{"id":23513,"date":"2021-07-10T09:00:17","date_gmt":"2021-07-10T13:00:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.spreadshop.com\/blog\/?p=23513"},"modified":"2025-08-05T17:12:11","modified_gmt":"2025-08-05T21:12:11","slug":"shop-of-the-moment-lets-play-america","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.spreadshop.com\/blog\/2021\/07\/10\/shop-of-the-moment-lets-play-america\/","title":{"rendered":"Shop of the Moment: Let\u2019s Play America!"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\"Lets<\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

It\u2019s time to get out there and play with Let’s Play America!<\/p>\n

Lucky for you- we\u2019ve got the perfect shop<\/a> for all your summer fun.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s Play America<\/a><\/span> is a nonprofit that encourages people of all ages to make time for play. And there\u2019s no better time than now!<\/p>\n

Long summer days are optimal moments for outdoor activities: swimming, frisbee, volleyball, you name it.<\/p>\n

Pat Raumbaugh founded Let\u2019s Play America in 2015 to give children and adults increased opportunities for play.<\/p>\n

Since then, Pat has taken her organization to a national level and is continuing to do some amazing (and playful) things!<\/p>\n

\n
Beginnings<\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Beginnings<\/h2>\n

Even though Let\u2019s Play America<\/span><\/a> launched in 2015, the journey began much earlier for Pat.<\/p>\n

Her first foray into the world of play came in 2009 when she started a group in Takoma Park, Maryland. It would become TakomaPlays! a year later.<\/p>\n

Group members met regularly and planned free play events for their community.<\/p>\n

The response proved that people were looking for a way to escape the grind of everyday life. They left events feeling revitalized and rejuvenated: part of the nonprofit\u2019s mission.<\/p>\n

Seeing the impact of her work, Pat was motivated to bring a similar organization to communities all across America.<\/p>\n

She soon co-founded Let\u2019s Play America<\/span><\/a> with Daniel Nakamura and used TakomaPlays! as a model organization.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s Play America is all about taking the benefits of play, bettering yourself AND your community.<\/p>\n

What They Do<\/h2>\n

Since the beginning of the pandemic, Pat and her crew have switched their events to a virtual format.<\/p>\n

They offer events for all-ages and events for adults, like this one<\/span><\/a> they had in early June.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s Play America fills up the day with fun, interactive events featuring local members and special guests.<\/p>\n

If their virtual events don\u2019t align with your schedule, why not set up your own Play Day?<\/p>\n

Check out their play day handbooks<\/span><\/a> for in-person or virtual events that break down everything you need for a successful Play Day.<\/p>\n

From planning to implementation, they\u2019ve got you covered for a fun day in your community.<\/p>\n

\n
Meet Pat<\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Meet Pat<\/h2>\n

Pat grew up in western Pennsylvania and graduated from IUP (Indiana University of Pennsylvania) before settling in Maryland.<\/p>\n

Besides founding Let\u2019s Play America<\/span><\/a>,<\/span> Pat has raised awareness about the importance of play on multiple platforms. The TEDxTalk stage<\/span><\/a> is just one example.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In her talks, she\u2019s advocated for play of all ages and the benefits we get when our bodies are active.<\/p>\n

She\u2019s even written children’s books that talk about it!<\/p>\n

Her newest book – Let\u2019s Play Outside<\/i><\/span><\/a> (June 30) – is available now.<\/p>\n

Pat believes everyone deserves to play.<\/p>\n

To set up your own Play Day with Pat, reach out to her via email (theplaylady@gmail.com<\/span><\/a>) or phone (301-928-9962).<\/span><\/p>\n

Upcoming Events<\/h2>\n

Pat will be one of the speakers at this year\u2019s Free to Play Summit<\/span><.<\/p>\n

The 5-day event (July 12-16) aims to bridge the gap between learning experiences children receive and the ones they deserve<\/i>.<\/p>\n

Play-activated learning is the answer.<\/p>\n

The summit isn\u2019t just for educators and administrators. It\u2019s also for parents, caregivers, and community members who want the best for their children.<\/p>\n

Pat is one of the many speakers lined up for the 5-day FREE event blitz. Educators and leaders from around the globe will be talking about the benefits of play.<\/p>\n

Pat recently wrote a blog post<\/span><\/a> where she talked about the summit and all things Let\u2019s Play America.<\/p>\n

Make sure to tune into the summit (it\u2019s FREE!) and set up a Play Day in your community.<\/p>\n

And don\u2019t forget to wear your Let\u2019s Play America merch<\/span>!<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Be sure to open your own Spreadshop<\/a> today!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Let\u2019s Play America is a nonprofit that encourages people of all ages to make time for play. Jump in to learn more about this exciting shop! Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":587,"featured_media":23516,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"publish_to_discourse":"0","publish_post_category":"21","wpdc_auto_publish_overridden":"","wpdc_topic_tags":"","wpdc_pin_topic":"","wpdc_pin_until":"","discourse_post_id":"","discourse_permalink":"","wpdc_publishing_response":"","wpdc_publishing_error":"","_cloudinary_featured_overwrite":false},"categories":[18604,48664],"tags":[49232,48664,49212],"yoast_head":"\nShop of the Moment: Let\u2019s Play America! - The Spreadshop Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Find out how you can help make time for play with Let's Play America which encourages people of all ages to get active and have fun.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.spreadshop.com\/blog\/2021\/07\/10\/shop-of-the-moment-lets-play-america\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Shop of the Moment: Let\u2019s Play America!\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Find out how you can help make time for play with Let's Play America which encourages people of all ages to get active and have fun.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.spreadshop.com\/blog\/2021\/07\/10\/shop-of-the-moment-lets-play-america\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"The Spreadshop Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2021-07-10T13:00:17+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-08-05T21:12:11+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/images.spreadshop.com\/images\/f_auto,q_auto\/v1625848049\/blog\/Article\/US\/1_LetsPlayAmerica\/1_LetsPlayAmerica.jpg?_i=AA\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1400\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"800\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Spreadshop\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Spreadshop\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.spreadshop.com\/blog\/2021\/07\/10\/shop-of-the-moment-lets-play-america\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.spreadshop.com\/blog\/2021\/07\/10\/shop-of-the-moment-lets-play-america\/\",\"name\":\"Shop of the Moment: Let\u2019s Play America! 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