2025 PLAY TOURS & WORKSHOPS
Our pre-conference tours are a great way to meet and network with other people while discovering more about play in Melbourne! We have chosen sites to encourage discussion and sharing, and most importantly fun!
ACTIVATING PLAY IN THE COMMUNITY
TUESDAY 24 JUNE
$225
This tour will provide an opportunity of participants to see a range of initiatives supporting and promoting play in different contexts.
We will start the day with visits to the Royal Children’s Hospital and a Toy Library.
Further along the highway we will be meet with representatives from Maribyrnong Council and attend a pop-up play event where we will explore the concept of loose parts play and how pop-up spaces can benefit community as well as hear about local initiatives being undertaken to drive engagement in outdoor parks and play spaces in the area.
On the way back we will stop briefly to pay homage to the oldest public playground in Melbourne, Lincoln Square in Carlton, and the catalyst for the formation of what is now Play Australia 113 years ago! Then it is to the Melbourne Museum for lunch and a special presentation of some historical exhibits on play and to meet curators to hear about how they are activating play in the museum.
After lunch we will head to The Venny Adventure Playground for a tour before attending the launch of a National Position Statement on Risky Play. As we head back to Southbank, there will be an opportunity to stop at the famous “Rocks on Wheels” playground to get your extra fix of risky play.
Participants can walk back to their hotels from that location or hop on the tour bus for the 5-minute journey and be back at the convention centre by 3.45pm.
You are welcome to join the Play Australia tour guides, from both tours at a local bar to finish the day with a drink and debrief.
- Royal Children's Hospital
- Lincoln Square, Carlton
- Melbourne Museum
- The Venny Adventure Playground
PLAYGROUNDS & PLAY SPACES
TUESDAY 24 JUNE
$225
Join the Play Australia team for a tour that is designed to provide an opportunity to explore a variety of play spaces and their design.
Each of the locations visited will serve as a catalyst for discussion (and maybe even debate!). Throughout the tour there will be opportunity for commentary on play, design and inclusion.
Led by Mary Jeavons, we will start our day exploring the oldest public playground in Melbourne and the catalyst for the formation of what is now Play Australia 113 years ago! We will then head to 2 more play spaces including a new style playground for adults featuring Parkour, before enjoying lunch in the Royal Park nature playground in Parkville.
After lunch we will head to The Venny Adventure Playground for a tour before attending the launch of a National Position Statement on Risky Play. As we head back to Southbank, there will be an opportunity to stop at the famous “Rocks on Wheels” playground to get your extra fix of risky play.
Participants can walk back to their hotels from that location or hop on the tour bus for the 5-minute journey and be back at the convention centre by 3.45pm.
You are welcome to join the Play Australia tour guides from both tours at a local bar to finish the day with a drink and debrief.
- Rocks on Wheels Southbank
- More to be announced
MASTERCLASS WITH DR DAMIEN PUDDLE
TUESDAY 24 JUNE
$295
9am – 1pm
POpTED: Play Opportunities Through Environmental Design
Join Dr Damien Puddle to explore a new multidisciplinary approach to embedding play into city planning and design, from district plans and technical regulations to plans and design guides, and for use across project timelines and professional boundaries (e.g. local government to landscape architecture) to take play beyond the playground and into the whole city. This masterclass is built for collaboration and critique and will enable attendees to learn the POpTED model and test it using some real-world examples.
Masterclass with David Engwicht
FRIDAY 27 JUNE
$295
9am – 1pm
Profound Play: How to use play to generate at least 10 lateral solutions to any problem or challenge.
Become an out-of-the-box thinker by mastering five playful techniques, guaranteed to generate a wide range of potential solutions. In this four-hour session, you will learn how to harness the creative power of PROFOUND PLAY in generating lateral solutions for any problem.
In 1996, a Scottish politician (a fan of David’s books) asked him for the secret of his creative thinking. This question sent David on a twenty-year search for answers.
Discover what makes creative thinkers different from those who are stuck thinking inside the box. The answers might surprise you. Learn how anyone can use these insights to become a lateral thinker. The five simple techniques you will master can be used to address personal challenges, social issues or workplace problems. They can be used individually or in team meetings.
A practical, down-to-earth masterclass from someone who has been described as, “One of the world’s most creative thinkers…”
Masterclass with SUDESHNA CHATTERJEE
FRIDAY 27 JUNE
$295
1.45pm – 4.45pm
Child-friendly Public Spaces: What are they and can they transform cities?
If you are interested in planning and designing cities that better meet children’s needs and want to learn how cities around the world are investing in public spaces to transform urban environments for children and families, this masterclass is for you.
Led by Sudeshna Chatterjee, the session will explore her work on Public Spaces for Children with UNICEF, UN-Habitat, and WHO, where she spearheaded a global initiative to develop principles and guidance for cities to create safe and vibrant public spaces for children through equity-focused planning, design, programming, and sustainable maintenance.
During the masterclass, you will learn what motivates and drives cities to develop public spaces for children, how cities define and categorize them, and the processes they use to achieve their vision. You will learn about approaches for transformative place-based interventions that are government-led and politically driven as well as civil society-led and community-driven.
REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN
Early Bird registration on now!
| Member Registration | Super Early Bird | Early Bird | Standard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full 2-Day Conference Ticket | SOLD OUT | $875 | $995 |
| 1-Day Conference Ticket | SOLD OUT | $655 | $710 |
| Non-Member Registration | Super Early Bird | Early Bird | Standard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full 2-Day Conference Ticket | SOLD OUT | $1425 | $1480 |
| 1-Day Conference Ticket | SOLD OUT | $935 | $990 |
IPA is an international non-governmental organization founded in 1961. It provides a forum for exchange and action across disciplines and across sectors. IPA’s purpose is to protect, preserve and promote the child’s right to play as a fundamental human right. IPA World has branches in the Asia Pacific in Australia, Hong Kong, India, Japan, New Zealand, Taiwan, Thailand.
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