Portland Free Play is a 501-C3 non-profit organization that seeks to provide opportunities for self-directed free play to children and communities who do not have access, and to educate parents and institutions on the value of free play.
WHAT IS PLAYWORK?
Playwork is the work of creating and maintaining spaces for children to play. The theory and practice of playwork recognizes that children's play should ideally be 'freely chosen, personally directed and intrinsically motivated.' https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Playwork
PORTLAND FREE PLAY is informed and inspired by Adventure Playgrounds, public play areas where kids have the ability to recreate the environment around them through the use of various loose materials. They are places for creative, messy, risky play, where children are given the freedom to shape their own world.
Here are the principles that guide us as Playworkers:
Playwork Principles Scrutiny Group, Cardiff 2005.
- All children and young people need to play. The impulse to play is innate. Play is a biological, psychological and social necessity, and is fundamental to the healthy development and well being of individuals and communities.
- Play is a process that is freely chosen, personally directed and intrinsically motivated. That is, children and young people determine and control the content and intent of their play, by following their own instincts, ideas and interests, in their own way for their own reasons.
- The prime focus and essence of playwork is to support and facilitate the play process and this should inform the development of play policy, strategy, training and education.
- For playworkers, the play process takes precedence and playworkers act as advocates for play when engaging with adult led agendas.
- The role of the playworker is to support all children and young people in the creation of a space in which they can play.
- The playworker's response to children and young people playing is based on a sound up to date knowledge of the play process, and reflective practice.
- Playworkers recognise their own impact on the play space and also the impact of children and young people’s play on the playworker.
- Playworkers choose an intervention style that enables children and young people to extend their play. All playworker intervention must balance risk with the developmental benefit and well being of children.
Playwork Principles Scrutiny Group, Cardiff 2005.
WE ARE PLAYWORKERS!
The work of Portland Free Play has been made possible by the support and guidance of the folks at POP-UP ADVENTURE PLAY who have paved the way for the international resurgence of Adventure Playgrounds! We have also been inspired and empowered by the folks at CHILDREN'S SCRAP STORE (UK), who pioneered the idea of bringing loose parts and Adventure Play philosophy into the schoolyard!
PORTLAND FREE PLAY TEAM
LEON SMITH (Founder)
Leon has spent his career designing and building natural play environments for preschools, childcare centers, and communities around the country as part of Earthplay He has lead trainings, hands-on workshops, and keynote presentations focusing on how to improve outdoor play spaces by inviting nature into the yard. Through the years, Leon has also served as a volunteer board member and president of the Community Built Association, a national non-profit supporting community involvement in public projects, and a member of the Leadership Committee of the International School Grounds Alliance. He is also involved in the American Adventure Play Association as well as the Oregon Natural Play Initiative.
In 2017 Leon helped to found Portland Free Play and currently serves as a volunteer board member. He also continues his playground work through his company Puddletown Playworks LLC.
Leon has spent his career designing and building natural play environments for preschools, childcare centers, and communities around the country as part of Earthplay He has lead trainings, hands-on workshops, and keynote presentations focusing on how to improve outdoor play spaces by inviting nature into the yard. Through the years, Leon has also served as a volunteer board member and president of the Community Built Association, a national non-profit supporting community involvement in public projects, and a member of the Leadership Committee of the International School Grounds Alliance. He is also involved in the American Adventure Play Association as well as the Oregon Natural Play Initiative.
In 2017 Leon helped to found Portland Free Play and currently serves as a volunteer board member. He also continues his playground work through his company Puddletown Playworks LLC.
BRIAN OUTLAW (Board President)
Brian Outlaw is an Educational Assistant in Portland Public Schools and a gifted PlayWorker. He is also a parent who is committed to seeing that all kids have the right to play.
Brian Outlaw is an Educational Assistant in Portland Public Schools and a gifted PlayWorker. He is also a parent who is committed to seeing that all kids have the right to play.
KATIE SHOOK (Secretary)
Katie is a mom and artist based in Portland. Katie has been fascinated with the Adventure Play movement since her own childhood, and is in the process of getting playworker certification. She is part of the group Portland Free Play, hosting pop-up play events.
Katie’s vision for MUDLAND sprang from a desire to meet other parents, hang out, drink coffee or work, while kids could play in the dirt. This mud-play cafe is the natural outcome, a place where kids can play as they wish, and parents can leave the mess for us to clean up! We hope that the area for changing play installations will be a testing ground for new play design.
Katie is a mom and artist based in Portland. Katie has been fascinated with the Adventure Play movement since her own childhood, and is in the process of getting playworker certification. She is part of the group Portland Free Play, hosting pop-up play events.
Katie’s vision for MUDLAND sprang from a desire to meet other parents, hang out, drink coffee or work, while kids could play in the dirt. This mud-play cafe is the natural outcome, a place where kids can play as they wish, and parents can leave the mess for us to clean up! We hope that the area for changing play installations will be a testing ground for new play design.
JESSICA RAMIREZ (Treasurer)
Jessi Ramirez is a nurse with a passion for community health and education. She has experience running after school programs in The Bronx, NY, where she is from. Jessi is also an herbalist, and as a part of Atabey Plant Medicine Collective supports wellness and health education programs serving Portland's BIPOC community.
Jessi Ramirez is a nurse with a passion for community health and education. She has experience running after school programs in The Bronx, NY, where she is from. Jessi is also an herbalist, and as a part of Atabey Plant Medicine Collective supports wellness and health education programs serving Portland's BIPOC community.
STEVE DAVEE
Steve Davee is an educator, documentation specialist, consultant, and tinkering evangelist with with over 38 years of adventures in teaching and learning with youth and adults of every age. A former Howard Hughes Medical Institute Biochemist, Steve was the Documentation Specialist and a Math and Science Teacher at Opal School (opalschool.org) for eight years, before serving for five years as the Director of Education and Chief Maker Educator for the national non-profit Maker Ed (MakerEd.org). He founded CoLab Tinkering, LLC in 2008 to support greater tinkering, inventing, and playful opportunities through workshops, consulting, and summer camps. Steve serves on the Governing School Board of the CTE Public High School Center for Advanced Learning, and on the Board of Directors for the non-profit Portland Free Play (pdxfreeplay.org). Among various design/ education consulting and teaching jobs, he currently runs pre-K tinkering workshops and helps train teachers for Portland area public preschools in Parkrose and Gladstone for the non-profit Teaching Preschool Partners (teachingpreschoolpartners.org). Steve’s current tinkering and creative outlets include authoring a book on LEGO and design, skateboarding, bike racing, vintage electronics repair, and making music with a wide variety of customized electronic and acoustic gear.
Steve Davee is an educator, documentation specialist, consultant, and tinkering evangelist with with over 38 years of adventures in teaching and learning with youth and adults of every age. A former Howard Hughes Medical Institute Biochemist, Steve was the Documentation Specialist and a Math and Science Teacher at Opal School (opalschool.org) for eight years, before serving for five years as the Director of Education and Chief Maker Educator for the national non-profit Maker Ed (MakerEd.org). He founded CoLab Tinkering, LLC in 2008 to support greater tinkering, inventing, and playful opportunities through workshops, consulting, and summer camps. Steve serves on the Governing School Board of the CTE Public High School Center for Advanced Learning, and on the Board of Directors for the non-profit Portland Free Play (pdxfreeplay.org). Among various design/ education consulting and teaching jobs, he currently runs pre-K tinkering workshops and helps train teachers for Portland area public preschools in Parkrose and Gladstone for the non-profit Teaching Preschool Partners (teachingpreschoolpartners.org). Steve’s current tinkering and creative outlets include authoring a book on LEGO and design, skateboarding, bike racing, vintage electronics repair, and making music with a wide variety of customized electronic and acoustic gear.
YURI BAXTER-NEAL
Born in Japan, Yuri came to the states to study recreation and PLAY to follow her strong belief and passion. She has experience planning and running recreational programs for children both in the state and Japan. Also, she developed her career as a designer/product manager in outdoor and home textile industries.
In 2014, she started the company called Life Sampling who plans and manages different types of experience-based and cross-cultural events, tours and workshops. She is a project manager, story teller and community place maker. Also, in Japan, she was managing the projects of creating a community-based nature school and revitalizing different rural communities. In summer 2018, she organized a pop-up shared living site at the off the grid farm land in Japan.
She is an enthusiastic advocate for children’s play, and she enjoys being a mother and playing in the woods with her families on her own too.
Born in Japan, Yuri came to the states to study recreation and PLAY to follow her strong belief and passion. She has experience planning and running recreational programs for children both in the state and Japan. Also, she developed her career as a designer/product manager in outdoor and home textile industries.
In 2014, she started the company called Life Sampling who plans and manages different types of experience-based and cross-cultural events, tours and workshops. She is a project manager, story teller and community place maker. Also, in Japan, she was managing the projects of creating a community-based nature school and revitalizing different rural communities. In summer 2018, she organized a pop-up shared living site at the off the grid farm land in Japan.
She is an enthusiastic advocate for children’s play, and she enjoys being a mother and playing in the woods with her families on her own too.