The Value of Play, Playgrounds and Parks During the Pandemic

In the summer of 2020, IPEMA, in cooperation with Wakefield Research, conducted its third Voice of Play survey asking parents about several important areas of play. These areas consisted of the importance of play during the pandemic, the impact of the pandemic on play and the key role playgrounds have in promoting diversity, equity and inclusion. According to results, parents placed special attention on their children’s mental, physical and emotional well-being, and play had an important role in helping them do so through the difficult time.

In this feature article, IPEMA’s Immediate Past President, Tom Norquist, discusses what led to the formation of IPEMA and Voice of Play, the newfound appreciation for outdoor play due to the pandemic and how playgrounds foster welcoming environments of acceptance and differences among children. Click here to the read the full National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) article by Richard J. Dolesh.