CORE

Turning Research into Practice TM

PlayCore’s Center for Outreach, Research, & Education (CORE) is committed to researching and advocating for the impact of play and recreation on a community’s vitality and why it’s valuable to invest in community health and wellness. In collaboration with leaders and scholars, we gather and share knowledge to positively advance diverse community needs through a variety of evidence-based services.

We are committed to sharing validated research and building informed advocacy to help empower communities to create great play, recreation, and open spaces.

We are passionate about curating, translating, and sharing evidencebased research from a growing network of scholars through resources, high-quality professional development services, and data-driven support to help local advocates build healthy communities.

Our Research Institute is comprised of leading experts, universities, and research centers who are committed to help us investigate, discover, and translate information that informs all of our services. Through our trusted partnerships, we publish field-tested best practices across a variety of play and recreation disciplines.

SCHOLAR NETWORK UNIVERSITIES LEADING EXPERTS

Connect & Collaborate:

playcore.com/research

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RESEARCH CENTERS

Being part of PlayCore’s Scholar Network amplifies the personal and professional satisfaction that I gain from the work that I enjoy doing. My impacts are larger when I can engage with a diverse group of experts with shared interests in promoting outdoor play and recreation, which is exactly what this network does for us all.

- Randall S. Rosenberger, PhD, Oregon State University

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Our Scholar Network

Partnering with the foremost authorities to study, translate, & share validated knowledge and best practices.

Our work is rooted in facts, not opinion. Our Scholar Network helps us ensure that we are a trusted and reputable source of evidence-based information, expanding the impact of academic research on play and recreation settings.

Specialties:

SOCIAL & EMOTIONAL HEALTH

PHYSICAL HEALTH & LIFESTYLE BEHAVIORS

DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PUBLIC SERVICES

ENVIRONMENT EDUCATION

Steven Blair, PED University of South Carolina

Nisha D. Botchwey, PhD, MCRP, MPH Georgia Tech University

Terry Conway, PhD San Diego State University

Keith Christensen, PhD Utah State University

Melissa Hughes, PhD The Andrick Group

Tin-Man Lau, IDSA Auburn University

Elizabeth “Betsy” Nagle, PhD, FACSM University of Pittsburgh

Jim Sallis, PhD University of California San Diego

Michael Suk, MD, JD, MPH, FACS Geisinger Health System

Robin Moore, Dipl. Arch, MCP, ASLA NC State University

Eadric Bressel, PhD Utah State University

Stuart Brown, MD The National Institute for Play

Kathleen G. Burriss, EdD Middle Tennessee State University

Paul Chantler, PhD West Virginia University

Nilda Cosco, PhD NC State University

Aaron Hipp, PhD NC State University

Gary Ligouri, PhD University of West Florida

John Sutterby, PhD University of Texas San Antonio

Hirofumi Tanaka, PhD University of Texas at Austin

Hannah Thompson, PhD, MPH Assistant Research Professor, UC Berkeley School of Public Health

Randall S. Rosenberger, PhD Professor of Applied Economics, Oregon State University

Collin A. Webster, PhD University of South Carolina

Jacquelyn Nagle Zera, PhD John Carroll University

Allison, Poulos, PhD Arizona State University

Gil Penalosa MBA, PhD hc CSP 8-80 Cities, World Urban Parks

Keshia Pollack Porter, PhD, MPH Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

Marybeth Lima, PhD Louisiana State University

Thom McKenzie, PhD San Diego State University

M. Renee Umstattd Meyer Baylor University

Muntazar Monsur, PhD Texas Tech University

Myron Floyd, PhD NC State University

Timothy A. Brusseau, Ph.D. University of Utah

Heather Erwin, PhD University of Kentucky

Brian Dauenhauer, Ph.D. University of Northern Colorado

CORE’s Resource Library is a collection of evidence-based publications including best-practice design guides, planning tools, advocacy tools, case studies, and standards-based curriculum. Every resource is fueled by the research from our Research Institute, timetested, and put into practice by organizations around the world.

BEST-PRACTICE DESIGN GUIDES

PLANNING TOOLS

ADVOCACY & IMPACT TOOLS

Explore the Resources:

playcore.com/resources

CURRICULA & PROGRAMS

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I love that CORE provides sources which help me consider how to use the playground components and to create a truly inclusive playground for the community.

Research in Action

A Comprehensive library for all your play and recreation needs.

Our team supports the validated research of our Research Institute to publish and disseminate relevant knowledge through our resource library.

BEST PRACTICE DESIGN GUIDES

Our evidence-based design best practices help communities turn research into practice to promote high-quality designs. The design guides are based on validated, scholarly research and can inform your play and recreation project, taking it to a level of success.

PLANNING TOOLS

CORE’s planning resources help practitioners thoughtfully advocate and plan recreation projects across a variety of categories. These guides offer suggestions for effective approaches, tips for soliciting community engagement, and case examples of successful projects on a wide range of topics, including intergenerational play, dog parks, bicycle infrastructure, maintenance, and more.

ADVOCACY & IMPACT TOOLS

When seeking support for a project, education builds advocates. Our resources help people who are working hard to advocate for new play and recreation projects through leadership and empowerment tools which arm them with validated, citable references and funding resources so they can advocate with authority on the issues affecting the community, and the actions needed to bring about change.

CURRICULA & PROGRAMS

While best practice design helps create a high-quality environment, programming helps increase usage and engagement. Our standards-based curricula and programs maximize a community or school’s playground investment by offering programming that teaches character education, promotes learning and education, and helps develops physical fitness in a fun way that children of all ages and abilities embrace.

We learn and collaborate with scholars and leaders.

CORE’s Professional Development Hub combines research and resources to offer world-class learning opportunities where professionals can share learnings and earn Continuing Education Units (CEUs) through a variety of tailored events and diverse topics.

SEMINARS & WORKSHOPS

CONFERENCES

LUNCH & LEARN EVENTS

Learn & Earn:

education.playcore.com

VIRTUAL LEARNING EVENTS

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Every time I participate in a PlayCore presentation or course on Inclusion, I walk away with more info, a more in-depth understanding, and more talking points that will improve my work.

Sharing Knowledge

Sharing Knowledge and Turning Research Into Practice

Combining our research and resources, we provide tailored learning opportunities and Continuing Education Units (CEUs). Our education session topics and presentations are developed to ensure that every event is meaningful and engaging to the audience. Some of our offerings can be tailored to meet specific group needs, time allotments, and audience interests.

SEMINARS & WORKSHOPS

Customized learning events provide diverse groups an opportunity to dive deeper into a specific topic and explore best practices and practical strategies for implementation.

LUNCH & LEARN EVENTS

Our in-person events offer opportunities to connect through a platform of shared learning.

CONFERENCES

We provide numerous sessions at national, state, and local conferences throughout the year.

VIRTUAL LEARNING EVENTS

We provide live and archived virtual learning events across a wide variety of topics. Earn CEUs at the convenience of your own location through this valuable service.

ACCREDITATIONS

DIVERSITY, EQUITY, & INCLUSION

OUTDOOR ADULT FITNESS

FUNDING RESOURCES

OUTDOOR MUSIC

RECREATIONAL SURFACING

YOUTH PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

PLACEMAKING

BICYCLING INFRASTRUCTURE MAINTENANCE

INTERGENERATIONAL PLAY NATURE PLAY

DOG PARKS

AQUATICS

ADVOCACY FOR PLAY & RECREATION

INCLUSIVE PLAY

We are passionate about raising national awareness and helping local communities share the positive impact they’re making on health and wellness. Through our National Demonstration Site Network, these sites can participate in ongoing data collection and receive reports measuring their impact on the community’s vitality, providing meaningful ways for community stakeholders to gather and share outcomes data.

INCLUSION

YOUTH PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

NATURE PLAY

PLAYFUL PATHWAYS

playcore.com/nds Demonstrate

Community Impact:

OUTDOOR ADULT FITNESS

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We are excited to be able to show the positive benefits to communities and individuals. Measuring quality of life can be challenging and our participation in the National Demonstration Site Network provides qualitative and quantitative results.

– Michelle Wells, Executive Director, NCRPA

Demonstrating Impact

The National Demonstration Site Network raises national awareness and helps local communities share the positive impact they are making on community health and wellness.

National Demonstration Sites exemplify evidence-based best practices in design and implementation, support health-related initiatives, and provide meaningful ways for community stakeholders to gather data about the sites’ impact on the community. There are five NDS programs that help communities turn research into practice.

The CORE Data Service Lab reviews and translates the feedback gathered at National Demonstration Sites and generates a comprehensive reporting for community leaders that provides qualitative and quantitative data on impact, usage, activity level, community value and more.

Through this data collection, we have learned that National Demonstration Sites:

ENCOURAGE REPEAT VISITATIONS

97% of site visitors say they will return again in the near future.

DEMONSTRATE HEALTH & WELLNESS

99% of site vistors were active.

PROMOTE RECOMMENDED PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

96% of site visitors are active at the site for 30 minutes or longer.

CLAIM VISITOR SATISFACTION

98% of site visitors are satisfied with their visit.

YOUTH PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

Inclusive play and recreation spaces provide high-quality outdoor play experiences for people of all ages and abilites that develop the whole child, address the whole environment, and ultimately benefit the whole community. 7 Principles of Inclusive Playground Design® helps communities move beyond minimum accessibility to create destinations that are more usable, by more people, to the greatest extent possible. The purpose of Play On!® is to promote physical activity and fun through the use of thoughtfully designed outdoor play environments. The design approach provides evidence-based best practices to promote fitness and health — maximizing the value and potential of school and community playgrounds.

ADULT FITNESS

Outdoor Adult Fitness Parks™ can serve as critical health solutions by offering new ways to make physical activity more available, accessible, affordable, and enjoyable. Outdoor Adult Fitness Park National Demonstration Sites align to health benefits and total body fitness that offer users of all levels a well-rounded workout.

NATURE PLAY

Naturalized playgrounds have become sought out destinations that promote physical activity and provide visual interest, shade, and comfort resulting in sustained repeat visits, a playful social atmosphere. NatureGrounds® designs nature back into the everyday spaces of childhood, not only to benefit children’s play, but also to engage communities in working together to deliver high-quality play experiences across generations.

PLAYFUL PATHWAYS

Research shows that playful pathways attract children and families and can dramatically increase frequency and duration of use. Pathways for Play® intentionally integrates play — critical for children’s health and wellness — into walkable, bikeable, shared-use community pathway networks.

ENGAGE WITH US

We believe play and recreation are essential for a healthier, happier society and critical to improving the quality of life for diverse individuals, families, and communities. Engage with CORE and benefit from our services!

Be the first to learn about new research, education, and resources. playcore.com/newsletter

Explore the Research Institute. playcore.com/research

Browse the Resource Library. playcore.com/resources

Earn CEUs with the Professional Development Hub. education.playcore.com

Join the National Demonstration Site Network. playcore.com/nds

CONNECT & COLLABORATE

EXPLORE THE RESEARCH

LEARN & EARN

DEMONSTRATE COMMUNITY IMPACT

Learn more at playcore.com/core