A stretch of sky, a garden wall overhung by green branches, a strong horse, a handsome dog, a group of children, a beautiful face — why should we be willing to be robbed of all this? Whoever has acquired the knack can in the space of a block see precious things without losing a minute’s time… All things have their vivid aspects, even the uninteresting or ugly; one must only want to see.
What steps can be taken to normalize play and movement for adults in public spaces?
Caitlin Pontrella discusses the Movement Creative, explaining its goals and vision beyond simply teaching parkour. She unpacks her thoughts on the concept of play, how it relates to parkour, and the benefits of both play and risk. Caitlin wraps up by sharing her insights into starting new projects and how to involve your community.
Risk gives you choice, and it gives you opportunity to explore and challenge yourself.
~ Caitlin Pontrella (5:17)
The conversation centers on the concept of normalizing play for adults and making public spaces more engaging. Caitlin Pontrella discusses her work with the Movement Creative, a social enterprise aimed at fostering creativity, movement, and education. Projects like “movement snacks” provide subtle invitations for play in public spaces, aiming to remove the stigma associated with adult play while promoting accessibility and inclusivity. This shift can lead to a cultural transformation, encouraging adults to view movement as a natural, joyful part of life.
Topics also include the importance of risk in play, the concept of Parkour vision, and how it changes perceptions of urban environments. Caitlin emphasizes the value of partnerships and community engagement when implementing ideas to enhance public spaces. She shares examples of playful initiatives, such as “mice on Main,” which successfully create a sense of wonder and interaction within cities. The conversation underscores the transformative potential of play and movement to enrich personal and communal experiences.
Takeaways
Creating playful invitations in public spaces — Movement snacks subtly encourage people to interact with their environment and rediscover the joy of play.
Normalizing adult play — By modeling playful behavior in public, adults can give others implicit permission to participate.
Balancing perceptions of risk — Understanding that risk is a choice and part of growth can reshape how communities design play-friendly spaces.
Reimagining urban spaces — Concepts like Parkour vision help people view cities as opportunities for exploration and self-expression.
Engaging communities — Collaborating with local groups and governments is crucial for implementing playful, impactful public initiatives.
Play as a universal language — Movement and play transcend cultural and social barriers, fostering connection and belonging.
Small projects, big impact — Low-budget initiatives, like scavenger hunts or playful signage, can inspire significant community engagement.
Shifting cultural mindsets — Encouraging creativity and play challenges the competitive, achievement-driven focus of modern life.
Resources
The Movement Creative — A social enterprise promoting movement, education, and design through playful initiatives.
Love Where You Live by Peter Kageyama — A book about using play to activate and engage communities.
Mice on Main — A playful public art project in Greenville, South Carolina, encouraging exploration and interaction.
Walk Your City — A project using signage to promote walking and community engagement.
Absolutely glorious day in NJ as I catch a train to Boston. Should be outside, but will have to console myself by editing Episode 5 of the PKTS podcast! Episode 4, Caitlin, will be out next week! (What’s in Boston? A little pk on Sunday and an interview too.)
Happy, healthy and successful people, like the mature tree, have grown deep roots in the important areas of their life. They have, over time and a great number of small actions, built habits that are so fixed, that no one would even try to challenge them.
“Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.” – Lao Tzu
Seeing Gen Y as “heroic” may seem like quite a stretch to some. But as Howe pointed out in my interview with him, “Remember that no one said anything about the GIs being the Greatest Generation until the very end of the last fourth turning.” No one thought the last Hero generation was anything special at the time either; it was only in retrospect, after they had fully risen to the challenge of their age, that they were venerated.
Those of us living in the United States have enshrined in our founding documents the inalienable right to the pursuit of happiness, a concept that has older roots in European philosophers such as John Locke. These documents, of course, provide not the slightest bit of instruction about how to embark upon this pursuit, wisely leaving this conundrum to the individual and the communities to which he or she belongs.
