Registration Open for UnConference: Beyond the Playground: Advancing Racial Equity in Play

Registration is now open for UnConference: Beyond the Playground: Advancing Racial Equity in Play.

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Trying Together - in partnership with the P.R.I.D.E. (Positive Racial Identity Development in Early Education) Program, Hatch Partners in Play, and Playful Pittsburgh - will host the event on Monday, October 14 at Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. 

Participants will attend expert-led sessions that focus on the value and necessity of play; the benefits of play-based learning; how school and state policies impact children’s play experiences; play, race, identity, and the arts; and the importance of risky play activities such as climbing and balancing.

Keynote Speakers and Workshops

This year’s UnConference will include two keynote addresses. Dr. Denisha Jones will present “Play as Liberatory Early Childhood Pedagogy” in the morning. The afternoon address will be “The Healing Power of Play and Optimism” by Antony (Ant) Toombs, of the Life is Good Playmaker Project.

There will be two rounds of workshop sessions after the keynote speakers. PQAS and Act 48 credit hours will be available. Registration is required. Upon registration, attendees will be asked to select one workshop session from each timeframe. 

Workshops include:

• A session on the Playlab Framework that has been implemented in several public school classrooms in the region

• A dialogue-based workshop inspired by the playful engagement typical of a Parent LAB PLAY DAY

• A workshop exploring play equity and access in schools and communities

• A session exploring the critical role of risky play in early childhood education, highlighting its significance in fostering children’s physical, emotion, and cognitive development

• A session featuring P.R.I.D.E. artists as they share interactive themed art activities for early childhood-aged children 

Lunch will be served and attendees will have the opportunity to network with colleagues.

More Details

Free valet parking will be available for participants. Phipps is accessible via Pittsburgh Regional Transit buses and POGOH, Pittsburgh’s bikeshare program.

Some sessions will be held outdoors, so it’s recommended that participants wear layers and comfortable footwear. Some walking is required between sessions. Participants should note needed accommodations during registration and a Trying Together representative will reach out.

Tickets for the UnConference are $25. Space is limited, so those interested in attending should register by Sept. 30.

CLP Introduces Library of Things Collection Featuring Board Games and Activities

The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh has introduced its Library of Things, a collection of outdoor activities and board games that is available at all library locations.

Outdoor Activities

Library cards will give holders access to a variety of outdoor activities and games of various sizes. These include:

• A giant Connect Four game that’s four feet tall and wide

• Portable options such as tabletop curling and Bocce ball

• Pickleball and Spikeball sets

A variety of other outdoor games are available at library branches.

Board Games

All Carnegie Library locations also feature board games, from role playing to epic quests that library card holders can use on a tabletop. These include:

• Trekking the World

• Azul: Master Chocolatier

• Dinner in Paris

• Really Loud Librarians

• Hanabi

A list of more board games available at library locations can be found online. Those interested in using the library’s outdoor activities and board games can sign up for a library card online.

Tips for Protecting Children During August’s Summer Sun Safety Month

With the summer season in full swing and school being out - which means more youth outdoors - now is a good time to consider how to keep children safe while spending long periods of time in the sun.

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August is observed as Summer Sun Safety Month. So, now is a good time to learn how to stay safe while spending time in the sun and preventing sunburn, sun poisoning, skin cancer, or other heat-related ailments. 

Skin cancer is often caused by ultraviolet (UV) rays, which come from the sun, tanning beds, and ultralamps. UV rays are an invisible type of radiation that can cause damage to skin cells, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

It is important to protect children from UV rays all year-round. The rays can reach individuals on cloudy days and can reflect off such surfaces as water, cement, sand, or snow.

There are a number of methods for keeping children safe while spending time outdoors on hot, sunny days. The CDC recommends:

• Making sure they spend time in the shade, especially when engaging in activities

• Encouraging the use of hats, sunglasses, and sunscreen

• Not scheduling outdoor activities on days when the sun is strongest or the temperatures are especially high

• Providing breaks during outdoor activities to allow children to reapply sunscreen and drink water

More Resources

Additional tips on staying safe in the sun - but also tips on water safety, bug bites, and other topics - can be found in a 2023 brochure released by Allegheny County.

Below are some resources on how to protect children and yourself during Summer Sun Safety Month - and during all months when outdoor activity is prevalent. 

• CDC Shares Sun Safety Tips for Schools, Trying Together

• Allegheny County Shares Summer Safety Guidance, Trying Together

• Summer Safety Brochure, Allegheny County Health Department, Trying Together

• Reducing Risk for Skin Cancer, CDC

• Be Safe in the Sun, American Cancer Society

• Sun Protection, American Academy of Dermatology (AAD)

• Sun Protection Tips for Those with Black and Brown Skin, Boston University

• Sun Safety and Prevention, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey

City Wants Input on Baxter Park Improvement Plan

The Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy and the city want to hear input from residents on the Baxter Park Improvement Plan. Residents are encouraged to take a survey on Engage PGH on the plan.

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The Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy, in partnership with the City of Pittsburgh, community organizations, and other key stakeholders are developing an improvement plan for Baxter Park in Homewood. The plan will aim to achieve the following goals:

• Enhance Baxter Park to meet community needs

• Help advance goals identified in previous community planning efforts

• Activate Baxter Park

• Develop a plan based on community feedback and consensus

The final improvement plan will be realistic, achievable, and provide a basis for fundraising to further develop and construct the project. Three concepts are available to view for the Baxter Park Improvement Plan on the Engage PGH website. 

Visitors to the website are asked to respond to the concepts and choose a preferred plan in the survey. If certain elements of any of the plans are preferred, survey takers can make notes in the “additional thoughts” section.

Stages of the Plan

Currently, the plan is in its concept development phase, which involves developing design concepts and presenting them to the community for feedback.

Next, it will be in the preferred plan development phase, during which a singular, preferred concept is presented for more detailed community input and feedback. Last, a report will present final improvements, cost estimates, and next steps. That phase is expected to take place this fall.

For more information and to take the survey, visit the Engage PGH website.

Cross & Strauss Playground Opens on Pittsburgh’s North Side

Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey and city officials celebrated the opening last week of the Cross & Strauss Playground on Pittsburgh’s North Side.

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The new playground includes two separate play areas aimed at children between the ages of two to five years and five-12 years, respectively. Additionally, there are swings, picnic tables, a poured-in-place safety surface, and a half basketball court.

“Playgrounds are part of a community’s effort to nurture our children in becoming better adults,” Gainey said. “So that when they grow up, they understand how to work together with people who have different ideas and that’s what we have right here. Everyone came together because we knew we needed a playground and we made it happen and that is the power of community and collaboration.”

The new playground is part of a larger effort to re-invest in the Charles Street Area of the North Side, which has seen generational disinvestment. Other efforts in the area include traffic calming, new trash cans, and the Fowler Park & Pool.

The playground was selected as a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development CHOICE project for early action projects that serve the Allegheny Dwellings Community. It was done in partnership with the Charles Street Area Corporation, Perry Hilltop/Fineview Citizens Council, and Tthe Buhl Foundation.

PA State Parks to Host Fish-For-Free Day on July 4

Pennsylvania’s state parks will allow families to fish on state waterways without a fishing license on July 4.

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Fish-for-Free-Day is aimed at promoting the fun of fishing among Pennsylvania families. On July 4, 2024, any Pennsylvania resident or non-resident will be allowed to fish without a license on state waterways, although all other fishing regulations will still apply.

Those who do not have equipment can visit the state’s Borrow a Rod & Reel Fishing Tackle Loaner Program to find a location where they can borrow rods, reels, and a tackle box full of hooks and other terminal tackle. To borrow gear, visitors must complete a form. The equipment loan is similar to that of a library transaction. At the end of the loan, the equipment must be returned to the site.

The program is a partnership between the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, the American Sportfishing Association, and various sponsors. It is designed to make it easy for anyone to have access to fishing equipment. 

Fishing tackle equipment can also be loaned to groups conducting fishing education programs in the community.

Visit the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission’s tackle loaner webpage for more information on locations, hours of operation, and contact information.