Out2Play

This will be your opportunity to listen, learn, develop and debate the hot skills topics developing within the playwork workforce.

The leading lights will showcase successful play and outdoor initiatives for you to take back to the workforce, helping to make children’s play even more inspiring and engaging whilst delivering a more holistic approach to playwork.

Overarching benefit to employers will be the two new England government departments DCMS & DCSF, who will be detailing and interacting with you on where they see play and playwork heading.

This conference is for you to plan and provide play opportunities in the outdoors which strategically is seen as a key factor in the health and wellbeing of children and young people.

Speakers

• Maggie Brandon – DCSF
• Tim Gill – Rethinking Childhood
• Michael Follett – New ways of working with children in external environments

Workshops (subject to change)

• Play, Naturally (including play ranger developments) - Stuart Lester
  This playful workshop will introduce key themes associated with the significance of children’s encounter with natural spaces and explore the implications for planning and developing children’s play environments
• Fun and adventure in the outdoors - Peter Thompson
  An introduction to the range of opportunities for children and young people to experience fun, adventure and learning in the outdoor environment.  The workshop will also explore how practitioners manage risk to enable activities for recreation, learning and development to take place successfully in our safety conscious society.
• The reality of playtime and the playground - Marc Armitage
  What really goes on in the primary school playground?  Some facts, thoughts and ideas based on in-depth observation and research.
• Experimental Playgrounds - Hattie Coppard
  Instead of asking young people to describe in words or on paper how they would like their play environment to be, Experimental Playground Projects give children and adults the tools they need to temporarily change the space to suit themselves. This workshop will show how this approach leads to highly original new play environments that can have had a remarkable effect on the psychology of the play space and the behaviour of children. Hattie will also introduce the SNUG Experimental Playground Kit, a range of big and beautiful shapes that transform any primary school playground into a dynamic and creative environment for play
• Mind the Element: the Fantastic Four - Meynell
  A physical and emotional journey into the elemental world. Finding out, exploring and playing with the spirits of air, earth, water and fire. The process of touching, feeling, smelling, tasting and hearing will take us to places we may not have been to before.
• The Venture - Malcolm King
  An introduction to one of the most successful adventure playgrounds in the UK.  Established in 1978 the Venture has pioneered community adventure play and continues to provide play opportunities that are innovative and challenging.  The Venture is the subject of a recent book by Fraser brown of Leeds Metropolitan University charting its history and success.

Market Stalls

Wander around an array of market stalls, where you can learn more about the following organisations;

• API (Association of Play Industries)
• BHF (British Heart Foundation)
• CSV Environmental
• Castus
• Fit for sport
• Kids city
• Meynel Games
• Milton Keynescrap store
• NEC (National Extension Colege)
• Play England
• Playwork Partnership
• Skils for life - tribal group

And many more...

SkillsActive would like to thank City & Guilds and CACHE, our main sponsors for the conference this year, for their continued support.