Resources

There is a plethora of professional organizations devoted to play and its role in childhood health, development, and well-being. Indeed, the importance of play in all stages of life is a topic of great interest, particularly as seniors live longer and maintain a physically active lifestyle.

Play is widely recognized as a cornerstone of healthy development, and many organizations across healthcare, education, research, and child advocacy are working to deepen our understanding of play and support play as an essential part of children’s lives. The resources shared here reflect a cross-section of trusted research, professional organizations, and educational tools that inform and support Prescription for Play ®.

Prescription for Play ® has many “mothers and fathers” and is bigger than any one of us, or small group of us. The Initiative belongs to all of us: supporting children to grow and develop in healthy ways through play— the kind of physical, active, imagination-driven play that nature intended, and for which nature provides the greatest playground of all.

Prescription for Play ® Downloadables

Designed to Play: A Return to How Children are Designed to Grow
In a world that often rushes childhood, Designed for Play offers a return to nature’s blueprint. Discover how active, outdoor, self-directed play supports whole-body health, regulation, airway and oral development, learning, and connection — because play is not optional, it is essential

Download e-Guide

Why Play Matters: Movement, Airway & Healthy Development
Designed for parents and professionals alike, this presentation explores the benefits of play and how active, sensory, and imaginative play shape airway development, oral resting posture, and regulation. Discover simple, play-based strategies that support optimal growth and function.

Download Presentation Part 1

When Play Is Missing: How Modern Lifestyles Shape Airway & Oral Function
This presentation examines how reduced physical play intersects with modern risk factors—including sedentary lifestyles, processed diets, suboptimal craniofacial growth, posture changes, technology exposure, and sleep disruption—to influence airway development, oral function, and regulation in today’s childhood landscape.

Download Presentation Part 2

Yellow Prescription for Play deck icon representing the children's play advocacy resources

A printable card deck of simple, outdoor play ideas designed to spark children’s curiosity, movement and imagination, rooted in how children are naturally designed to grow. Just pick a card, step outside, and Get Your Play On!

Download the Card Deck

Advancing the Conversation for Play

With presenters and attendees from around the U.S. and the globe, we presented at the California Speech-Language Hearing Association Annual Convention: one of the largest conferences for speech-language pathologists and audiologists in the U.S. Here we were thrilled to share- Prescription for Play®: Playtime Pearls for Optimizing Airway and Oral Functions.

Alongside organizations at the forefront of interdisciplinary care and collaboration, we presented – Prescription for Play®: The Adverse Effects of Lack of Play on Airway and Oral Functions to a global audience. These collaborative organizations included: the American Academy of Physiological Medicine & Dentistry (AAPMD), American College for Advancement in Medicine (ACAM), the American Academy for Oral Systemic Health (AAOSH), and the Academy of Applied Myofunctional Sciences (AAMS).

On an international stage and in conjunction with the Academy of Applied Myofunctional Sciences (AAMS) & the International Pediatric Orthodontic Society (IPOS), we presented – Prescription for Play®: Fostering Children’s Play and Related Functions in Response to Covid-19.

Purchasable Book Links

Child balanced on one foot outdoors showing coordination skills developed through active play

Balanced and Barefoot:

How Unrestricted Outdoor Play Makes for Strong, Confident, and Capable Children

Streetlights book cover related to children's play and community safety for outdoor activities

Until the Streetlights Come On:

How a Return to Play Brightens Our Present and Prepares Kids for an Uncertain Future

The Power of Play:

Learning What Comes Naturally

Organizations Supporting Play and Child Development

The following list of resources offers you a head start on your own play journey. We invite you to send us your suggestions for additional resources to add to this list by emailing us at info@prescription4play.com.

Association of Child Life Professionals: https://www.childlife.org/
ACLP promotes awareness of child life professionals, fostering community, supporting education and training, and building knowledge as a leading source for resources and research.

Children’s Hospital Association: https://www.childrenshospitals.org/
CHA is the national voice of more than 200 children’s hospitals, advancing child health through innovation in the quality, cost, and delivery of care in children’s hospitals and health systems.

National Institute for Play: https://nifplay.org/
The National Institute for Play is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing society’s understanding and application of play — a biological capability that supports healthier and happier lives.

Society for Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics: https://sdbp.org/
SDBP is an interprofessional organization dedicated to improving the developmental and behavioral health of children through leadership, research, education, advocacy, and practice.

Outside Play: https://www.outsideplay.org
Outside Play UBC Lab is a team of researchers at the University of British Columbia and BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute dedicated to studying children’s outdoor risky play and injury prevention.

1000 Hours Outside™: https://www.1000hoursoutside.com
1000 Hours Outside is a global movement encouraging people of all ages to spend more time outdoors and experience the benefits of nature across all stages of life.

Playful Mindset: https://playfulmindset.ca/
Playful Mindset is a national, charitable organization rooted in playful, upstream mental health interventions. We strive to be evidence-based, collaborative, and creative in our approach.

Play Drive: https://playdrive.org/
Play Drive is a campaign to promote the importance of free play as a source of joy and wellbeing for our children.

Right To Play: https:..righttoplay.com/en/
Right To Play is a global leader in supporting children’s learning and well-being through play. We harness the power of play to transform children’s lives both inside and outside the classroom.