The Play Assembly
In a culture shaped by achievement, productivity, and packed schedules, play is increasingly being pushed aside. What was once natural and essential is now often treated as optional, structured, or earned.
Play should not be a luxury.
Children today have:
- Less free time
- More structured schedules
- Less independent play
- more screen-based engagement
- fewer opportunities to unstructured exploration
Yet play remains one of the most important ways children develop socially, emotionally, creatively, and physically.
Join us in our first ever Play Assembly, a full-day gathering designed to inspire thought, spark curiosity, encourage experimentation, and strengthen our collective voice as we advocate for play!
Our theme this year is: Time For Play. Time has become one of the greatest barriers to play, and our theme invites us to reflect on the role of play in our lives and to consider an important question:
Have we made enough time for play?
The Play Assembly is open to: practitioners, early years educators, parents, artists, social workers, therapists, community builders, school leaders, researchers, playworkers - anyone who believes that play matters.
See you there! Come playful.
Schedule:
8:15 AM - 9:00 AM Arrival and Registration
9:00 AM - 9:15 AM Opening Address
9:15 AM - 10:00 AM Keynote Speeches
10:00 AM - 10:15 AM Play Assembly Kickoff
10:15 AM - 10:30 AM Break
10:30 AM - 1:00 PM Lightning Rounds
1:00 PM - 2:30 PM Lunch, Networking and Play Garden
2:30 PM - 3:45 PM Deep Dive Workshops
3:45 PM - 4:00 PM Break
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM Reflections & Closing Activity
5:00 PM Event End