Dr. Joyce Hemphill - co-founder
Dr. Hemphill is arguably the Queen of Play. She certainly could have held that title at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she taught until 2012. Walking into her office, one found the typical stacks of papers, blank scantrons and text-lined bookshelves. But it was hard to focus on those items as they were surrounded by American Girl dolls, slinkies, Pixar movie posters, action figures, a whole box of hula hoops, and of course a talking stuffed Sigmund Freud. Somehow, she fit a chair in there. Dr. Hemphill is all about play.
In 2001, she became more heavily involved in fighting for children's right to play as recess began disappearing from her sons' school district. Over the next year, she facilitated a group of 5th graders who researched the benefits of recess, play and free-time, and took the information to state government officials. In 2003, the same group of students brought their arguments to the National Conference of State Legislators in San Francisco, and in 2006 to the Student Youth Leadership Conference in Philadelphia.
Disappearing recess was only part of the problem, though, and Hemphill knew it. Free, unstructured play was disappearing from children's lives in other ways. One primary culprit was the rising price of toys paired with an increase in number of low-income families as the economy fell. The creative wheels in Dr. Hemphill's head began turning and she soon proposed an initiative that would allow households of any income level to participate in developmentally beneficial play sessions by using recyclable or reusable items found in the home (the way we all *used* to play). The forum for teaching families this concept was the first annual Madison PlayDay at Wisconsin's 2006 Dane County Fair. The event was such a success, it has became an annual event.
Dr. Hemphill received her B.A. in economics and math from Indiana State University and her M.A. and Ph.D. in developmental psychology from The Ohio State University. She recently retired as a faculty associate in The University of Wisconsin-Madison's educational psychology department and moved to Kane County, Illinois. Taking a break from teaching, she is focusing her time on the establishment a public toy library, and developing a Family PlayDay at the Kane County Fair. When she isn't volunteering her time, she can be found playing in the kitchen.
Joyce's Resume
In 2001, she became more heavily involved in fighting for children's right to play as recess began disappearing from her sons' school district. Over the next year, she facilitated a group of 5th graders who researched the benefits of recess, play and free-time, and took the information to state government officials. In 2003, the same group of students brought their arguments to the National Conference of State Legislators in San Francisco, and in 2006 to the Student Youth Leadership Conference in Philadelphia.
Disappearing recess was only part of the problem, though, and Hemphill knew it. Free, unstructured play was disappearing from children's lives in other ways. One primary culprit was the rising price of toys paired with an increase in number of low-income families as the economy fell. The creative wheels in Dr. Hemphill's head began turning and she soon proposed an initiative that would allow households of any income level to participate in developmentally beneficial play sessions by using recyclable or reusable items found in the home (the way we all *used* to play). The forum for teaching families this concept was the first annual Madison PlayDay at Wisconsin's 2006 Dane County Fair. The event was such a success, it has became an annual event.
Dr. Hemphill received her B.A. in economics and math from Indiana State University and her M.A. and Ph.D. in developmental psychology from The Ohio State University. She recently retired as a faculty associate in The University of Wisconsin-Madison's educational psychology department and moved to Kane County, Illinois. Taking a break from teaching, she is focusing her time on the establishment a public toy library, and developing a Family PlayDay at the Kane County Fair. When she isn't volunteering her time, she can be found playing in the kitchen.
Joyce's Resume
Dr. Laura Scheinholtz - co-founder
Dr. Scheinholtz has been playing for a long time. She grew up in a home that encouraged figuring out how things worked. Whether it was something mechanical, something theoretical, or even something culinary, she could often be found playing with things to discover their true nature. It may be no wonder then that, when college rolled around, she decided to major in psychology - how do people work? And more importantly, she felt, how do people learn? Later, her doctoral work proposed a new, playful curriculum for teaching young children about the insides of their body (biology and physiology), health, and illness.
Concurrently, she began working closely with Dr. Joyce Hemphill to create, develop and orchestrate the annual Madison PlayDay - an event devoted to teaching parents the educational and developmental value of playing with their children and, that they can do so using recycled items found in their personal environment. As the event gained momentum, Scheinholtz worked with Hemphill to create a graduate and undergraduate course on play and child development. This course allowed students to become involved, first-hand, with PlayDay and to practice what they were learning in class, rather than merely sit and listen to lecture after lecture. PlayDay benefited as well because every year, each student created their own activity or game - the play repertoire blossomed!
Scheinholtz earned her B.S. in psychology from Carnegie Mellon University and her M.S. and Ph.D. in educational psychology (learning sciences) from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In 2008, she received the Mordridge Center for Public Service Excellence in Civic Engagement Student Award for her involvement in Madison's PlayDay. Today, she is often found playing in the kitchen, or breathlessly attempting to keep up with the boundless energy of her toddler.
Laura's Resume
Concurrently, she began working closely with Dr. Joyce Hemphill to create, develop and orchestrate the annual Madison PlayDay - an event devoted to teaching parents the educational and developmental value of playing with their children and, that they can do so using recycled items found in their personal environment. As the event gained momentum, Scheinholtz worked with Hemphill to create a graduate and undergraduate course on play and child development. This course allowed students to become involved, first-hand, with PlayDay and to practice what they were learning in class, rather than merely sit and listen to lecture after lecture. PlayDay benefited as well because every year, each student created their own activity or game - the play repertoire blossomed!
Scheinholtz earned her B.S. in psychology from Carnegie Mellon University and her M.S. and Ph.D. in educational psychology (learning sciences) from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In 2008, she received the Mordridge Center for Public Service Excellence in Civic Engagement Student Award for her involvement in Madison's PlayDay. Today, she is often found playing in the kitchen, or breathlessly attempting to keep up with the boundless energy of her toddler.
Laura's Resume
Dr. Heather Von Bank - consultant
Dr. Von Bank was minding her own business, working her way through a Ph.D. when she got sucked in by the allure of Madison's PlayDay. Jumping on board in 2007, she became heavily involved in helping with the Day itself and creating activities. Upon her graduation, she was sad to step away from the Day, but received a teaching job in Minnesota.
Ever the hard-worker and devotee, however, instead of looking back at PlayDay as a thing of the past, she took the initiative with her to Minnesota. Not only did she create a new play day in Mankato, she also developed her own undergraduate course at the University. Von Bank's work was so successful and the tenets of her play day so important to her community, the mayor made June 12th 2009 Mankato's first official Play Day!
Von Bank received her B.S. in psychology from North Dakota State University and her M.S. and Ph.D. in educational psychology (human development) from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She is currently an Assistant Professor at Minnesota State University - Mankato in the Department of Family Consumer Science. In her free time, she can most likely be found playing with her young sons, using recycled toys of course!
Heather's CV
Ever the hard-worker and devotee, however, instead of looking back at PlayDay as a thing of the past, she took the initiative with her to Minnesota. Not only did she create a new play day in Mankato, she also developed her own undergraduate course at the University. Von Bank's work was so successful and the tenets of her play day so important to her community, the mayor made June 12th 2009 Mankato's first official Play Day!
Von Bank received her B.S. in psychology from North Dakota State University and her M.S. and Ph.D. in educational psychology (human development) from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She is currently an Assistant Professor at Minnesota State University - Mankato in the Department of Family Consumer Science. In her free time, she can most likely be found playing with her young sons, using recycled toys of course!
Heather's CV
