Proseries: Courses by CLARB
Designing for Multigenerational Play
Course 2 of 3 in the ProSeries: Summer Learning Lineup
Public spaces are often designed for a single age group, leaving out the very people who could benefit most from shared outdoor experiences. Join us to explore the transformative power of multigenerational play in modern public spaces and its impact on public health, safety and well-being. Delve into your own play “history” as you explore the fundamental definition of play and examine diverse play types. We’ll examine how intentional play design contributes to physical health, cognitive development, social cohesion and emotional well-being across age groups. We’ll discuss the importance of creating welcoming, inclusive spaces that promote equitable access and reduce barriers for demographics often excluded by traditional park design, including older adults, caregivers and individuals with varying abilities.
Through a showcase of built play projects, the session highlights actionable design strategies that support safety, accessibility, durability and extended site usability. Topics will include graduated risk and challenge, lighting and shade for thermal comfort and safe evening use, and the integration of social spaces that strengthen community connection. Presenters will demonstrate how thoughtful multi-generational play environments advance public health, safety and well-being while fostering connection, recreation and lifelong play.
Learning outcomes
- Define “play” and articulate its core characteristics — freely chosen, personally directed and intrinsically motivated — and explain its role in supporting physical health, cognitive development and social well-being across the lifespan.
- Identify and differentiate between various types of play, such as movement, imaginative, risky, social, and “rough and tumble,” and evaluate how these play types influence safety considerations, supervision patterns and inclusive design strategies.
- Evaluate design strategies that accommodate diverse age groups and skill levels, including welcoming abstraction and graduated levels of challenge, to promote accessibility, equitable participation and appropriate risk management in public play environments.
- Discuss techniques to increase playable hours and social interaction through intentional lighting, shade, thermal comfort strategies and integrated social spaces, with attention to user safety, visibility and site functionality.
Please note this course takes place 2:30-3:30 p.m. Mountain Daylight Time (UTC-6:00).
Earning course credit
1 PDH, LA CES/HSW
Active CLARB Record Holders can earn 1 PDH, LA CES/HSW continuing education credit at no additional cost.
Registrants who cannot attend in real time have two weeks to watch the recording on demand and complete the course requirements.
The CLARB team aims to send certificates of completion by email within 3-4 weeks of the course presentation date. CE credit should appear in your CLARB Record within that same timeframe.
If you run into questions about your CE credit, please contact our Support Team. View event refund policy.
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ProSeries: Courses by CLARB
CLARB's exclusive continuing education series designed to advance your commitment to protecting public health, safety and well-being (HSW). As the organization dedicated to designing and promoting landscape architectural standards
that safeguard the public, we deliver the most relevant, rigorous and forward-thinking HSW education available.
Presenters
In partnership with:
Earthscape Play
CLARB Record Holders: $0
Public: $50
SponsorEd By
Senior Manager, Community Engagement and Growth
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