May 13 to 15, 2026 | Loudoun County, Virginia

The Virginia Recreation and Park Society is proud to host the first comprehensive, multi-day seminar designed to be the ultimate destination for playground safety professionals! This isn't just a standard workshop. We have partnered with the nationally recognized experts at Studio Ludo to provide a deep dive into the research, design, and maintenance strategies that are shaping the future of play.

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Why You Can't Miss This

The "One and Done" Recertification Stop chasing individual credits! This intensive 2.5 day training fulfills the total requirements for your CPSI recertification. By attending the full summit, you will earn all 2.0 CEUs required by  NRPA. This course effectively covers the credit hour value of both a CPSI course and a Playground Maintenance course in one trip.

  • 1.0 CEU in Group A: Hazard ID and Risk Management.

  • 1.0 CEU in Group B: Surfacing, Playground Environment, Audit, Inspection, and Maintenance.

Expert Led, Research Driven Our partners at Studio Ludo are building better play through advocacy and design. They bring exclusive, copyright-protected imagery and narratives that explore cutting-edge topics that go beyond the basic checklist:

  • Designing for a Warming World: How to keep play environments cool and functional in a changing climate.

  • Novelty and Complexity: Strategies for creating engaging spaces that keep families coming back.

  • Global Perspectives: Guidelines and insights from the US, Canada, Europe, and Australia.

Registration

  • VRPS Member: $650

  • Non-Member: $725

Schedule at a Glance

Get ready for an immersive experience that blends technical expertise with visionary design. We have moved beyond the dry checklist approach to bring you a curriculum that is as engaging as it is essential for your recertification.

Wednesday, May 13: Foundations and Form 8:00 am – 5:30 pm

  • Introduction and History of Play: Start at the beginning to understand how play has evolved and where it is headed.

  • Research-Informed Design: Learn how to make a great place to play using data to drive better outcomes.

  • Novelty and Complexity: Explore how to get people to your playgrounds and keep them there through smart environmental design.

  • Global Perspectives: Take a world tour of safety guidelines from the US, Canada, Europe, and Australia.

  • Safety and the ADA: Ensure your play spaces are inclusive and compliant with current federal standards.

Thursday, May 14: Hazards and High Performance 8:00 am – 5:30 pm

  • Make Yourself Relevant: Master the art of the playground safety review to add value to your agency.

  • Defining the Hazard: A deep dive into identifying what constitutes a true hazard in the modern play environment.

  • The "So What?" Factor: Learn exactly what to do when you find a non-compliant condition and how to prioritize the next steps.

  • Surfacing Deep Dive: Two sessions covering both the performance and the "real estate" aspects of playground surfacing.

  • Interactive Group Exercise: Put your new skills to the test in a collaborative "What Do You Observe?" session.

Friday, May 15: Future-Proofing and Maintenance 8:00 am – 12:30 pm

  • The Professional Inspection Kit: A hands-on look at exactly what tools you need to have and how to use them effectively.

  • Maintenance Mastery: Practical strategies for maintaining both surfaces and structures to extend the life of your equipment.

  • Play it Cool: Finish with an eye on the future as we discuss designing play environments for a warming world.

Schedule is subject to change.

Meet our Speakers

 

Meghan Talarowski, PLA, ASLA, CPSI
Executive Director, Studio Ludo

Meghan is the founder and executive director of Studio Ludo. She has degrees in architecture and landscape architecture, is a certified playground safety inspector, and a licensed landscape architect.

Her research focuses on how the design of play environments impacts physical health and social behavior, and has been presented at conferences worldwide. To date, she has collected data on over 60,000 people in 100 play environments around the world. This research informs all of her play designs. She has designed over 40 destination play environments across the US and has provided play safety and risk guidance for over 50 play installations and children’s museums around the country and world.

She is a training instructor for the Certified Playground Safety Inspector course through the National Recreation and Parks Association (NRPA) and a part time lecturer of play and landscape design at the University of Pennsylvania. Her work has been featured by The New York Times, The Atlantic, NPR, Curbed, Dwell, Popular Science, Landscape Architecture Magazine, and World Landscape Architecture Magazine.


 

 

 

 

Antonio (Tony) Malkusak, PLA, CPSI
Landscape Architect and President, Abundant Playscapes

Tony Malkusak is a Landscape Architect receiving his degree from the University of Illinois. He started his career in parks & recreation as a park planner and parks supervisor. Tony has over 40 years of experience in creating & ensuring safe outdoor play environments. He is one of the nation’s leading experts on playground safety, accessibility for play areas, and play environment design. Since 2000, Tony is one of the training instructors for the National and International Certified Playground Safety Inspector program and a PMT Trainer since 2018. In 2011, Tony started his own consulting company, Abundant Playscapes, which specializes in providing playground safety services with the purpose of connecting children, families, and communities through play.

 

Jeff Barber
Founder of Playground Specialists Inc., Co-Founder and Innovation Leader at Independence Design Group

Stay Where the Action Is

We have selected the Embassy Suites by Hilton Dulles North Loudoun as our host site to ensure your experience is as seamless and comfortable as possible! When you stay at the summit headquarters, you are just an elevator ride away from all training sessions and networking events.

Exclusive Attendee Amenities

  • All-Suite Accommodations: Every guest stays in a spacious two-room suite, featuring a private bedroom and a separate living area.

  • Free Made-to-Order Breakfast: Start your morning right with a complimentary hot breakfast served daily in the atrium starting at 6:30 am.

  • Nightly Networking: Join your colleagues in the hotel atrium each evening for a happy hour! It is a great chance to swap stories and build connections with playground professionals from across the country.

  • Stay Active: You will have full access to the on-site Fitness Center throughout your stay.

  • Seamless Connectivity: Complimentary standard wireless internet is included in all guest rooms.

Special Group Rate

  • Rate: $179.00 per night for a 1 King Bed Suite.

  • Parking: Complimentary parking for our entire group.

  • Cutoff Date: To lock in this discounted rate, please ensure your reservation is made on or before April 12, 2026. Attendees are responsible for their own room bookings.


Registration includes the full 2.5 day curriculum, all 20 recertification credits, daily breakfast, daily lunch, and evening networking happy hours.