Madison PlayDay
![]() Co-founded in 2006 by Drs. Joyce Hemphill and Laura Scheinholtz, Madison PlayDay quickly became an annual staple at the Dane County Fair in Madison, Wisconsin. The event grew larger each year as more students, more community members, and more families became involved. This 4-H countywide event was the perfect venue to promote our 3 basic tenets of the importance of play in children's lives:
• Low- to No-Cost Activities • Positive Parent-Child Interaction • Developmental Benefits of Play Photos
|
Mankato Play Day
![]() The offspring of Madison PlayDay, Mankato Play Day, first began in the summer of 2009.
Dr. Heather Von Bank brought many PlayDay tenets with her to Mankato when she began her career in the Family Consumer Science Department and the Child Development & Family Studies program. Her "Play and Child Development" class has been offered every summer since 2009. Mankato Play Day not only brings families together to learn, explore, and discover through play, but also adds the element of nature. This Play Day is held in Rasmussen Woods and Elks Nature Center every summer and strives to: • Address the Importance of Outdoor Play • Support Gross Motor Play • Advocate for Play in the Curriculum |