UW Play Institute

Name: UW Play Institute — Wyoming Early Childhood Professional Learning Collaborative
Start: 2026-06-29T08:00:00-0600
End: 2026-06-30T17:00:00-0600
Location: University of Wyoming Conference Center

Monday, June 29, 2026 8:00 AM
Tuesday, June 30, 2026 5:00 PM

University of Wyoming Conference Center 2221 Grand Avenue Laramie, WY, 82070 United States (map)

Google Calendar ICS

University of Wyoming’s Center for Early Learning

Play Institute: Adopting a Pedagogy of Play

Join us at the play institute hosted by the College of Education Center for Early Learning. This event is for all educators working with children from birth-age 8 in public school and early care and education settings.

*PTSB and STARS Credit available

JUNE 29-30, 2026

8am-5pm
University of Wyoming Conference Center
Laramie, WY

REGISTRATION

Registration is now open.
Early bird pricing: $50 (effective until April 30th)
Late registration: $80 (closes June 19th)

Birth-5 Teachers

Kinder-2nd grade teachers

You can pay for multiple registrations on the same transaction by clicking “continue shopping” until all registrants are added.

Use promo code UWPlay2026 when registering for a discounted ticket.

Birth-5 Teachers: Wyoming Quality Counts scholarships can help cover some of the costs of attending this event. Don’t forget to apply 45-days in advance to quality for financial support.

Learning Opportunities

Internationally recognized keynote speaker
Breakout sessions for PreK and K-2
Roundtable discussions
Poster presentations
Interactive workshops
Play lab demonstrations

Featured Keynote

Mia Sundstrom, CEO of the National Institute for Play, will provide two interactive presentations for all conference participants about the science of play and how to leverage the power of play in the classroom.

Mia is the granddaughter of NIFP founder and play expert, Dr. Stuart Brown. She also works as a play and character education consultant for the Office of the Chancellor at the University of Denver. Mia has reached global audiences through her speaking engagements, including recent presentations at Aspen Ideas and the World Expo in Osaka, Japan. She has appeared on podcasts, delivered keynotes, led workshops, and consulted with schools and organizations to leverage the power of play to build strengths of character, enhance learning, improve leadership, strengthen community, and unlock innovation.

Learn more about Mia on her website.