Play Australia members have the opportunity to hear from an expert panel on Thursday 16 June. 

Planning and Design for Play in the Built Environment will be hosted by members of the Play Australia NSW Branch who authored an Advisory Note to complement environmental, urban and place-based planning policy and guidelines.

Not a Member? Now's a good time to join...click here.

A reminder that our FREE 1000 Play Streets Toolkit is ready for Local Governments to download and use – filled with advice, case studies and templates to help you coordinate your community play streets.

1000 Play Streets is supported by Sport Australia. 

As part of the National Sports & Physical Activity Convention 2022, a panel of global thought leaders representing sport in New Zealand, Denmark, England as well as global play and inclusion experts will explore ‘A Decade of Global Opportunities for the Future of Participation’.  The panel will be exploring how community participation in exercise, play, recreation and sport is being embraced globally. 

Speakers include our very own Robyn Monro Miller, Play Australia Board Member and President of the International Play Association. 

The Venny is a much loved adventure playground and community garden based in Kensington, Melbourne and has celebrated 40 years of providing a safe space for kids who live in the nearby public housing. 

Founded in 1981, The Venny has always been a safe communal backyard for the kids and families who do not have one. Just great to see the media celebrate this milestone too. 

"There is no denying that urban children and caregivers value public play areas as places of refuge and respite, and as neighbourhood meeting points. But on their own, playgrounds will never be enough to make cities truly work for children."

So says Tim Gill (founder of Rethinking Childhood) in a recent article discussing urban planning by Cities4Children.  

Photo: Ching Tsai, Taiwan Parks & Playgrounds for Children by Children

It was World Bicycle Day on 3 June and proponents of bike riding are heralding that more people cycling could be one of the answers to many pressing social issues.   

"Cycling could be the answer to more than just our physical activity and pandemic woes. It could offer public officials a way to address convergent crises in public health, transportation and climate."

"Kid culture fully subscribes to the idea that children need to inhabit a world unto themselves that has been carefully organised and constructed by adults..."

This is a thought provoking US article by Sarah Menkedick, that starts unpacking what has become a social norm that children need a constantly stimulated and orchestrated environment for development. A must read! 

As we are currently experiencing our cooler winter weather, let's keep planning as to how we can ease the heat burden and even save lives. 

How to cool cooking suburbs – a tool from WSROC aims to save lives provides an insight into what is being down to cool down our hottest Australian suburbs. 

Greener Spaces Better Places have highlighted a five year research project that has now launched an innovative new tool to assist in developing more resilient and sustainable urban green spaces.  

"Local governments, landscape architects and urban greening professionals are now able to use a new tool to determine which plants will survive in Australian urban landscapes.."

This online presentation will define what a natural environment includes in a play based setting and highlight potential curriculum links for supporting children’s learning and development in these spaces.

Anne Houghton will provide practical suggestions to increase children’s exposure to a natural environment through direct and indirect experiences.

Delivered in Templestowe, Victoria, this extensive training enables participants to access and understand both best practice and current Playground Standards applicable to the management, development, design and maintenance of playspaces throughout Australia today.

All participants will receive level 1 & 2 certification.

Play Australia membership provides support for all different sectors and industry who are part of the PLAY network. 

From Landscape Architects, Early Childhood Educators, play equipment Manufacturers, Local Government playspace teams, students, or just someone who cares about children's health and wellbeing,  Play Australia membership has something for everyone.

Membership starts from as little as $22 p/yr for a student OR $66 p/yr for an individual.

View our full list of benefits here to find the Membership package that is right for you.