Welcome to the National Institute for Play!

We Champion Play as a Lifelong Necessity

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The May newsletter includes a Play Note on early childhood education and a profile of Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, a leading early childhood researcher. Play News includes a story on what makes teens joyful and links to the most recent issues of four play journals.

Conference

Be the change in education. Playposium – people dedicated to transforming education through the power of play. More on this conference at Playposium.

Webinar

Play as a Healing Modality: A Playful Path to Bridging Divides and Strengthening Bonds

A conversation between Dr. Stuart Brown, founder of the National Institute for Play, and Elaine Chung, founder of Beyond The Change a creative studio focused on designing personalized play experiences.

Podcast

Each month, we share a podcast version of our monthly Play Notes. The current episode, based on our May Play Note explores the powerful impact of play-based early childhood learning –pre-K and Kindergarten.

Our Work

What is Play?

Understand the basics of play as a state of mind.

Play for Children

Resources for educators, parents, and caregivers.

Play for Adults

Find suggestions for incorporating more play into your daily life.

Play in Early Education

Discover the power of play-based learning in early childhood education.

Your Play Nature

Check out these questions to identify your personal play nature.

Play Personalities

Learn about the eight Play Personalities developed by Dr. Stuart Brown.

What We Know So Far

Read our summary of key findings from a diverse body of play research.

For Doctors & Therapists

Learn about the Practitioners Prescribing Play (PPP) Program.

Books on Play

Explore our library of over 100 fundamental books on play.

Play Organizations

Browse our directory of play practitioners, publishers, nonprofits, advocacy groups, and more.

Science of Play

See the wide array of play research conducted globally across over twenty scientific disciplines.

Play Researchers

Check out our profiles of the most influential figures in the field of play.

All of These People Are Playing

Do you recognize play when you see it?

Support the Power of Play Today

Your contributions sustain our mission to provide the latest news and resources in the field of play.

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