The first face to face meeting of the Playful Learning Association following the earlier lockdowns will be held at Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge.

In the tradition of our previous events, everyone is warmly welcomed – whether you’re new to the Association, a veteran of the previous Special Interest Group, or based in or around Cambridge and interested in the use of play and games for adult learning.

The theme is Making Space for Play : the meeting will co-incide with a residency by a postgraduate collective from Denmark who will be setting up a ‘PlayLab’ on site. The precise content of the meeting is currently being crowd-sourced from our members, but normally includes playtests, active discussions, sharing of practice, and creation of new ideas or projects.

The event will run from midday on Thursday 19th May, through to midday on Friday 20th. There is no charge to attend, but we ask that members arrange their own transport and accommodation (suggestions below). A light lunch will be provided on arrival and departure, with refreshments throughout.

Agenda (subject to minor alterations)

Thursday

12:00 – Arrival/lunch

13:00 – Welcome / ice breaker

13:30 – Climate change boardgame prototype (Matteo Menapace)

14:00 – PlayLab theory and practice (visiting PhD students, Denmark)

14:30 – Refreshments

15:00 – PlayLab experimentation

17: 00 – Games and cakes at Thrive

Later in the evening we’ll find somewhere to eat/drink, or you can do your own thing.

Friday

09:00 – Coffee

09:30 – Playing Outside: Secret Portals (group activity*)

11:00 – Refreshments

11:30 – Group mission reports

12:00 – Open slot for PLA members to offer/test/share

13:00 – Close, with grab-bag lunch provided

*Note: for this activity you will be walking around Cambridge; but you can choose to walk shorter or longer distances, and optionally co-ordinate your group from our base room.

Accomodation suggestions

There are a number of accommodations across Cambridge for most budgets, but the following are closest to the venue or train station (it’s a 20 min walk from the station to the venue).

Travelodge Newmarket Road (around £60)

Premier Inn Newmarket Road (around £50)

Ibis Cambridge Central Station (around £100)