Big Way Of Life

The International Play Association is appealing for abstracts and proposals for their 18th annual conference.

Contributions are welcomed from disciplines and policy backgrounds that have an interest in, or an impact on, playing children and young people - for example, education, health, play and youth provision, play therapy, urban and landscape design and planning. The IPA aims to create a future where playing is valued and to uphold all children's right to time, freedom and a safe environment.

The conference will share with colleagues evidence of the value of playing, evidence of the value of providing for play, and experience and examples of good practice in promoting and supporting children's play.

The conference will feature a number of speakers, including:

• Brian Sutton Smith - Forthcoming publication, Play as Emotional Survival
• Bob Hughes - Author of Evolutionary Playwork and Reflective Analytic Practice
• Wendy Russell and Stuart Lester - Authors of the IPA concept paper, Children's Right to Play: An examination of the importance of play in the lives of children worldwide
• Sudeshna Chatterjee Phd - Distinguished scholar and urban designer working in India, an editor of the Children, Youth and Environments journal
• Marc Bekoff - Animal behaviour expert, publications include: Animals at Play: Rules of the Game (an award-winning children's book)

The conference will run from the 4th-7th July 2011 in Cardiff but the IPA are appealing for contributors now.

Conference registration (delegate booking) is open now.

All delegates and contributors need to register and pay for a conference delegate place through the conference website.