOOM! has collaborated with partners to build, open, or improve many playgrounds, engaging more than one million volunteers and serving 8.1 million children since its first playground build in 1995. In 1997, Playworld became a longstanding partner in play for KaBOOM!. Throughout the partnership, Playworld has supplied equipment for over 2,500 of the 16,000+ KaBOOM! playground projects, helping to unite and strengthen communities through the power of play. On October 24, 2015, Make a Difference Day, KaBOOM!, Playworld, several other partners, and members of the local community helped build three new playgrounds in Baltimore as part of the Play More B’More initiative. Play More www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
B’More is a unique public-private partnership to benefit underserved youth in the city. Hundreds of kids and teenagers served as interns and volunteers to create a kidfriendly city, filled with opportunities to play. Play More B’More creates unique play solutions for kids and provides the youth with a sense of purpose and a pathway to opportunity as they gain professional experience and skills while giving back to the community. The new playgrounds are expected to positively impact 4,000 children a year by providing them access to great play spaces. Through the Play More B’More initiative, Baltimore is taking action to make it as easy as possible for all kids, particularly kids growing up in poverty, to get the play they need to thrive. It is a powerful example for other cities to follow. Another important project for KaBOOM! took place after the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina. Ten years ago, the Gulf Coast region was united by tragedy and despair when Hurricanes Katrina and Rita struck less than a month apart. In the aftermath, KaBOOM!, with the help of partners, impacted 44 cities and leveraged $27.1 million dollars to build 194 play spaces post-Katrina. To this day, KaBOOM! continues to encourage community development through playground builds in the gulf and support the kids who need it most. KaBOOM! loves seeing communities rally behind a playground, dedicating their time and efforts to spread the gift of play to children. They do their best to provide a catalyst that will inspire communities to rethink play and ensure all kids get the play they need to thrive. A playground project develops long lasting community capacities, including organizational skills, leadership, and a belief that residents can transform their neighborhoods. It enhances relationships while improving the physical environment. KaBOOM! works in unison with their partners to bring the benefits of play to many communities across the United States, creating a balance of play and enabling kids everywhere to prosper through play. [kaboom.org]
Read more about KaBOOM! playgroundprofessionals.com
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The Impact of New Games: Then and Now With the recent phenomenon of helicopter parenting, the extensive use of electronic media, and the emphasis on high-stakes testing, is it time to panic that free play has lost its relevance in today’s society? Fifty years ago the New Games Movement advocated for play for everyone and organized community play events in parks where young and old could play. While today people feel more isolated than ever, real community spirit was celebrated then. The New Games Foundation is long gone, but rest assured that the spirit of healthy play, the expansion of cooperative play, and the proliferation of play advocacy is alive and well in 2015. In this limited space, it would be impossible to completely summarize the history and/or currency of the issues during the last fifty years, and there is some misleading, incomplete,
by William J. Michaelis
and inaccurate information about the New Games movement. In this highly condensed perspective, the focus is on the NOW with the hope to inspire the future.
The Start of the New Games Movement
The New Games Movement was by no means the be-all/end-all of the positive play movement, but it did have significant influence that continues through today. It arose in the late 1960s and early 1970s from the anti-war, alternative play, and alternative consciousness movement in the San Francisco Bay Area—strongly influenced by Stewart Brand (The Whole Earth Catalog), George Leonard (The Ultimate Athlete), Pat Farrington, the Esalen Institute, Bernie DeKoven (The Well-Played Game), John O’Connell, and Burton Naiditch. Although the New
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Games Movement introduced, created, and popularized some “new” forms of play and games (i.e. Frisbee, parachute, trust games, earth ball, etc.), it was never about games or new vs. old. The movement’s philosophy of “soft war” (cushioned combative activities), “creative play” (expressive activities and fluid rules), and “trust” (group-building connectives) emphasized the power of play, facilitative leadership, empowerment, cooperation, healthy competition, player centeredness, creativity, community, flow, adaptation, process, joy, an eco-connection, and much
“If you remember the 1970s, you probably weren’t there.” ~Robin Williams www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
Building The Play Community “We firmly believe that the development of the Play Community and the facilitation of FLOW are the main goals of play leadership.” John M. O’Connell and Bill Michaelis (The Leader’s Handbook)
more. With the right New Games’ spirit and leadership, a play facilitator could enliven an older traditional folk game or create an entirely new activity. From 1973 to 1976, a series of largescale New Games Tournaments (Festivals) in the Bay Area attracted thousands of people to each event and garnered much national attention. People came to engage in a wide range of fluid play activities to celebrate community and to live out the New Games tenet, “Play hard, play fair, nobody hurt.” At the end of each festival the players were to leave the play space cleaner than they found it (reinforcing their relationship with the earth). In 1974, the New Games Foundation was formed as a nonprofit entity, and the first New Games Conference was held to try to understand and expand on what was going on. Much of the early staff work was a volunteer “labor of love.” From 1976 to 1981 and beyond, New Games tournaments expanded to all around the United States and spread to Canada, Australia, and Europe. During this time, several other significant www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
Finding ways to create and support a healthy Play Community is perhaps more important now than when the New Games Foundation existed. No matter what your play form, context, or vehicle might be (e.g., free play, nature activities, art play, equipment play, sports, corporate teambuilding, board games, techno play, etc.), one of your prime duties as a “play facilitator” is to help create a positive Play Community. There are several principles in New Games that help that process, and have broad-based applicability today. (The following contains excerpts from The Leader’s Handbook.)
The Play Community
One of the primary goals of a play leader is to establish a sense of a “Caring Play Community”—common interest, common good, common fun. That is, whether we’re playing cooperatively and/or competitively, we’ve agreed that we’re playing together and we’re committed to try our best to
play well together (and to do whatever it takes to accomplish that). Why? Because mostly we like playing for the fun of it, and we like playing with each other, because we support each other in our pursuit of fun. An elf and games designer named Bernie DeKoven has written a whole book about this called The WellPlayed Game. The point is, if we can help establish that “caring play community,” there is no telling what kind of growth, surprises, and fun will follow. As leaders there are several things we can do initially to help build that community: Emphasize Teamwork and Share the Power. Get your players involved in making suggestions for rules, helping with equipment and demonstrations, and sharing responsibility for safety. The more you do this, the more ownership they will feel of the game. Practice using questioning strategies (e.g., What do you folks think? What might make it a better game?). Emphasize Play as Communication and Communication as Facilitating Playfulness. The greatest percentage of human communication is nonverbal. A smile, a kazoo, a red clown nose, or a Continued on page 23
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“Man’s highest survival values lie in intelligence, a moral sense, and cooperation.” ~Charles Darwin
events happened that helped spread the New Games philosophy and leadership approach. In 1976, the first New Games trainings were held, and the training program began to be fine-tuned. That year the first New Games book was published, and a multi-media program and supplemental training materials were developed. A national trainers and field representative program was developed by recruiting and nurturing a wide range of very talented people. This was greatly aided by a large, three-year Mott Foundation grant in 1977. Many trainings well into the 1980s culminated with local community festivals, helping to increase New Games’ visibility and credibility. By 1981, the National Training program had trained over 50,000 people, and More New Games was published. Both New Games books combined sold well over one million copies. During the early 1980s, the New Games Movement was spread by the Foundation through fee-based group trainings (open to anyone), contracted trainings (with agencies), consulting “advanced” camps, innovative equipment and book catalogs, a “Friends of New Games” group, field representatives, and hundreds of festivals.
The Ending of the New Games Foundation (But Not New Games) Good things must sometimes come to an end, but the power of what New Games set out to do persists; in fact, it has evolved with the times, and with many other organizations, it continues to
influence positive play. There were many complex reasons why the New Games Foundation folded, and these will be debated by the principal actors, players, and organizers well into double overtime. In the interest of present organizations learning from them, here is a list of a few of the reasons: • After the three-year grant (1979 -1980), finances to run such a large national organization continued to come up short. • Even though the Foundation was covered by insurance, an ugly injury lawsuit consumed massive staff time and resources. • People moved on, burned out, and/ or needed to make a legitimate living (and the original “true believers” were not easily replaced). • There were internal staff and board of directors disagreements about future directions. • Costs (e.g., workers’ benefits and airfares) rose significantly, the economy shifted, and public agency monies, which helped fund the trainings, started to dry up. • The Foundation didn’t adjust quickly enough to new applications, trends, and different marketing (e.g., teambuilding, anti-bullying, adventure, etc.), while other spin-off organizations did. In 1985, the Foundation closed and its assets went to the national Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA), which didn’t do much with them.
Now
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Did the peace movement lead to no war? Did the green environmental movement lead to no pollution? Did the New Games movement lead to universal love and pure playfulness? No. Change is slower than needed, and the powers of big money, big media, materialism, and cut-throat competition are still strong, but change is constant and evolving, and there have been major positive impacts over the last 30 years. There are many current American and international organizations that have carried on the work of healthy play alternatives, cooperative play, and play advocacy. A great percentage of these are referenced and elaborated upon in the new The Leader’s Handbook: Learning Leadership Skills by Facilitating Fun Games, Play and Positive Interaction (Michaelis and O’Connell, VenturePublish.com, 2013). The New Games Movement was only one of many influences and organizations that have taken us to 2015. So many other talented people and groups have had major impacts on current practices and dialog. And yet, directly or indirectly, wholly or partially, many of the following were or are influenced by the New Games’ spirit, activities, and leadership practices: • Children Together. [www.childrentogether.com] Dr. Bill Michaelis’ organization did and continues to present over 2,000 trainings, keynotes, events, etc., on the many applications of healthy play. • Project Adventure. [www.projectadventure.org] Combined adventure problem-solving risk and cooperative teamwork with a win-win philosophy (early New Games influences). • The Holland Group. [www.theholland-group.com] Ezra Holland. Win-win leadership and workforce www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
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essentials, using New Games and experiential education. Teamwork & Teamplay. [teamworkandteamplay.com] Cooperation, communication, trainings, books, and more. Playfully Inc. Great trainings, books, and camp resources from Faith Evans in the New Games’ spirit. Playworks. [www.playworks.org] In the trenches, in many inner cities with New Games leadership principles and youth development programs and activities. Playfair. [www.playfair.com] Matt Weinstein. One of the early New Gamesters with extensive college orientation and corporate applications. The HUMOR Project. [www. humorproject.com] Joel Goodman. Another early New Gamester who spun off the many applications of humor and laughter in life, work, and wellness. Play for Peace. [www.playforpeace.org] International initiatives using play to promote peace. Sports4Peace/Teamtime. [www. sports4peace.net, www.teamtime.net] Alois Hechenberger of Munich and Austria. Great international New Games work. Deep Fun. [www.deepfun.com] Bernie DeKoven. One of the originals carrying on with Junkyard Sports, The Well-Played Game, A Playful Path, and so much more wisdom. Pacifica, California Family Fun Festival. [pacificcoastfogfest.com/ activities/family-fun-fest] 1,000plus people have played each year for 33 years under the leadership
“Play is the exaltation of the possible.” ~Martin Buber of Bill Michaelis, John McConnell, and Drew McAdams. There are many more groups listed in The Leader’s Handbook. There are also many other places to look for positive play influences. These include: • The various national and regional play coalitions (see US Play www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
From page 21
funny T-shirt goes a long way toward saying, “Let’s play!” It might just be your tone of voice. Another way that you as a leader can facilitate playfulness is to think about and pay attention to all the ways that you can give people “permission” to be playful. That is, letting them know in one way or another (verbally, nonverbally, or by your modeling) it’s OK not to be perfect, it’s good enough to give it your best shot, big people can play too, and it’s OK to be expressive and/or publicly foolish. Emphasize Involvement and Participation. Fun activities, whether they are competitive and/or cooperative, most often need some level of challenge. So try to get folks hooked in mentally, physically, and expressively, but also procedurally (e.g., asking them, emphasizing teamwork). Challenge them to stretch themselves a bit at some level. Also emphasize activities that will get everyone involved without a lot of standing around or waiting in lines. Choose or modify games that allow people access to them and don’t screen them out because they are not fast enough, or flexible enough, or athletic enough. Choose games that the very widest range of the population can play, whether they are athletic or just have athlete’s foot. Providing access to your activities also implies creating the “permission” for egress. That is, anyone at any time should feel free to leave your game if it is not working for him or her or if he or she is not in the right mood. The right to play includes the right not to play and sometimes you have to tell people that. And believe it or not, that freedom helps strengthen the play community. The last concept related to participation and involvement is congregation. Play at its best helps to break down barriers and build bridges between people, whether old or young, able-bodied or differently-abled, black or white. The playground becomes the common ground where we can laugh together, be challenged together, and win together in the broadest sense. Attention to all of these fac-
tors—teamwork, sharing power, communication, involvement, participation, access, egress, and integration—goes a long way to help establish the play community. You as a leader can make that happen.
Facilitation Versus Arbitrary Authority
The next major concept we want to emphasize is facilitation. Our whole approach to leadership is that of facilitation or “making things easier” for the people to play (that is what the word actually means) versus commanding them, or having a know-it-all attitude. Your power doesn’t come from the fact that you’re wearing a black-and-white striped T-shirt and have a whistle around your neck. Your power as a leader comes from the relationships that you establish with your players and from your ongoing trust and confidence in yourself to take risks, to learn from your mistakes, to model playfulness, and to put yourself on the line. That doesn’t mean that you won’t have to exert higher levels of visibility and authority in some instances (e.g., dangerous situations), but it does mean that your real effectiveness comes from the trust and communication you establish in the play community.
Remember:
The fun begins with you. What is your own personal playfulness about and how do you communicate it? You can’t take anyone anywhere you’re not willing to go yourself. If you want people to risk or be expressive or try or be crazy or “whatever,” you’ve got to be willing to model it, and to express it yourself. There is so much more to say about the philosophy, principles, and techniques for creating the Play Community that are elaborated upon in The Leader’s Handbook. These include the evolving roles and goals of leaders/players’ ownership and shared power, responsiveness to creativity and change, and how we can all be better guardians of the process of play, the context of safety, the energy, the fun, and the flow. Play On! Michaelis, Bill, and John M. O’Connell. The Leader’s Handbook, Learning Leadership Skills by Facilitating Fun, Games, Play, and Positive Interaction, 2nd ed. State College, PA: Venture Publishing, Inc., 2013.
WINTER 2015 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE 23
•
•
•
•
Coalition [usplaycoalition.org] and national healthy children’s sports institutes, including Terry Orlick’s pioneering cooperative sports and games and win-win work. The cooperative play influences in the elementary school physical education curricula and the huge cooperative/teamwork sections in national play equipment catalogs such as FlagHouse [www.flaghouse.com], School Specialty [www.schoolspecialty.com], and Trainers Warehouse [www.trainerswarehouse.com]. The activities and leadership guidance in most camp, YMCA, 4-H, and other youth development organizations’ manuals. The establishment of The Strong National Museum of Play [www. museumofplay.org], which also publishes the American Journal of Play, and new materials being published all the time by others such as Can’t Miss Games and Activities for Youth Development DVD, by Ezra Holland [www.theholland-group.com] and Bill Michaelis [www.children-together.com]. And, of course, the many European /international groups such as Pädagogische Aktion and the National Spiele Akademie at Remscheid, which are doing significant play actions, trainings, and
“All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for enough good men (and women) to do nothing.” ~Edmund Burke (paraphrased) advocacy.
…And Then
In addition to the above organizations and trends, there are many other current indicators of the resurgence and healthiness of the play movement. The Internet is full of information about these topics. They include: • The use of cooperative, collaborative activities in conflict resolution and anti-bullying programs (Engaging
Schools - engagingschools.org). • The pushback against the high-pressure “Tiger Moms” and helicopter parents. • The re-discovery and resurgence of adventure play and playgrounds. • The many alternative play/sports movements (e.g., Frisbee, Parachute, Spielefont Festivals, pop-up playgrounds, flash mobs, etc.). • Waldorf School parents delaying high-tech immersion for their kids in the primary years in favor of hightouch, creativity, and play. • The emergence of unplugging events and camps (Worldwide Day of Play - www.nick.com/worldwide-day-ofplay). • The growth of the Children’s Museum Movement. • The growth of play advocacy and defending the early years groups (Alliance for Childhood - allianceforchildhood.org, DEY Project - deyproject.org). • The continued growth of the “restore recess,” teambuilding, and laughter therapy movements. • The ongoing strong advocacy for child-centered play and play values (International Play Organization ipaworld.org). • All of the many applications of the facilitative leadership approach that New Games was in the forefront of developing.
Next Steps Unfolding
As we move through the 21st century, it is clear that healthy play and cooperation are needed more than ever. And the more we are a fast-paced, hightech culture, the more we need playful “in the moment,” “high touch.” So there will always be a need for continuous play advocacy, and political, educational policy that backs that up. And along
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with this, there will continue to be a need for new organizations, movements, equipment, and materials. And even though we clearly need the high-tech, high-touch balance, let’s not shy away from integrating New Games principles into the present and future Digital Age. (See Celia Pearce, “Sustainable Play: Towards a New Games Movement for the Digital Age” Ludica 2012. http://homes. lmc.gatech.edu/~cpearce3/PearcePubs/ DACSustainablePlay.pdf.) It’s up to each of us to keep that spirit of cooperation, peace, and creative play alive … so as Mahatma Gandhi said, “Be the change that you wish to see in the world.”
About the Authors
BILL MICHAELIS, Ph.D. is a Professor Emeritus at San Francisco State University and owner/director of Children-Together [www.childrentogether.com] and presenter of over 2,000 workshops, keynotes, and events. He is the author (with John M. O’Connell) of The Leader’s Handbook: Learning Leadership Skills by Facilitating Fun, Games, Play and Positive Interaction (VenturePublish.com 2013). He was an early pioneer, lead trainer, and board member of the original New Games Foundation, and among his many writings he was a contributor to the New Games book and More New Games (which he also co-edited). EZRA HOLLAND, M.S. is the founder and CEO of The Holland Group [www.theholland-group.com], experts in workforce development and leadership training. After teaching for ten years at San Francisco State University, he moved east and is currently a faculty member in the School of Business at Endicott College in Massachusetts. He has presented over 1,000 workshops in the public and private sectors. www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
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AT A POP-UP adventure playground, a child tells her father where a window needs to go. He borrows a box cutter from the site volunteer and follows the line her finger traced with the blade. As she waits, she dances foot to foot and waves to a boy she knows from school, who waves back while rolling cardboard tubes down a flight of stairs. At a good play site, everyone does what they want to be doing. They are accepted for who they are, diverse in their passions but united in play.
The same is true for community.
We believe that play is at the heart of a good childhood and healthy community. Our mission is to support children’s right to play in the neighborhoods where they live. We do this by training educators, parents, parks staff, and anyone else interested in the basics of playwork practice, and by supporting independent pop-up adventure playgrounds. Pop-ups are public events designed to reintroduce play into public space and start conversations around freedom and opportunity in ways that are inclusive, non-threatening, and utterly celebratory. The loose parts used are cheap or free, mostly natural or recycled materials. We like scrap materials best, because adults are more able to let go of ideas around waste and purpose, to let go of their desire to control. With junk, the promise we make to children as
they arrive, that here you can “do anything you want, with anything you can find,” is made real. So far, pop-up adventure playgrounds have been held in 17 countries around the world, including Mexico, Canada, Colombia, Sweden, and Uganda. This year, we decided to meet some established organizers and help encourage new ones. On October 26, 2015, we gathered our Pop-Up Adventure Play family in Manchester, UK. It was our annual board meeting and a rare chance for us to all hang out in person. It was also the start of a two month trip around the world, visiting contacts in play in the US, Costa Rica, Australia, Singapore, and Hong Kong before finishing up back in the UK. Here, tour members share their perspectives on the first two communities visited together on our whirlwind tour.
Costa Rica – Andy Hinchcliffe
Reggio Emilia-inspired setting. The open plan building was bustling with positive vibes. Children were happy, engrossed in an environment which provided openended opportunities for self-directed play. We wandered through the building, amazed by the child-centered environment before flowing effortlessly outside to an almost utopian play space filled with loose parts and fruit trees! Children from a very young age can choose the content and the intent of their play for as little or as long as they wish. Bellelli also has a strong emphasis around parental involvement, with a dedicated “parents’ area” where families can effectively “work from home” but also enjoy the benefits of being able to break off and enjoy the environment, play, and observe. Our workshop was hosted at the nearby Country Day School in Escazú. I glanced around the room and was delighted to finally put faces to names of some of our Playworker Development Course students, which until now had
Wow, Pura Vida! Costa Rica, you were great! From stepping off the plane in San José, the welcoming enthusiasm from the locals (Tico’s) was infectious, supporting the echoing reference to the “pure life” almost as a mantra, summing up Costa Rica in a nutshell. Our host, Bellelli Education [bellellieducacion.com] invited us to visit their relatively new,
26 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE WINTER 2015
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been an entirely online relationship from the other side of the world. The workshop was all-encompassing, with participants attentive to our every word, contributing frequently with their stories and anecdotes of play and playwork from their own practice and family life. Discussions erupted, people sparked from one another. Behavior, politics, emotion, and neurology among other topics were discussed, all in the context of children’s play–serious stuff! The following day we co-delivered a Pop-Up Adventure Playground in a nearby public space. From our arrival the space ignited, a wagon full of loose parts were delivered, assembly lines were in full swing, intrigued locals were edging to get involved. Before long, everyone was at play, children, parents, grandparents, friends, and even a few animals. The space was alive and bustling with excitement. I stood back and took a few moments to observe and take it all in. Although for us a very familiar scene, it was invigorating, warming, and powerful to witness. These events apply the same concept and principles, but the outcome is always unique. There was pleasure, excitement, disappointment, debate, negotiations, and much impetuous, spontaneous behavior from both children and adults alike. “Secret Stealth Ships” were created, a group of boys hysterically laughed as they pranced around in self-made tutus. Adults took on roles as tape dispensers and chief box carriers, while some drifted off and had some playtime for themselves, something which is severely undervalued worldwide.
Australia – Suzanna Law
Looking around the room in New South Wales during our first workshop in Australia, we saw many familiar faces. These were not people we knew, but they had facial expressions that we understood and frustrations that we had seen time and time again. These were folks who genuinely cared about play, hungry to find out how to bring more play into their communities, but feeling stuck, eager to find solutions to their problems. In Queensland, one setting was trying something new. In response to some training put on by Australian professional development group Malarkey, [www. malarkeyon.com.au] they had begun to change the way their Early Childhood Education site was working. As an orgawww.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
nization, they had taken the bold move to stop hovering over the children, and instead they were taking a step back to allow for play to happen. By the time we met them, they were seven days into this simple change, and it all sounded very positive. The children had surprised them with their abilities and demonstrated just how capable they were, and through observations, the staff were learning how best to support their children’s play with the lightest possible touch. Implementing this change did, however, mean that the site looked messier than normal, and the children looked a little untidy when it came to pick up time. Parents and decision makers were not taking this change very well, and somehow missed the happy, satisfied expressions on their muddy kids’ faces from a day well played. From Brisbane to Perth, there seemed to be a re-occurring question: play is great, but how do we convince the other adults? We at Pop-Up Adventure Play think that play is the answer: everyone needs to be invited to play sometimes, no matter how young or old they are. It was only during our Pop-Up Adventure Playground did things start making sense. Children knew instantly what to do with all the loose parts we had provided, and parents watched as their children followed their own instincts to create or dismantle. Parents who would have otherwise been overcautious about wet sand or muddy water were exploring these playful elements with their toddlers. We heard snippets of adult conversations all over the site: “I never thought of doing this before.” “I didn’t know he could do that.” “This is so simple.” As a pair of boys bashed into each other experimentally in their cardboard armor, we overheard their parents laughing, expressing their joyous observations.
If we provide the space, opportunity, and permission for play, it can win over everyone, both young and old.
Conclusions – Morgan Leichter-Saxby
Before and after this tour, I will be in the USA, the country where I was a child and where I live now. The first pop-up adventure playground was in New York City, designed to spark conversation and play within my home country, and we were astonished by the immediate international response. Playwork is deeply rooted in the UK, growing out of the adventure playground movement there and now flourishing with professional organizations and academic departments. At the same time, play is a deep part of our shared humanity. Children do not need a shared language to play, and with training people can apply playwork principles anywhere, in ways that are specific to those people, the moment, and place. For the past five years, we have supported play in neighborhoods around the world, both in person and by building community online. We provide free support for anyone who wants to host their own pop-up adventure playground and training for everyone interested in playwork. We apply playwork principles on the community level by making ourselves available, responding to invitations, and meeting everyone on their own terms. As in play, saying “yes” can take us to places we never expected. It can even make “online” friends real, by giving us the chance to share that atmosphere of possibility to play together. You can read more stories from our tour, register your own pop-up adventure playground, or learn more about our online course at www.popupadventureplay.org.
WINTER 2015 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE 27
Missoula Children’s Theatre Making Magic with Communities MCT IS THEATRE for the community, by the community! Ok, that’s all well and good, but what IS MCT? Is it the Missoula Children’s Theatre, recognized across the country and throughout the world as the premier group that brings performing arts opportunities to kids who might not otherwise have access? Or, is it the Missoula Community Theatre which offers a full season of mainstage productions each year, with a local cast of volunteer adult and children actors and crew? Quite simply, it is both! MCT, Inc. is the umbrella organization which sits atop these two distinct programs.
Within our company brochure you’ll find this explanation: MCT, Inc. is a nonprofit organization governed by a volunteer board of directors. We are driven by our mission, which is the development of life skills in children of all ages through participation in the performing arts. As well, our collective vision is to foster creativity and enhance innate capabilities in individuals all over the world. We do this by providing access to communitydriven performing arts experiences. This
is accomplished in a huge variety of ways, both in Missoula, Montana and in seventeen countries around the world. The Missoula Children’s Theatre International Tour will visit approximately 1,200 communities this year, when the signature Little Red Truck pulls into town, packed with duffels and boxes, props and make-up, scripts and costumes, scenery, and one very special ingredient: a little Missoula magic! With few exceptions, every Monday somewhere in the United States, Canada, and overseas, a group of school-aged children gather in a school gymnasium, multi-purpose room, local church basement, movie theatre on a US military installation, or even a playground. They come in anticipation that something special may happen; they may get a part in a play. And not just any play—an original Missoula Children’s Theatre musical that has roles for 50-60 kids on stage and a handful of assistant directors. Every single Monday audition is unique. Each Missoula team (composed of two professional Tour Actor/Directors) is different, and the numbers of kids who turn out for the audition varies. In some towns there may be 50; in others, 150. There may be more, and there may be less; but after the two-hour audition process, the cast of 50-60 is announced and rehearsals begin immediately. As early as Friday afternoon, that cast is performing an hour-long, full-scale musical for their peers, teachers, parents, grandparents, and the owner of the restaurant down the street–for their community. And there’s the magic!
28 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE WINTER 2015
The Missoula Community Theatre season offers local audiences a variety of musical comedies and dramas (this year’s line-up features Mary Poppins and Sweeney Todd—The Demon Barber of Fleet Street), and straight (non-musical) shows each year. The casts and running crews are all volunteers who get involved for so many reasons: to make new friends, to brush up on skills that sat idle while raising kids, or to use the acting/vocal skills they possess, but are unable to belt out during their “day job” at the accounting firm or grocery store where they work. During the 6-8 weeks of evening and weekend rehearsals, they learn something new about themselves, their cast mates, the technical side of theatre, and the importance of teamwork. It may not even cross their mind, but as they start posting rehearsal photos on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, they continue to create something bigger than themselves. It’s no longer just a network of people, but a new “community.” In 2011, MCT’s Executive Director, Michael McGill, received this note: “My child has autism….I don’t get to go to theatre events with her very often. That’s one of those things…have you ever considered doing an adaptive show for people on the autism spectrum?” Thanks to a partnership with several local organizations, and the tremendous spirit of the cast mem-
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bers, the 5th annual adapted performance for people living on the autism spectrum will be a special evening of Mary Poppins in May. The house lights remain on, the orchestra and cast lower the volume, and volunteers use special glow sticks to signal an upcoming loud noise. The audience is invited to get up and move around if needed, and families come together to enjoy an evening of theatre. We hope that as families become more comfortable attending shows with these special adjustments, they will eventually feel more comfortable making reservations for a traditional performance, while leaving their personal reservations at home. Doug Doty of the Montana Autism Education Project told us, “I think it’s important for families, first of all. Other people have kids on the autism spectrum here. If you’re going to a movie or play, they may continue to talk or make noise or rock. This is an opportunity where people are going to say, ‘Yeah, whatever—my kid does that, too.’” Through MCT’s two major programs, we entertain in Missoula, while reaching out past our neighborhood to all 50 states, Canada, and more than 15 foreign countries with the Missoula Children’s Theatre International Tour. If you spot an MCT Little Red Truck in your town, but haven’t seen one of our shows, check out a performance starring 50-60 kids from YOUR community as they act, sing, and dance in a live musical. If this article is the first time you’ve heard about MCT, we invite you to learn more on our web-
www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
site MCTinc.org. “Like” us on Facebook, “follow” us on Instagram and Twitter, or just go old-school and give us a call! We would love to bring our unique educational, entertaining, and enriching program to your school, your arts council, or the parks and rec program in your community. Together, we might just make a little magic!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Terri Elander is the International/ Public Relations Director for MCT, Inc. She manages the overseas touring for the Missoula Children’s Theatre and also serves on the local marketing team for programs in Missoula. Her first involvement with the company was as a volunteer, when in 1988 she was cast in the title role of a Missoula Community Theatre production. It was her first experience with MCT magic!
PM15
WINTER 2015 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE 29
Improving Communities through
Parks and Recreation By Samantha Bartram
National Recreation and Park Associationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Parks Build Community initiative is a nationwide effort that demonstrates the transformative effect of parks on the health and vitality of communities. The vision to build and revitalize parks as thriving gathering places for youth, families, and adults is one shared by NRPA, the park and recreation industry, and nonprofit partners as well as the thousands of park and recreation professionals who develop and maintain these treasured public places. To date, NRPA has spearheaded six Parks Build Community projects, each
located in host cities where the association held its Annual Conference [www.nrpa.org/Conference]. The seventh is underway and scheduled to be completed in September 2016, in St. Louis, Missouri. These massive undertakings would not be possible without the support and buy-in of local officials and residents at the project host site and the vital contributions of corporate partners. Following is a comprehensive overview of past Parks Build Community revitalizations and a sneak peek of what to expect at Trojan Park next fall.
Washington, D.C., 2009: Marvin Gaye Park For its kickoff project, NRPA collaborated with Washington Parks and People, George Mason University, and the Washington, D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation to help revitalize Marvin Gaye Park in Northeast D.C. The site includes a state-of-the-art playground for children, made possible by $400,000 in donations from Playworld, KOMPAN, PlayCore, and Surface America. NRPAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s industry partners on this project also oversaw cleanup and beautification of the surrounding area, and supported a number of education and job-training programs for the neighborhood kids. You can view the ribbon-cutting ceremony and read more about the history of Marvin Gaye Park at www.nrpa.org/ Parks-Build-Community/Marvin-GayePark-Revitalization. 30 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE WINTER 2015
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Atlanta, Georgia, 2011: Selena Butler Park NRPA, along with the Atlanta Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs, and the Atlanta Housing Authority, and with valuable contributions from industry partners, including PlayCore, Converse, The Health Education and Communication Center of Atlanta, and Superior International Industries, revitalized Selena Butler Park. The park is rich in African-American history, located just blocks from the Martin Luther King National Historical site and named for Selena Sloan Butler, one of the original founders of the National Parent Teacher Association. Revitalization included the installation of an active use plaza with picnic tables, park benches, alternative outdoor games, game tables, and waste receptacles as well as a picnic/grill area, new playground equipment, a corner plaza, refurbished multipurpose field, and community garden area. Read more about Selena Butler Park and NRPA’s efforts there at www.nrpa.org/Parks-Build-Community/Selena-Butler-Park-Revitalization.
Los Angeles, California, 2012: El Sereno Arroyo Park The site for the park at El Sereno was a 1-acre parcel of unused land owned by Caltrans, the state transportation agency. It was intended to be part of a nevercompleted interstate highway connector. Sitting vacant for decades, the parcel originally caught the eye of the Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks in its search to bring more local parks to underserved urban communities. The extraordinary efforts of the Parks Build partners for this site—Trust for Public Land, Los Angeles Neighborhood Initiative, and the Los Angeles Parks Foundation, under the leadership of the Department of Recreation and Parks—produced a jewel of a park for the area’s young children. It now features: A nature-play garden adapted for younger age children and funded by a grant from the First 5 Commission; A full state-of-the art, 4,000-squarefoot playground donated by PlayCore; and An adult fitness zone, walking path, picnic tables, benches, and four beautiful art mosaics. www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
Historical information and project details for El Sereno Arroyo Park are available at www.nrpa.org/Parks-Build-Community/El-Sereno-Arroyo-Revitalization. WINTER 2015 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE 31
Houston, Texas, 2013: Shady Lane Park Shady Lane Park’s original features included a small community center, an outdoor basketball court, soccer fields, and a modest playground, all of which were heavily used by members of the community, many of whom walk to the park. This park and community center serve a predominately Hispanic and African-American community, which consists, in large part, of families with young children. Now, when visiting Shady Lane, community members find a completely revitalized and renovated park thanks to the work of NRPA, Houston Parks and Recreation Department, Houston Parks Board, and almost a dozen partners. New features include a nature-themed playground that celebrates the natural environment and bayous in the play area, a water play area, a climbing log, a tree house, a mini-wetland complete with a replica bayou boat that can be used for outdoor education, outdoor fitness equipment, and new trails and access points. More information about the Shady Lane Park revitalization is available at www.nrpa.org/Parks-Build-Community/Shady-Lane-Park-Revitalization.
Charlotte, North Carolina, 2014: Lincoln Heights Park
The Lincoln Heights Neighborhood Park opened in 2011 and featured a playground, community garden, gravel walking trail, and picnic tables. NRPA’s Parks Build Community initiative focused
on improving access to this space and increasing recreation options to the neighbors of the park in this economically disadvantaged neighborhood. NRPA, along with Mecklenburg
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County Park and Recreation and partners Playworld, Greenfields Outdoor Fitness, Poligon by Porter Corp., and Cornilleau USA, added: Children’s play equipment, including a Unity Climber dome, a Rushmore hill feature, a NEOS 360 game structure, and a Cruise Line flyer, courtesy of Playworld. These features are intended to create more “high-five moments” for the children in the neighborhood; Five open-air fitness stations to help residents get active; New pavement for Lincoln Heights’ half-mile walking trail, along with a paved access point on the park’s long southern edge; Shelters; An outdoor ping pong table; and Updates including a basketball halfcourt with water fountain, revitalized open-play field, and improvements to the community garden. Learn more about the Lincoln Heights project at www.nrpa.org/Parks-BuildCommunity/Lincoln-Heights-ParkRevitalization. www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
North Las Vegas, Nevada, 2015: Joe Kneip Park Joe Kneip Park received more than a facelift. NRPA and its partners—including Playworld, FlexGround, Public Restroom Company, Musco Lighting, Greenfields Outdoor Fitness, iZone Imaging, WhiteWater, BCI Burke, Sun Ports, Mirimichi Green, and Shade ‘n Wet—gave this park new guts with the expectation that they would pump new life into the community. Children and families in this underserved community can now enjoy a shaded play area, a splashpad, updated restroom facilities, safe surfacing, an outdoor gym, picnic amenities, and more. To learn more about Parks Build Community at Joe Kneip Park and read local media coverage of the project, visit www.nrpa.org/Parks-Build-Community/ Joe-Kneip-Park-Revitalization.
Wellston, Missouri, 2016: Trojan Park Revitalization For 2016, NRPA is partnering with Great Rivers Greenway, the regional parks and trails district in the St. Louis region, and the city of Wellston, Missouri, to transform a vacant lot into a vibrant community park, which will be known as Trojan Park. The vision for the project is simple: Expand opportunities for residents of all ages to be active and enjoy each other’s company. The ultimate goal is a dynamic gathering space to experience new ways to play. Family reunions, live music, pickup basketball, or summer days on the splash pad are just some of the reasons this park will be a place where people come together. Thanks to the generous support www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
of project sponsors to date, such as Greenfields Outdoor Fitness, BCI Burke, Forum Studio, and GameTime, this park is slated for completion before the 2016 NRPA Annual Conference opening ceremony, to be held Saturday morning, October 8, 2016. Additional details and updates for the 2016 Parks Build Community project can be found at www.nrpa.org/Parks-BuildCommunity/Trojan-Park-Revitalization or you may also contact Gina MullinsCohen, Vice President of Marketing and Communications at 703-858-2184. For 50 years, NRPA cultivated its reputation as an indispensable partner for park and recreation professionals, indus-
try experts, and thought leaders in our field. Now, for six years and counting, that commitment has manifested physically in the Parks Build Community projects that benefit hundreds of thousands of residents and visitors. To keep abreast of this initiative, visit www.nrpa.org/parksbuildcommunity. To learn more about NRPA and its ongoing mission to advance public parks, recreation, and conservation for the benefit of all, visit www.nrpa.org.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Samantha Bartram is the executive editor of National Recreation and Park Association’s Parks & Recreation magazine.
WINTER 2015 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE 33
Community Resource Directory A WORLD FIT FOR KIDS!
CHILDREN TOGETHER
www.worldfitforkids.org
www.children-together.com
678 South La Fayette Park Place Los Angeles, CA 90057-3206 (213) 387-7712
338 Reichling Avenue Pacifica, CA 94044 (650) 359-0836
ACTION FOR HEALTHY KIDS
DEEP FUN www.deepfun.com
INTERNATIONAL PLAY ASSOCIATION ipaworld.org
INTERNATIONAL TOY LIBRARY ASSOCIATION www.itla-toylibraries.org
600 West Van Buren Street, Suite #720 Chicago, IL 60607 (800) 416-5136
DEY PROJECT
KABOOM! / PLAYFUL CITY USA
deyproject.org
kaboom.org
ALLIANCE FOR CHILDHOOD
DEFENDING THE EARLY YEARS 35 Eldridge Road, #108 Jamaica Plain, MA 02130 (917) 405-7680
4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite ML-1 Washington, DC 20008 (202) 659-0215
www.actionforhealthykids.org
allianceforchildhood.org
P.O. Box 20973, Park West P.O. New York, NY 10025 (202) 643-8242
ENGAGING SCHOOLS
AMERICA WALKS
23 Garden Street Cambridge, MA 02138 (800) 370-2515
americawalks.org
engagingschools.org
P.O. Box 10581 Portland, OR 97296 (503) 610-6619
FRESH AIR FUND
CAMP FIRE USA
633 3rd Avenue, 14th Floor New York, NY 10017 (800) 367-0003
campfire.org
1100 Walnut Street, Suite 1900 Kansas City, MO 64106-2197 (816) 285-2010
www.freshair.org
HEALTHY KIDS CHALLENGE www.healthykidschallenge.com
2 W Road 210 Dighton, KS 67839 (888) 259-6287
34 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE WINTER 2015
LET’S MOVE! www.letsmove.gov
LET’S PLAY www.letsplay.com
(800) 696-5891
LITTLE LEAGUE www.littleleague.org
539 US Route 15 Hwy, P.O. Box 3485 Williamsport, PA 17701-0485 (570) 326-1921
MIRACLE LEAGUE www.themiracleleague.net
1506 Klondike Road, Suite 105 Conyers, GA 30094 (770) 760-1933
www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
MISSOULA CHILDREN’S THEATRE mctinc.org
200 N. Adams Street Missoula, MT 59802 (406) 728-1911
NATURAL LEARNING INITIATIVE www.naturalearning.org
College of Design 200 Pullen Road NC State University Raleigh, NC 27695-7701 (919) 515-8345
NATURE ROCKS www.naturerocks.org
PLAY FOR PEACE
SPORTS4PEACE
www.playforpeace.org
www.sports 4peace.net
500 N. Michigan Avenue, Suite 600 Chicago, IL 60611 (312) 675-8568
TEAMTIME
PLAYFAIR
TEAMWORK & TEAMPLAY
www.playfair.com
teamworkandteamplay.com
P.O. Box 2545 Martinez, CA 94553 (415) 662-9899
468 Salmon Creek Road Brockport, NY 14420 (585) 637-0328
PLAYWORKS
THE HOLLAND GROUP
www.playworks.org
www.theholland-group.com
380 Washington Street Oakland, CA 94607 (510) 893-4180
(855) 209-1803
www.teamtime.net
THE HUMOR PROJECT
The Nature Conservancy 4245 North Fairfax Drive, Suite 100 Arlington, VA 22203-1606 (703) 841-5300
POP-UP ADVENTURE PLAY
PACIFICA CALIFORNIA FAMILY FUN FESTIVAL
www.humorproject.com
popupadventureplaygrounds.wordpress.com
10 Madison Avenue Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 (518) 587-8770
PROJECT ADVENTURE
US PLAY COALITION
www.project-adventure.org
usplaycoalition.org
pacificcoastfogfest.com/activities/ family-fun-fest
719 Cabot Street Beverly, MA 01915 (800) 468-8898
263 Lehotsky Drive Clemson, SC 29634 (864) 656-2525
P.O. Box 846 Pacifica, CA 94044 (650) 355-8200
SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL NATIONAL PARTNERSHIP
YMCA
PARKS BUILD COMMUNITY www.nrpa.org/parksbuildcommunity
National Recreation and Park Association 22377 Belmont Ridge Road Ashburn, VA 20148-4501 (800) 626-6772
saferoutespartnership.org
2323 Broadway Avenue, Suite 109B Oakland, CA 94612
www.ymca.net
101 N. Wacker Drive Chicago, IL 60606 (800) 872-9622
SHANE’S INSPIRATION www.shainesinspiration.org
15213 Burbank Boulevard Sherman Oaks, CA 91411 (818) 988-5676
Photo courtesy of KaBOOM!
www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
WINTER 2015 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE 35
Unity速 Collection reinvents classic playground equipment with new dimensions of inclusion, interaction and simultaneous play. Because when kids have the chance to play together, the playground should let them play together. Watch the entire Unity Collection in action at: PlayworldSystems.com/Play-Unites