ULTIMATE PLAY DAY

About Ultimate Play Day

Ultimate Play Day is a celebration of playfulness for people of all ages.

Hosted by the Playful Pittsburgh Collaborative, this annual event is an opportunity for people from throughout the Pittsburgh region to play together and raise awareness of the benefits of play for everyone—from birth to 199 years. Partner and community organizations offer play activities for all ages at a different venue each year.

Ultimate Play Day 2023

Check out highlights from the 2023 Ultimate Play Day held on Sunday, May 7 at Lower McKinley Park in Beltzhoover!

Video Credit: Parish Digital

SLB Radio Ultimate Play Day Interview

Playful Pittsburgh Collaborative was a special guest on the Neighborhood Voices show, hosted by The Saturday Light Brigade, to talk about Ultimate Play Day!

Assistant Director of Playful Pittsburgh Collaborative Adam James and Nicole Stevens from Beltzhoover Consensus Group joined SLB Radio to talk about this special day of play, why play is important for everyone, and how this event will connect neighbors throughout the City of Pittsburgh.

Listen Here:

Previous Ultimate Play Day Events

Ultimate Play Day 2022

Sunday, May 15, 2022

Liberty Green Park

1-4 p.m.

We are looking forward to an exciting Ultimate Play Day as we partner with Citi Parks. And our excitement only grows since Ultimate Play Day is part of Remake Learning Days as well. We can’t wait to see you at the event. If you have any questions, concerns, or want to be part of Ultimate Play Day this year, simple reach out to us via email at playfulpgh@tryingtogether.org.

Don’t forget to save the date: May 15 at Liberty Green from 1:00-4:00 p.m.

Ultimate Play Day 2019

Sunday, May 19, 2019

Whitehall Public Library

1–4 p.m.

We had an amazing time at Ultimate Play Day! The weather was perfect and we had 26 activities for people to enjoy, thanks to our wonderful partners! From Nepali dances to geocaching and more, we really appreciate everyone that was able to join in on the fun. If you weren’t able to make it to Ultimate Play Day, there will be another one in 2020 (we can’t wait!!)! Until then, continue to check the website for play pop-ups in the community.

Thank you to Global Wordsmiths for helping with sign translation and interpretation services at the event. Play is beneficial to all (even if you’re 100 years old) and we really enjoyed playing with all of you!

Photos below courtesy of Ben Filio.

Using stethoscopes with Kids Plus Pediatrics (Copy)

Registration table (Copy)

Water play with Trying Together (Copy)

Stamping the play passport (Copy)

Nature play with Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy (Copy)

Ball Games with BCAP student volunteers (Copy)

Jumbo Jenga! (Copy)

Trivia questions with Live Well Allegheny (Copy)

Giant Everblock bricks with Pgh Downtown Partnership (Copy)

Decorating butterflies with the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust (Copy)

Marble runs with the Pittsburgh Center for Creative Reuse (Copy)

Gross motor toys with the Pittsburgh Toy Lending Library (Copy)

Water Table play (Copy)

Giant Octoplay blocks with Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh (Copy)

Gravity painting with the Carnegie Museum of Art (Copy)

Dominos and hula-hoops with the Playful Pittsburgh Collaborative (Copy)

Interpreters from Global Wordsmiths (Copy)

Making capes with Schell Games (Copy)

Giant Connect 4 with the Playful Pittsburgh Collaborative (Copy)

Yoga with YogaRoots On Location & Youth Undoing Institutional Racism Pittsburgh (Copy)

Art with YogaRoots On Location & Youth Undoing Institutional Racism Pittsburgh (Copy)

Biking with Bike Pittsburgh (Copy)

The crowd watching dances (Copy)

Members from the Bhutanese Community Association of Pittsburgh performing a Nepali cultural dance (Copy)

A member from the Bhutanese Community Association of Pittsburgh performing a Nepali cultural dance (Copy)

Audience members clapping along with the dances (Copy)

Hula-hoop (Copy)

Clapping along to the dances (Copy)

Having fun (Copy)

A member from the Bhutanese Community Association of Pittsburgh performing a Nepali cultural dance (Copy)

More water table play (Copy)

Learning to paddle with Venture Outdoors (Copy)

Golfing with the Whitehall Public Library (Copy)

Bubble fun (Copy)

More bubble fun (Copy)

Relaxing during a day of play (Copy)

Marble runs with the Pittsburgh Center for Creative Reuse (Copy)

Jumbo block play (Copy)

Dancing with everyone (Copy)

Dancing on the stage (Copy)

Audience watching the dancing (Copy)

More dancing on the stage (Copy)

A view of the family fun (Copy)

Trivia questions with Live Well Allegheny (Copy)

More dancing on the stage (Copy)

Dancing fun (Copy)

Dancing (Copy)

Making capes with Schell Games (Copy)

Parachute fun with COTRAIC Greater Hazelwood Family Center (Copy)

Obstacle course fun with The Children's Museum of Pittsburgh (Copy)

Parachute fun with COTRAIC Greater Hazelwood Family Center (Copy)

Bubble fun (Copy)

Ultimate Play Day 2018

Sunday, May 20, 2018

August Wilson Park

1-4 p.m.

What a wonderful day of play we had! The weather was stunning, smiles were everywhere and play was literally around every turn. If you weren't able to join us, don't fret. There will be another Ultimate Play Day in 2019! Keep checking our events page for pop-up play days around the region in the meantime.

The Ultimate Play Day is a celebration of playfulness for people of all ages. Hosted by the Playful Pittsburgh Collaborative, the event is an opportunity for people from throughout the Pittsburgh region to play together and raise awareness of the benefits of play for everyone- from birth to 199 yrs.

Photos below courtesy of Ben Filio.

Helmet fitting with Children's Hospital (Copy)

Gravity painting with Carnegie Museum of Art (Copy)

Shaving cream painting with Ujamaa Collective (Copy)

Prize wheel with Live Well Allegheny (Copy)

A view from the park (Copy)

Fun with La Escuelita Arcoiris (Copy)

Prize fun with La Escuelita Arcoiris (Copy)

Fun with Kidsburgh (Copy)

Circuitry with Kidsburgh (Copy)

Rigamajig with the Playful Pittsburgh Collaborative (Copy)

Giant games with the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership (Copy)

Fun with Greater Hazelwood Family Center (Copy)

Rigamajig (Copy)

A view of the park (Copy)

Giant blocks with the Children's Museum of Pittsburgh (Copy)

Circuitry with Kidsburgh (Copy)

Build a riverfront park with Riverlife (Copy)

Success! with Riverlife (Copy)

Family fun (Copy)

Everyone was Trying Together! (Copy)

Dancing with Age-Friendly Greater Pittsburgh (Copy)

A view from above (Copy)

Bubbles with the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh (Copy)

Gravity art (Copy)

Dipping paint for gravity art (Copy)

More fun in the park (Copy)

Fun with games (Copy)

Brick building with the Carnegie Science Center (Copy)

Refreshments from the snack table (Copy)

Checking out the Play Pass (Copy)

Recycled art with Pittsburgh Cultural Trust (Copy)

Hula Hoops with Let's Move Pittsburgh (Copy)

Rigamajig with the Playful Pittsburgh Collaborative (Copy)

A view of the games (Copy)

August Wilson Park (Copy)

About August Wilson Park

Take a look at the video below to learn about August Wilson Park.

Thank you to Steeltown Entertainment's Teen Film Crew for the video.

Ultimate Play Day 2017

Sunday, April 30, 2017

Allegheny Commons East in the NorthSide

1-4 p.m.

Member organizations of the Playful Pittsburgh Collaborative and community partners came together to provide a holistic model of innovative and creative play. Playful activities sparked conversations about topics including play and learning, risk in play, the benefits of play, and how we can incorporate play into our lives and the lives of our children every day. Featured activities are carefully selected as ones that can be replicated at home, in classrooms, and at neighborhood parks.