What Are Our Playful Partners Up To? - Open Field

Justin Forzano, Founder and CEO from Open Field, and a Playful Pittsburgh Partner, had this to say about their playful event for the Global Day of Play that took place in early August 2022:

Open Field hosted a celebration in honor of the Global Day of Play on Wednesday, August 13th in the Sheraden neighborhood of Pittsburgh. This event was the culmination of the summer season of their in-house sport-based youth development programs for more than 75 refugee youth in Crafton Heights and Northview Heights. Three fields were set up for youth between the ages of 6-18 to play friendly soccer games. Friends from Carnegie Mellon University's Biology Department hosted a pop up science lab where youth did "experiments" to learn about chemical reactions (think dry ice and vinegar volcanoes). Music played in the background as the evening wrapped up with food from Salem's Market & Grill and everyone took home a soccer jersey and shorts donated by clubs across the region. 

Welcome Our Newest Playful Pittsburgh Collaborative Partners!

Meet Rebecca Maletto-Cornell from Wesley Family Services Foster Grandparent Program.

The Wesley Family Services, Foster Grandparent Program is an AmeriCorps Seniors, Federal stipend intergenerational volunteer program that provides volunteer opportunities to limited income individuals 55 and better to help children be their best selves. Our volunteers act as classroom grandparents who mentor and act as positive role models in local non-profit organizations such as: public and private schools, Head Starts, daycare and child development centers and after-school programs. They help, guide and assist children by developing skills in literacy, language, math, and cognitive development, as well as improving essential social and emotional intelligence.

The Foster Grandparent Program’s focus is to meet children where they are to get to their goals. And it should always be FUN! Grandparents play games, do puzzles, interact with art and music activities and have even been known to be seen on the lawn playing wiffle ball!

To learn more, wfspa.org/service/foster-grandparent-program.

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Meet Evan Rabin from Premier Chess.

Premier Chess teaches life lessons to students of all ages in school programs, private lessons, corporate classes and more. To learn more, visit premierchess.com.

Outdoor Play Trends

Children playing on playground equipment during Ultimate Play Day 2022

Pittsburgh has a great deal of interactive greenspaces – approximately 165 parks. But when you think of what’s trendy when it comes to outdoor spaces, what comes to mind? We explored some online conversations, and we made some discoveries. So what’s trending? Inclusive play equipment for people of all abilities, as well as equipment that makes room for playful intergenerational possibilities rank high on the list. Also trending are ziplines, rope based equipment, and towers kids can climb. If you’re interested in exploring the full scope of play equipment trending outdoors right now, check out some of the articles we uncovered.

Current #PlayfulTrends in Playgrounds 

• Top 5 Playground Trends (Park Planet)

• Top Five Park and Playground Trends (Game Time)

• Focus on Fun and Playground Safety (Playground Guardian)

• Planning Your Back to School Playground (PlayWorks)

• Will the McDonald’s PlayPlace Go Away for Good? (The Takeout)

Great Outdoor Places to Play Around Pittsburgh

• Activity Sheets for Pittsburgh Parks (Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy)

• Explore Parks Tool (Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy)

• Liberty Green Park (Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh)

• 12 Parks and Playgrounds (Kidsburgh)

• Best Activities for Kids in Pittsburgh with Mobility Impairments (Pittsburgh Magazine)

• Pittsburgh's End of Summer Pool Schedule (TribLive.com)

“Play is Learning” Interview w/ Emily Neff of Trying Together

“Play IS learning for young children. It’s the way they authentically learn.”

- Emily Neff, Trying Together

Trying Together was recently featured on an episode of the Voices for the Voiceless: The Student Experience podcast on Spotify. In this episode titled “Play is Learning,” Emily Neff, Director of Public Policy for Trying Together, discusses the achievement gap in early childhood education, resources for teachers, and the importance of play for children today.

Listen to the podcast episode below.

About Voice for the Voiceless: The Student Experience Podcast

Starting in July of 2022, host Jonathan Frame, an educator from Virginia, travels the country speaking with different students, teachers, and nonprofits to listen to the voice and needs of students on topics such as student equality, instructional practices, student rights, extracurricular activities, and more. The host also uses the podcast and its various topics to support the students of their classroom and beyond.

Visit the podcast Facebook page to learn more.

#SummerOfPlay

Check out this great, short article from Center on the Developing Child from Harvard University. It gives an easy introduction to understanding executive functioning and self-regulation. If you’re not super keen on reading an article, they also provide a helpful five minute video for you to check out! There’s so many inherent benefits surrounding the act of play. Be sure play gets woven into your day-to-day routine. There’s no better time to play like the present, especially when the sun makes its rare appearance over the usually cloudy skies of the fair city we call home.

#HowDoYouPlay?

There’s plenty of ways to play, and this article will highlight a few classic forms, but the art of playfulness proves rather expansive. If you don’t see how you engage in play on this seemingly limited list, don’t worry! We just wanted to kick off some ideas to get the sharing going. 

1. Nature Play– this kind play typically occurs outside and includes natural objects: sticks, plants, rocks, or insects are just a few examples. 

2. Dramatic Play– this is social play where participants take on different characters, costumes, and roles. This play especially helps develop emotions 

3. Word Play– games that involve writing, word association, or make language playful: Bananagrams, Scrabble, Balderdash

4. Board Games– imagine classic games like checkers, chess, and shoots and ladders. These games can build relationships and cooperation.

5. Imagination Play– with this form of play, anything is possible 

6. Art Play– this is a highly creative play that involves self-expression and artistic mediums: painting, water colors, glitter, and canvases, for example

Don’t forget to share how you play with Playful Pittsburgh Collaborative by tagging us on your next playful social media post! You’ll find us on these platforms:

Facebook – @playfulpittsburgh 

Instagram – @playfulpittsburgh

If you’re fond of surveys, and happen to have a moment to spare, please fill out our Google Form where you can tell the Collaborative how you play! We’d love to share your play tips to our subscribers in a newsletter down the road!

How Do You Play? Survey