Determining what makes an outdoor setting ideal for early childhood development and how to craft such spaces is essential. Equally vital is educating future designers and educators to create environments that support age-appropriate play and learning. This lecture will tackle these inquiries, discussing the characteristics of effective outdoor environments that cater to the developmental needs of children aged 0-8. It will explore the connection between children's developmental requirements and various design features and landscape elements. Additionally, the session will delve into methodologies for evaluating the effectiveness of these environments and identify strategies to design interactive, engaging, natural, and healthy outdoor spaces that promote holistic development in children.

Meeting the minimum accessibility design standards for play and recreation areas is the first step to ensuring everyone can participate, enjoy, and experience park and play area facilities. During the session, a panel of individuals with disabilities and professionals who support persons with disabilities will discuss features that can “make or break” play and recreational opportunities for individuals with autism, people with developmental disabilities, people with various sensory or communication needs, or individuals who are neurodivergent. Strategies, design elements, barriers, and accessibility will be discussed differently. We hope you will join us for this look beyond the minimum accessibility design standards to discover how your community can make your park and play areas more inclusive for everyone. This is the third session of a yearlong four-part Beyond the Minimums accessibility series. This webinar includes real-time captioning and video remote interpreting (VRI) upon request. To request video interpreting services and/or resources in an alternate format, please email core@playcore.com at least two weeks prior to the live webinar date.

Join us for an insightful webinar discussing the intricate landscape of securing funding within municipal governments. We'll explore the complexities of government structures, the nuances of agency contracting processes, and the potential pitfalls along the way. Discover why adopting innovative approaches is crucial and explore alternative contracting methods to mitigate risks. Uncover the importance of understanding funding source deadlines and leveraging community health and wellness data to strengthen proposals. Gain invaluable insights into maximizing funding opportunities while ensuring the well-being of your community.

Providing a truly inclusive play or park experience requires thoughtful planning and attention to ensure that site furnishings and amenities are more usable by more people, including those with disabilities, to the greatest extent possible. The placement or location of site furnishings and amenities and their operability is key to providing an inclusive play and park experience. Site amenities and design considerations within the built environment should be integrated throughout park destinations to support inclusive, intergenerational play and recreation. Scoping and technical guidelines for benches, picnic tables, grills, waste and recycling receptacles, picnic pavilions, drinking fountains/bottle fillers, telescopes, docks and piers, fitness equipment, toilet rooms, signage, and temporary events will all be addressed. This is the fourth session of a yearlong four-part Beyond the Minimums accessibility series. This webinar includes real-time captioning and video remote interpreting (VRI) upon request. To request video interpreting services and/or resources in an alternate format, please email core@playcore.com at least two weeks prior to the live webinar date.

Many park and recreation agencies and other public organizations, struggle to fund capital and operating expenses with traditional funding sources typically generated through tax dollars. This session will introduce alternative funding opportunities that can assist agencies, no matter how large or small, in identifying potential new funding sources to help diversify their financial portfolios. Specific topics to be presented include an overview of alternative funding options, methods to evaluate the suitability for an agency and its community, and success stories that have utilized alternative funding for community projects and services.

Join us for our "Summer Programming Survival Guide" webinar, designed to equip park and recreation professionals with essential strategies for a successful summer season. This engaging session will cover best practices for summer planning, leadership techniques with a social equity focus, and methods to prevent burnout. Additionally, discover creative ideas to celebrate Parks and Recreation Month and ensure your community enjoys a memorable and inclusive summer.

People of all abilities should have access to the many health benefits aquatic play and recreation environments can offer. Well-designed aquatic facilities provide opportunities for rehabilitation, exercise, socialization, play, rest, and relaxation for community members across generations. It is critical to consider the needs of individuals with disabilities when planning, designing, and programming these environments. This session will review provisions in the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design that address independent access to swimming pools, water play destinations, splash parks, and spas. Accessibility Specialist, Bill Botten, will review the application of the requirements for aquatic facilities, as well as the scoping and technical requirements for pool lifts, sloped entries, transfer steps, transfer walls, and accessible stairs. Additionally, the session will provide suggestions to go beyond the minimum requirements to enhance inclusive aquatic recreation facilities, including lazy rivers, wave action pools, water play elements, and other site amenities to support the diverse needs of all visitors. This is the second session of a yearlong four-part Beyond the Minimums accessibility series. This webinar includes real-time captioning and video remote interpreting (VRI) upon request. To request video interpreting services and/or resources in an alternate format, please email core@playcore.com at least two weeks prior to the live webinar date.

Sustainable maintenance programs are essential to positive outdoor play experiences for children at their school and community playgrounds. This year, National Playground Safety Week is observed on April 22-25, and this webinar is designed to create awareness, maximize the value of playground investments, and create safer outdoor play destinations that promote healthy risk-taking and fun! Routine maintenance and visual inspections are key to preserving play and recreation environments, and properly identifying and addressing potentially hazardous conditions supports safer opportunities to engage in the lifelong benefits of play.

Equitable and safe access to parks and recreation facilities begins with firm, stable, and slip-resistant ground surface materials along accessible, connecting routes. Thoughtful planning ensures people who use mobility devices or other adaptive equipment can move independently from site arrival points and throughout each park, play, and recreation setting. This session will address requirements for exterior routes and surfaces in outdoor recreational settings and offer design considerations to go beyond minimum compliance to make certain everyone has the ability to participate. Accessibility Specialist, Bill Botten, will review best practices for planning accessible routes, sidewalks, shared-use paths, routes to and within recreation facilities including play areas, sports fields, outdoor recreation areas, trails, and beaches. This is the first session of a yearlong four-part Beyond the Minimums accessibility series. This webinar includes real-time captioning and video remote interpreting (VRI) upon request. To request video interpreting services and/or resources in an alternate format, please email core@playcore.com at least two weeks prior to the live webinar date.