Playful Learning Landscapes

We’re excited to share our new name and logo!

Formerly the Playful Learning Landscapes Action Network, we’re now simply Playful Learning Landscapes — a name that reflects how this work has grown from a network into a national movement transforming everyday spaces into opportunities for joyful learning, connection, and belonging.

Unveiled during last week's Play it Forward Conference, our new logo celebrates what makes this work unique: the creativity, collaboration, and community at the heart of Playful Learning.

New name. New look. Same mission.

Join us Friday, October 24th from 10:00am-12:30pm for an inspiring tour showcasing how playful learning comes alive in community-driven spaces. We'll explore three unique sites:

1. Multiple installations at Sharswood affordable housing in North Philadelphia
2. Music-themed interactive learning opportunities at The Yard on John Coltrane Street
3. Four unique installations designed by Drexel architecture students in collaboration with the community at North Star Park

Experience how playful, community-informed designs create opportunities for joy, discovery, and connection across diverse environments. Come curious, leave inspired!

Only a few spots left! Register HERE: https://bit.ly/4kpPONR

🌟 Session Spotlight! 🌟

Live and Learn is redefining what’s possible in affordable housing. As the first pilot of its kind in the U.S., this project embeds playful learning directly into the places where families live, transforming sidewalks, courtyards, and entryways into spaces for joy, connection, and learning.

In this Play it Forward breakout session, hear from project partners including Heidi Segall Levy, AIA, SEED, Associate at Watchdog Real Estate Project Management and a lead on this project, and Lizzie Rothwell, AIA, Associate at WRT, who helped design the Sharswood site. Alongside community members, they co-created vibrant, research-informed spaces that celebrate neighborhood identity and foster opportunities for playful learning.

The session will highlight how community voices shaped every step of the design process and offer practical insights for anyone looking to bring playful learning into shared spaces.

Register here to secure your spot: https://bit.ly/4kpPONR

🌟 Session Spotlight! 🌟

Children’s outdoor experiences enhance creativity, problem-solving skills, and emotional well-being while fostering environmental stewardship from an early age.

Join us for an interactive session, presented by Playful Learning Landscapes and KABOOM!, that explores how to strengthen children's bond with nature by creating engaging playful learning experiences in parks, trails, and natural spaces.

Through compelling case studies from local Philadelphia sites, participants will discover how environmental features and strategic prompts activate dynamic learning experiences in nature. We'll examine how natural affordances—from logs and water features to plantings and pathways—support playful learning principles.

For the interactive design portion, participants will collaboratively transform an existing nature space into a rich learning landscape using real site maps. You'll be equipped with practical strategies to create outdoor environments where children don't just play—they discover, explore, and thrive through meaningful engagement with nature.

Register here to secure your spot: https://bit.ly/4kpPONR

Play it Forward Session Spotlight!

Have you ever wondered how playful learning projects have made a difference in your community? Announcing a Play It Forward breakout session focusing on evaluating playful learning projects! 📣

Join the authors of the new Playful Learning Community Evaluation Toolkit to learn more about how to design and conduct your own impact evaluations. This session will showcase examples of community-led evaluation efforts and discussions about the practicalities of collecting and interpreting your own data.

Leave with the tools you need to evaluate your next project!

JUST ANNOUNCED! Keynote Speaker Arthur Affleck! 🎉

We're thrilled that Arthur G. Affleck, III, President and CEO of the Association of Children's Museums, will deliver the opening keynote at our inaugural Playful Learning Landscapes Conference!

Arthur brings incredible passion for children, education, and equity with a proven track record of elevating children's museums to new levels of impact. He's a 2024 Advocacy Leadership Award recipient and serves on the Board of Playful Learning Landscapes—making him the perfect voice to kick off our conference.

Who else is excited to learn from this incredible leader?



Register for Play it Forward: https://bit.ly/4kpPONR

Play it Forward: A Conference to Expand the Landscape of Playful Learning 🎮

Mark your calendars for Thursday, October 23rd! We're bringing together passionate individuals from across education, design, and community development for a day of inspiration and practical learning.

✨ Join the movement to advance playful learning conversations!
✨ Enjoy a full day of interactive programming with breakfast and lunch included.
✨ Attend an exclusive Playful Learning Site Tour on Friday, October 24th! (Limited spots available)

We look forward to seeing you at CYTOPHL in Philadelphia!

Register here: https://bit.ly/4kpPONR

Join us on April 23 from 1-2 PM EST for a webinar all about Play Everywhere Philadelphia, a KABOOM! initiative bringing playful learning to public spaces in Philadelphia!

🎤 Hear from two grantees
🎨 See creative, community-led designs
🧠 Learn how play sparks learning everywhere

Whether you’re a designer, educator, city leader, or play advocate, this webinar is for YOU!

To register: https://bit.ly/3DQF7EC

❄️ Wishing you happy holidays and a New Year filled with joy, laughter, and endless playful learning opportunities! ❄️

Thank you, Early Learning Nation for showcasing playful learning in Santa Ana, Ca!

How a Local Early Learning Collaborative Is Centering Belonging to Better Support Families With Young Children - Early Learning Nation The Santa Ana Early Learning Initiative (SAELI), a collaborative supporting families with children ages 9 and under in Santa Ana, California, aims to

This , support playful learning for kids and families!

When you support Playful Learning Landscapes, you’re helping us create interactive spaces where children and families can explore, learn, and grow through play. Your donation brings playful learning opportunities to communities, inspiring creativity and curiosity. Together, we can expand these opportunities and make a lasting impact.

🌟Donate through the link in our bio and help us bring playful learning to more children and families!🌟

The U.S. is facing a reading crisis, worsened by the generational impacts of the pandemic. With 80% of a child's time spent outside of formal learning environments, creating spaces in everyday places and infusing literacy activities into informal settings are impactful ways to boost engagement in activities and build community.

Philadelphia is leading the way! Check out the new brief from The Learning Agenda to learn how to lay the groundwork for in your community.

http://bit.ly/literacyrichenvironments