Music parks benefit every member of the community, but few communities have a music program available and affordable to everyone. A permanent installation of instruments changes that. A simplified system allows anyone to play, regardless of training or ability, and instruments can be designed for individual and ensemble play. Music transcends age, gender, ethnicity and mobility, and is a gathering force that builds better communities and helps makes people kinder.

The Unleashed®: Off-leash dog park design trends and planning tips guidebook, helps communities effectively advocate for the many benefits of off-leash dog parks as solutions to providing enjoyable ways to recreate and exercise to dog owners and their dogs as well as creating community destinations. Research shows positive effects on individuals that own a dog(s); health and social benefits of owning a dog, caring for it, and recreating outdoors with them. In addition, design considerations and case study examples are outlined to effectively design a dog park and champion initiatives that provide meaningful outcomes supporting overall health and social benefits for the community.

By thoughtfully creating and programming outdoor environments with health and wellness in mind, parks can positively impact healthier lifestyles and promote physical activity across generations. Multigenerational spaces, recreation, and relationships sites in every community should be an everyday option to create greater understanding between generations as the population grows more diversified in age, race, and ethnicity. Fortunately, interest in using intergenerational strategies to create relevant community spaces, programs, and policy is growing. Our parks and public spaces have great potential to change our communities for the better. This session will explore Intergenerational design strategies aimed at bringing people together through purposeful, mutually beneficial activities that promote greater understanding and respect between generations.

Get amazing new ideas for your Traverse Wall®! This recorded session will cover best practices and safety and risk management protocols, instructional design tips and ideas on how to manage a traverse wall, and a variety of dynamic climbing wall activities. Special guest panelist and physical educator, Matt Barrows, will share information about his innovative climbing program in the North Kansas City Schools. Mr. Barrows will share the benefits of climbing for children, tips for success implementing climbing in your program, and a variety of engaging activities utilizing the traverse climbing wall.

Schools are considered ideal settings for advancing health and wellness initiatives for youth. Most youth attend schools, most schools have resources for health and wellness, and most schools are located in communities with park and recreation agencies. National frameworks even exist for school health and school physical activity where community engagement is identified as a key component for building healthier generations of youth. The challenge is how. How can park and recreation professionals successfully engage and partner with schools to collectively support health and wellness initiatives for youth?

​A comprehensive school physical activity program (CSPAP) is the guiding framework for implementing physical activity opportunities across the school day and school context. The goal of a CSPAP is to provide daily opportunities and support structures for youth to engage in and benefit from a physically active lifestyle. Regular health-enhancing physical activity behaviors among youth can be accomplished across five CSPAP components: a) physical education, b) physical activity during school, c) physical activity before and after school, d) staff involvement, and e) family and community engagement. This comprehensive approach to active school settings has advanced evidence-based practices and opportunities for community collaborations.

Plants increase community value in a number of ways beyond just their natural beauty. In this session, we’ll discover the many benefits that plants can provide communities, examine how a number of sites, from playgrounds to dog parks to bus shelters increased play and recreation value through the addition of key plants, and share tools to help parks, schools, and communities identify the unique benefits of a variety of plants to promote activity, imagination, sensory stimulation, and more. Attendees will come away with confidence on how to choose plants that will thrive in their region, and provide health, wellness, and recreation value for generations to come.

The webinar contains examples and tangible steps to implementing Play Streets in any community as well as case studies illustrating how each of our four community partners created and implemented Play Streets.