Aging in Play is a participatory design initiative that explores how play can support older adults as creative and cultural agents. The project combines a portable play starter kit with a community-led co-creation process through which older adults modify games, generate new forms of play, and shape shared social experiences. 

I led the project end-to-end, from research, strategy, outreach, and community engagement to design, prototyping, and piloting interventions with community partners. My role involved translating insights into actionable concepts, facilitating co-creation with older adults, managing partnerships, and developing program models that could be tested and adapted in real-world community settings.

Prototyped over nine months with more than 100 older adults across four partner organizations, the work invites connection, confidence, and collective creativity while reframing play as a public and cultural practice in later life. 

The project is ongoing as I seek funding opportunities to expand Aging in Play's impact.

Read thesis process book here