Project Play Puts the Fun Back in the Backyard

NILES, Ill., Oct. 5 /PRNewswire/ — Veteran creative strategist Marlene Byrne today announced that her fourth book in the Project Play children’s series, which aims to inspire children to get back outdoors for good, old-fashioned playtime, is now available.

Starring Sam and the adventurous Edgebrook gang, Kick the Can is Byrne’s first paperback, chapter-style story in the Project Play (www.ProjectPlayBooks.com) series, which debuted in 2008 with Treasure Hunt, Follow the Leader, and Just a Baseball Game. The new book continues the series’ mission of encouraging timeless, backyard games to children as the characters engage in “kick the can” after sundown at the neighborhood block party.

“I grew up in a small town in Wisconsin, where playing games like ‘kick the can’ and ‘ghosts in the graveyard’ was the norm,” said Byrne. “But after pondering the fading popularity of these games today, I began searching for a way to bring back the carefree days of our youth.”

The mother of two young children, Byrne realized that electronic models of play, organized sports and extra-curricular activities were quickly taking over classic, backyard games. And while she does not condemn video games and team sports, she questions the percentage of time spent and precedence families place on these activities over simple backyard fun.

“Our children are growing up in a generation in which parents, teachers, and coaches tell them how, where, and when to do everything,” said Byrne. “Although our culture tends to place the most value on academic achievement or athletic success, unstructured playtime is crucial to a child’s cognitive development.”

Continued Byrne, “Our society will always be open to innovative ideas, thoughtful problem solving skills, and courageous leadership. Unlike organized sports or video games, unstructured play allows children to use their imaginations and creativity while they negotiate with their friends.”

With the release of Kick the Can, Byrne hopes to inspire a much broader range of children to get back outdoors. Under the umbrella of Project Play, the series is split into two age groups: hardcover picture books and paperback, chapter-books.

The new book is now available for pre-ordering, and it–along with the previous books in the series–can be ordered by visiting www.projectplaybooks.com or by searching for the author at Barnes & Noble or Borders bookstores. In early 2010, Project Play’s chapter series will continue with the releases of Ghost in the Graveyard and Charades.

About the Author

With more than 20 years of industry experience as an advertising agency owner, Byrne is well-versed in the art of creativity. She contributes her success to education (she received a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee), great mentors and the creativity of her youth. In 2008, Byrne began brainstorming ways to help families understand the importance of unstructured playtime and feel good, not guilty, about their kids just playing in the backyard. She is driven by her belief that it is as equally important to be creative as it is to be smart, and that creativity begins developing during playful childhood experiences. Project Play is a new way to spark creativity on a daily basis and inspire a new generation of courageous leaders and thoughtful problem-solvers.

About Project Play

Founded in 2008, Project Play is about teaching children traditional backyard games in order to encourage play that fosters the imagination and sparks creativity. Through a series of lively children’s books, the project introduces nostalgic games to today’s children, inspiring them to get out and play the way the characters do–by modifying the rules, coming up with new playing strategies, and supporting one another in backyard play. Each book comes with the matching game rules and features Sam and the Edgebrook gang as they use their imaginations and creativity to navigate growing up together. The series is split into two age groups: hardcover picture books for toddlers and paperback, chapter-books for slightly older children. For more information about the books and how to order, visit www.ProjectPlayBooks.com.

SOURCE Project Play