How to Get to Ultimate Play Day on May 18

Playful Pittsburgh will host its annual Ultimate Play Day on Saturday, May 18 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Activities Shelter in Riverview Park. There are three bus routes that can drop participants off close to the event.

Learn More

Ultimate Play Day is a celebration of playfulness for people of all ages. The event – co-hosted by Playful Pittsburgh, Trying Together, and Citiparks as part of Remake Learning Days – celebrates the importance of play. 

A number of city organizations will take part in the event - including the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy, Carnegie Science Center, Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh, Fred Rogers Institute, Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, and many more. A complete list can be found on Ultimate Play Day’s event page.

Directions

Participants driving to the event and taking 279 N should avoid Milroy Street. Instead of making the first left, continue on to East Street and take Baytree Street to the park. 

Three bus routes will drop participants close to the event. Riders can take Bus 8 from the Northside to Riverview Park. They can pick up this bus at Cedar, East North Avenue, or Federal Street. The closest stops to the park are Perrysville and Watson or Perrysville and Cherryfield.

Riders can take Bus 12 from the Northside. The closest stop to the park is East Street and Venture Street, which is about a mile walk to the event. Riders can also take Bus 15 from Downtown. 

More Information

If you have questions, contact Adam James Zahren, Program Director for Playful Pittsburgh, at adam@tryingtogether.org. 

To plan a route to Ultimate Play Day, visit Pittsburgh Regional Transit’s True Time System’s website.

Buzzword Day at the Theater

The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust Education department invites families to request complimentary tickets for a performance of “Dog Man: The Musical.”

The production is based on the worldwide bestselling series from Dav Pilkey, the creator of “Captain Underpants” and “Cat Kid Comic Club.”

How to Sign Up

Families can request up to five complimentary tickets to the 2 p.m. show on Saturday, April 13. The last day to register is Friday, April 5 by 5 p.m.

About the Show

The show follows the story of best friends and long-time comics creators George and Harold. Now in fifth grade, they decide to become more ambitious by writing a musical based on their favorite character, Dog Man, a crime-fighting sensation who is half-man, half-dog.

Dog Man, who loves to fight crime and chew on furniture, must save the city from Flippy the cyborg fish and his army of Beasty Buildings. He must also catch Petey, the world’s most evil cat, who has cloned himself to exact revenge on Dog Man.

This epic musical adventure features the hilarity and heart of Dav Pilkey’s beloved characters. The show was written by Kevin Del Aguila and Brad Alexander, who collaborated on the Emmy-winning series “Peg + Cat” on PBS as well as TheaterWorksUSA’s “Click, Clack, Moo” and “Clifford the Big Red Dog” on PBS and Amazon. Jen Wiseman is the play’s director and choreographer.

The show, which is recommended for ages four and above, runs for approximately an hour. It will be performed at the Byham Theater, located at 101 6th Street in Pittsburgh. For more information, call the box office at 412-456-6666.

April Playful Pittsburgh Partner Highlights

Playful Pittsburgh has many amazing partners across the city and each month we would like to take a moment to spotlight our tier 2 and 3 partners and all the work they are doing to contribute to play equity. 

Pittsburgh Center for Creative Reuse:

The Pittsburgh Center for Creative Reuse (PCCR) is a non-profit that inspires creativity, conservation, and community engagement through reuse. Located in Wilkinsburg, Homewood, and Point Breeze, they operate a non-traditional art supply shop where the community can donate used art and craft supplies, as well as shop for craft supplies. In addition, PCCR facilitates hands-on creative programming that educates the public about the benefits of reuse for the environment, community, and self.

PCCR values play because it is the basis for problem-solving, creativity, relationship building, and many other skills we use constantly! And having fun is good for our brains. At PCCR, they are playing constantly - Whether it's being creative with program participants, having fun and engaging staff meetings, or just curating our space to inspire creativity through fun signs and displays - it's everywhere!

How to Connect with the Pittsburgh Center for Creative Reuse:

To connect with The Pittsburgh Center for Creative Reuse, visit their website or connect with them on Instagram or Facebook. 

Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh: 

Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh is an organization guided by its mission of literacy, exploration, and community connections. Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh is a destination space for information, technology, community building, social connection, and fun.

At Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, we believe that play is a powerful and necessary part of life. Play drives learning, growth, innovation, and happiness—for children, teens, and adults, through all ages and stages of life. By offering play and playful opportunities and sharing the different ways that play can be incorporated into daily life, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh supports community members in designing their own play and playful experiences.

How to Connect with Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh:

To connect with the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, visit their website or connect with them on Instagram or Facebook.

United Nations Designates June 11 as International Day of Play

The United Nations General Assembly has adopted a resolution to create a new International Day of Play. The day will take place on June 11 every year, beginning in 2024.

A Global Effort

The adoption of the resolution on March 25 follows a global effort led by a coalition of organizations - including Right to Play, a nonprofit with a mission to use play to empower children to rise above adversity. 

The coalition’s goal was to spotlight the importance of play in children’s lives, learning, and development. It also aimed to call attention to the need to protect and support children’s right to play.

Global research surveying more than 25,000 children across 36 countries revealed that as many as 73% of children don’t believe adults take the benefits of play seriously, according to Right to Play. 

“Play is powerful,” said Susan McIsaac, President and CEO of Right to Play International. “Through play, children explore and understand the world, learn how to collaborate and empathize with others, build the confidence to claim their rights, and develop a lifelong love of learning.”

Adam James Zahren, Program Director of Playful Pittsburgh,  applauded the UN resolution.

“I think the designation of an official International Play Day is essential because it showcases the necessity of playing for children and adults alike,” Zahren said. “Play is important for physical, emotional, and social development. It reduces stress and builds relationships. I’m thrilled to hear this news.”

Convention on the Rights of the Child

This is not the first time that the United Nations has recognized the importance of play. In 1989, the UN approved the Convention on the Rights of the Child. This international treaty set benchmarks against which a nation’s treatment of its children could be measured. One of its tenets was that “every child has the right to rest and leisure, to engage in play and recreational activities appropriate to the age of the child, and to participate freely in cultural life and the arts.”

Sign up for the Playful Pittsburgh newsletter to stay up to date on all things play-related in the region.

New Look for Playful Pittsburgh

Playful Pittsburgh is rolling out a fresh new look, but our commitment to promoting the significance of play in the lives of children, families, and communities in the Pittsburgh region remains unwavering.

We're on a mission to spread awareness about the vital role play plays in the lives of individuals of all ages.

From parents to legislators, we're dedicated to educating decision-makers in our region to ensure that their choices prioritize access to play for everyone.

Through engaging activities, we aim to lead by example and inspire our community to incorporate play into their daily routines.

Learn more about the Playful Pittsburgh initiative and help us spread the word to your networks and sign up for the Playful Pittsburgh newsletter to stay up to date on all things play-related in the region.

March Playful Pittsburgh Partner Highlights

Playful Pittsburgh has many amazing partners across the city and each month we would like to take a moment to spotlight our tier 2 and 3 partners and all the work they doing to contribute to play equity. 

Pittsburgh Parks:

Pittsburgh Parks is a nonprofit organization that is committed to improving the quality of life for the people of Pittsburgh by restoring the park system to excellence in partnership with the government and the community.

As part of this work, Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy provides outdoor educational programming for all ages to forge connections between people and the parks. Play is an important feature of these programs, as we encourage people to relax, recreate, and unleash their imaginations. We believe providing opportunities for play in the parks enhances children’s—and adults’— sense of connection to the natural world. 

How to Connect with Pittsburgh Parks:

To connect with Pittsburgh Parks, visit their website or connect with them on Instagram or Facebook. 

The Fred Rogers Institute:

Fred Rogers established the Institute to work with current professionals to support their practice in the service of children and families, researchers looking to deepen their understanding of the important issues facing children. 

The Fred Rogers Institute considers “the capacity to play” one of the six necessities of learning. In "Mister Rogers Talks with Parents," Fred Rogers and Barry Head introduce “play” as a fundamental element in a person’s ability to learn and grow.

This year, a dedicated group within the "Educators Neighborhood" program at the Fred Rogers Institute is exclusively focusing on the theme of play. This deliberate emphasis promotes collaborative endeavors in crafting and executing playful learning experiences, fostering a spirit of cooperation and breaking down professional barriers. The recognition of the significance of play for both educators and the children and families they serve enhances the establishment of profound and straightforward connections within the community.

How to Connect with The Fred Rogers Institute:

To connect with The Fred Rogers Institute, visit their website or connect with them on Instagram or Facebook. 

Neighborhood North Museum of Play:

Neighborhood North is a children’s museum located in the Beaver Falls area with a mission to create a unique and vibrant center of intergenerational learning for the youngest members of our community, for their parents and grandparents and all who care for them, and to cultivate the curiosity and creativity of our future citizens.

Neighborhood North believes that play is essential for learning, creating, and connecting. Play helps to promote trust, joy, and authenticity, and to break down barriers which leads to more honest, resilient relationships within our organization.  

How to Connect with Neighborhood North Museum of Play:

To connect with Neighborhood North Museum of Play, visit their website or connect with them on Instagram or Facebook.