Untangling Through Play 2026
Saturday October 3, 2026 | 10:00 AM–12:00 PM
Cleveland Park | Spartanburg, SC
A free family play experience filled with movement, creativity, community resources, Play Pals, lunch, and fun.
Your Untangling Morning
10:00 AM — Playground play + decorate your parade flag
10:30 AM — Official kickoff
10:35 AM — Ballet Spartanburg
10:42 AM — Meet the Play Pals
10:48 AM — Play Parade
10:55 AM — Play Zones open
11:00 AM — Lunch available
11:45 AM — Closing + I Wish You Well + Bye-Bye Bubbles
Meet the Play Pals
Each Play Pal brings a different area of development to life through hands-on play, movement, exploration, creativity, and connection.
Reader Raccoon
Literacy & Language
Theo Turtle
Social-Emotional & Behavior
Finn Fox
Curiosity & Problem Solving
Bella Butterfly
Creativity & Expression
Hopper Frog
Movement & Coordination
Interactive Play Pal Stations
Hands-on play experiences connected to communication, literacy, social-emotional growth, creativity, problem solving, and movement.
Character Parade
See the Play Pals come together for a fun, high-energy conference moment designed to celebrate play, connection, and community.
Play Pals Onsite
Meet the Play Pals throughout the event for photos, playful interactions, and memorable moments woven into the conference experience.
See Green? That Means Play!
Look for the green balloons throughout the park to find each Untangling Play Zone. Visit them in any order and follow your child’s interests.
Know Before You Go
- Dress for outdoor play and comfortable movement
- Playground play begins at 10:00 AM
- Lunch is available from 11:00–11:45 AM
- Check in when you arrive to receive your meal ticket
- Families may bring a stroller or wagon
- Event activities are designed for children and their caring adults
Why Untangling Through Play?
Come Play. Come Learn. Come Untangle.
Children learn through play. They build language, relationships, confidence, problem-solving skills, movement, and creativity through meaningful opportunities to explore.
Untangling Through Play brings families, early childhood professionals, and community partners together around one simple idea: play is not extra. It is an important part of how young children grow, connect, and learn.
We want families to leave with practical ideas, professionals to see development come to life through everyday play, and our community to celebrate children in a joyful, welcoming space.
THE RESEARCH IS CLEAR
Play is not “extra.” Research shows that play supports language, self-regulation, problem-solving, social-emotional development, creativity, movement, and executive-function skills that children use for later learning.
Sources: American Academy of Pediatrics • NAEYC