Play Australia Professional Development Calendar for 2026
Bookings are now open
So here is just a smaller taster of what is to come in 2026 ( and this is just the beginning!) …. get out your diaries and save the dates, or get super organised, and next you can BOOK ONLINE and set your new years’ resolution to be a part of the play action in Australia!
Coming Up Internationally …
Our first event of the year to launch our Professional Learning calendar will be a seminar presented by the legendary, international expert on Playspace design Helle Nebelong.
Helle will be joining us online from Denmark on Thursday 22 January at 7pm. She is an insightful and inspired speaker, who I had the pleasure to hear speak in Ireland during my Fellowship. Helle will provide us with plenty of space for thought and reflection as we head into 2026. (The event bookings are now open and there is a small fee to assist us cover the costs on this one!)
Thursday 22nd January at 7:00pm (Sydney, Melbourne & Canberra timezone)
Adventures in Playspace Design Series
On the topic of play spaces - the newly launched Adventures in Playspace Design Series will again be delivered in 2026. The webinar series showcases our Australian play space designers. Join us in conversation on Play space design, in the last week of each month at 1pm, with one of our talented members who have made a career out of award winning play space designs. Each designer will share with us perspectives and inspirations on one, or two, of their award winning play space designs, with opportunities for questions following the presentation. These webinars are free for Play Australia members and bookings now open for our February event featuring Jeff Nelson from Melbourne City Council, and our April event featuring Ric McConaghy. ( we skipped March as it is was to close to Easter!)
Our 2025 sessions featuring Fiona Robbe, Mary Jeavons and Leong Khoo were incredibly well received, and people are still viewing the recordings. These are still free to view until 30 January. If you know of someone that should present let us know – we are keen to have our members showcase their ideas and work.
Jeff Nelson - Nature Play at Royal Park
Thursday 26th February 1:00pm (Sydney, Melbourne & Canberra timezone)
2025 IPA Aisia Pacific Conference Encore Series
Encore! Encore! We heard you cheering and hot off the success of last year’s Asia Pacific Conference hosted by Play Australia, we will also feature encore performances all year from some of our favourite speakers and members, who are happy to reprise their presentations for those who missed out! Lucky us, Lucinda Jones and Dr Kate Renshaw will be kicking this off on February 9 and 23 respectively!
Lucinda Jones
Monday 9th February 4:00pm (Sydney, Melbourne & Canberra timezone)
Dr Kate Renshaw
Monday 23rd February 7:00pm (Sydney, Melbourne & Canberra timezone)
Australian Researchers
Our Australian Researchers are doing some amazing work when it comes to play research. In 2026 we will be showcasing this research and each month we will feature a research presentation from one or two of our Playful academics!!
Marion and Jorges are kicking us off sharing their research at a webinar on February 4, and through the year more will join the party. If you are one of them, please reach out!
"Out of Bounds" with Marion Sturges and Jorje Knijnik
Wednesday 4th February 4:00pm (Sydney, Melbourne & Canberra timezone)
Play "Essentials"
Our new Play “Essentials” members webinar series is designed for early childhood, parents and those working in children’s services. Each month we will be hosting a webinar featuring an Australian expert who will provide us with new perspectives on aspects of play in early childhood and we will release to coincide with each presentation a fact sheet on the topic that can be used for families, carers and educators to support your advocacy on the topic.
We are kicking off this free member series with a super interesting presentation from expert Aussie microbiologist Dr Jake Robinson on “Dirty Play”. We will be delving deep into why play in dirt is helpful for our microbiome.
"Time to get dirty" with Dr Jake Robinson
Thursday 19th February 4:00pm (Sydney, Melbourne & Canberra timezone)
Bookings are now open along with bookings for seminar 2 with the wonderful Play Aus member, Occupational Therapist and play advocate, Cath Fithardinge, who is picking up on that theme “Mud, Movement, and Magic: Sensory integration in outdoor play” on Tuesday March 10 at 4pm. Cath is a popular speaker in our annual calendar.
"Mud" with Cath Fithzrdinge
Thursday 10th March 4:00pm (Sydney, Melbourne & Canberra timezone)
In Person Training Events.......
Our successful Playspace Development and Maintenance course will be running four times in 2026, and dates are now set and open for bookings. We have revamped this course and have a suite of design, risk, maintenance and development experts in their field presenting over the 2 days, including Mary Jeavons, Kait Cummins, Paul Grover, Rob Hamilton, Bruce Stephens and Robyn Monro Miller.
This is an in-person course in Melbourne at Westerfolds Park, if coming from interstate let us know in advance as we can provide a $250 travel rebate off the course cost and provide you advice re travel. We also can run it as a customised program in your state/territory so reach out if you are interested!
Certificate in Playwork Practice is up to cohort 3…!! Once again, Martin is joining us from Wales for a new cohort of training delivery and bookings now open.
Check the link for dates and locations, these events fill fast. We start with an online orientation on Thursday 29 January. We also plan a smaller cohort 4 for the 2nd half of the year.
Physical Activity and Sport Conference -- June 30, July 1 and 2 2026
Play Australia will again convene a stream at this conference and this time we are focussing on adolescents and their right to play, as well as gender issues impacting the access of girls to play spaces. Kicking off the event will be a play tour, and we will be looking at models of provision for adolescents. We are also looking forward to hosting a dinner at a local Southbank, Melbourne Restaurant on WEDNESDAY 1 JULY for a members get together, all members welcome, you do not need to be at the conference for that one.
Festival of Playful Provocations – Saturday 24 October, Sydney
This one day event, will feature 4 international speakers, offering us opportunities to take deeper dives into understanding play and playwork practice. Bookings open February 1.
We hope by now, you are not just excited at the playful possibilities that 2026 is about to bring for us all, you are indeed quivering in anticipation!!! Ok, maybe that is taking it a bit far!!… but we think it is going to be a pretty great year, and we are looking forward to spending it with YOU!
If you have any question or require any additional information regarding any of the sessions or events email info@playaustralia.org.au and someone will get back to you.
| 
