Partners in Play
GameTime has partnered with Texas Recreation and Parks Association (TRAPS) and PlayCore to bring educational workshops and project funding to communities across the state of Texas. The statewide initiative begins March 27 with a PlayCore professional development syposium in New Braunfels, Texas where parks professionals, educators and landscape architects will learn the latest research on the benefits of outdoor play and recreation.
PlayCore professional development sessions will also be held in Georgetown, Grand Prairie and Missouri City, Texas through April 4 and will cover best practice design principles in the areas of inclusive play, nature and trail-based recreation, and increasing outdoor physical activity for children, adults and families. Attendees of these sessions will be awarded CEU credits and provided with information on a funding initiative by GameTime to put research into action. GameTime has set aside up to two million dollars in matching funds to assist Texas agencies bring healthy, active play areas to children and families.
Projects designed using the best practices discussed in the PlayCore professional development sessions will be eligible for National Demonstration Site status. The National Demonstration Site™ (NDS) program of excellence captures a community’s commitment to advancements in play and recreation, and recognizes their efforts through a comprehensive recognition program. Research and guidebooks in Outdoor Adult Fitness™, 7 Principles of Inclusive Playground Design®, Play On!® youth fitness, NatureGrounds®, and Pathways for Play™, create the foundation of the NDS program to inspire communities to build play and recreation spaces utilizing best practices and designs established by scholars and experts in the respective fields. PlayCore continues to support and encourage a community’s engagement through the design and implementation process and provides the tools to demonstrate their leadership to others. The sites are placed on the National Registry of Demonstration Sites and become part of our network for ongoing data collection.
