Special offer for ISBNPA2025 Annual Meeting Attendees
If you are keen to make the most of your trip to New Zealand, our colleagues in Australia are extending a warm welcome to conference participants to join them in Australia from 24- 27 June for 1st ever IPA World Asia Pacific conference.
Delegates can take up a special conference rate of $595 ( USD $356)
To take advantage of the offer, enter the code: ISBNPA in the following site https://nscevents.com.au/ipa-asia-pacific-play-conference-2025
The inaugural IPA Asia Pacific Play Conference is set to be a groundbreaking event, bringing together a diverse mix of stakeholders from across the region to explore the transformative power of play. Join us at the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre, June 25–26, 2025, where educators, urban planners, health professionals, designers, community leaders, and advocates will come together to imagine bold new futures, through play. Pre-conference tours and masterclasses are being held on Tiesday 24 and Friday 27 June and bookings for these ae on the conference website.
The conference is built around key themes, Urban Planning & Design, Education & The Arts, and Health & Wellbeing, and tackles the big issues affecting children’s lives today, from climate change and public health to the role of technology and the design of our cities.
Explore the full program [HERE].
Each session is designed as a provocation, sparking deeper thinking and collaborative action. With multiple provocations to choose from per session and a dynamic closing workshop to wrap each day, this conference is unlike anything else on the calendar.
At the heart of the program are our Play Provocateurs, visionaries, researchers, designers and advocates who are challenging the status quo and reshaping how we understand and value play including:
- David Engwicht (Australia) – Creative urban strategist reimagining public space through the lens of everyday play.
- Dr Sudeshna Chatterjee (India) – Advocate for child-friendly cities and inclusive urban design.
- Dr Hiroyuki Kasama (Japan) – Researcher exploring the deep cultural and psychological roots of play.
- Dr Brendan Hyndman (Australia) – Innovator in education using play to promote movement and wellbeing.
- Preeti Prada Panigrahi (India) – Social entrepreneur driving grassroots play equity initiatives.
- Dr Damian Puddle (New Zealand) – Specialist in physical literacy and movement-based learning through play.
- Robyn Monro Miller (Australia) – Champion for children’s rights and play as a foundational right.
- Mark Gurr (New Zealand) – Leader in community-driven recreation and play design.
- Hitoshi Shimamura (Japan) – Advocate for unstructured, adventure-based play environments.
- Associate Professor Jill Sewell AM (Australia) – Esteemed paediatrician bringing a health lens to the importance of play in early childhood.
- Christine Lee (Taiwan) – Policy and advocacy leader with a focus on inclusive play for children of all abilities.
- Associate Professor Rachel Jones (Australia) – Researcher bridging education, mental health and play in childhood development.
These provocateurs will spark essential conversations, challenge assumptions, and inspire action across education, public health, design, urban planning, and community building.
We’d love to see you there! whether you’re deep in the play space or just starting your journey. It’s your chance to connect with global leaders, engage in rich cross-sector dialogue, and shape the future of play across the Asia Pacific.
