Promoting Active Kids

WITH PROJECT PLAY SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN

Graphic design and storytelling to showcase the impact of youth sports.

Launched in late 2017, Project Play: Southeast Michigan is a partnership of the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation, and the Aspen Institute Sports & Society Program. Project Play envisions a community in which children are more active through sports, play, and recreation regardless of race, income, ZIP code, or ability. The Work Department has supported Project Play’s communications efforts through design and storytelling that strike the balance between the joy of play and the seriousness of the impact of sports on kids' physical and mental health and social emotional well being.

We designed a document, Project Play’s Playbook, that captures their 3 year sports, play and recreation strategy. We incorporated joyful graphics, collages, and typography as well as created custom graphics to visualize their theory of change and youth sports ecosystem.

Open book showing a photo of a smiling girl on a swing with tennis rackets and a water bottle in the background, alongside text about a project playbook.
Open booklet showing a colorful illustration of a girl playing soccer on the left page and a photo of smiling children in sports uniforms on the right page, with text about a community foundation's background.

Project Play leads SportPort, an equipment lending pilot program that provides kids with free and accessible sports equipment, and encourages kids to sample a variety of sports. We designed two sets of brightly colored and playful promotional materials, one that showcases warm weather sports and another for cold weather sports. The materials are for print or digital use and can be customized by the 15 community partner sites across southeast Michigan to share the equipment they have available or to promote an event.

Three yellow playbooks with colorful cover designs featuring children playing sports, with images of soccer balls, volleyballs, and a softball, titled 'Project Play Southeast Michigan'.
View full Playbook
An open booklet showing a quote on a teal background that says 'Connection and teamwork build confident and resilient girls.' The right page contains information about a youth sports and recreation ecosystem, including a diagram showing various components such as project play coalition, community of practice, longstanding fund grantees, beneficiaries, and working groups.
Two posters on asphalt promoting a sports event, featuring soccer, basketball, and baseball equipment, with varied colorful text and event details handwritten on the second poster.
A collage of social media posts featuring children playing in the snow, colorful seasonal graphics, and inspiring messages about winter and sweaters.