HPELS Faculty & Staff Heather M. Olsen, Ed.D.

Project Coordinator, National Program for Playground Safety Assistant Professor School of Health, Physical Education & Leisure Services Address: 241 Wellness/Recreation Center University of Northern Iowa Cedar Falls, IA 50614-0241   Office: 207 WRC Phone: (319) 273-6173 Email: heather.olsen@uni.edu

Dr. Heather Olsen is an assistant professor in Leisure Service Division and the Assistant Director of the National Program for Playground Safety. Along with teaching classes, her work includes providing education and training to early childcare programs, elementary schools, afterschool programs, and park departments.

Heather has been associated with the development of children's outdoor play areas and educating the public about maintenance, supervision, and age appropriateness. She has given presentations throughout the country about the design of safe playgrounds and has written many articles on creating playgrounds for children. She is also the developer and coordinator of the online training programs for NPPS. Here research interests include outdoor play and learning environments for children and online professional development.

Education

Selected Publications

Books

• Thompson, D., Hudson , S.H., & Olsen, H.M. (2007). S.A.F.E. play areas: Creation, maintenance, and renovation.. Champaign , IL : Human Kinetics.

Monographs

• Olsen, H. , Hudson, S., & Thompson, D. (May, 2005). Child care assessment manual for outdoor play environments . Cedar Falls , IA : National Program for Playground Safety.

• Olsen, H. , Hudson, S., & Thompson, D. (May, 2005). S chool playground assessment manual environments . Cedar Falls , IA : National Program for Playground Safety.

• Hudson, S., Thompson, D . and Olsen, H. (2004). How SAFE are Your Playgrounds? An Update . Cedar Falls , IA : National Program for Playground Safety.

• Olsen, H. , Thompson, D., Hudson, S. (2002). Community Partnership for Safety School Playgrounds . Cedar Falls , IA : National Program for Playground Safety.

• Hudson, S., Olsen, H., & Thompson, D. (2002) S.A.F.E. Playground Supervision Manual . Cedar Falls , IA : National Program for Playground Safety.

Chapters in Books

• Thompson, D . Hudson, S., & Olsen, H. (2004). Toward SAFE Inclusive Play. In. J. Schappet, A. Malkusak & L. D. Bruya (Eds.). High Expectations: Playgrounds for Children of All Abilities . Bloomfield , CT : The National Center for Boundless Playgrounds.

Publications Journal Articles

• Olsen, H . Creating quality outdoor play and learning environments . Iowa Association for the Education of Young Children. Des Moines, IA, October, 2008.

• Olsen, H . A new way of looking at things in the outdoor play area. Iowa School Age Care Alliance. Cedar Falls, IA, September 2008.

• Olsen, H . Playground safety for the very young child . Iowa Department of Human Services and Health Child Care Iowa . ICN Broadcast, Des Moines , IA , June, 2008.

• Olsen, H. The Learning Center (TLC) and Charles City Head Start, Exploring like scientists outdoors . Charles City, IA., October, 2008.

• Olsen, H. Iowa Department of Public Health. Playground Safety for the Very Young Child , June, 2008.

• Olsen, H. Iowa Department of Public Health. Assessing the Outdoor Childcare Play Environment Workshop, Des Moines, IA, October and April of 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, and April 2008.

[This was a four year contract with the Iowa Depart of Public Health to provide a 2 hour workshops 2 times a year to their Nurse Consultants.]

• Olsen, H. Cedar Rapids Chapter of Iowa Association for the Education of Young Children. Planning safe outdoor play activities for young children . Cedar Rapids, IA March, 2008.

• Olsen, H, Thompson, D., Hudson, S. Using the NAEYC accreditation standards to create safe and meaningful outdoor play environments . National Association for Early Childhood Education, Chicago, IL, December 2007.

• Hudson, S., Olsen, H., Thompson, D. National Association for the Education of Young Children. Developing a safe play area for child care providers . [Pre-Conference Workshop}]. November, 2007.

• Olsen, H. Are you an online learner . National Association for Regulatory Administration, Richmond , VA , October, 2007.

• Olsen, H . A S.A.F.E model for playground injury prevention . Keeping Kids Safe: Iowa Child and Youth Injury Prevention Conference at Blank Children's Hospital. Des Moines, IA, September, 2007.

• Olsen, H . S.A.F.E outdoor play and learning environments . Childcare Resource and Referral of Central Iowa and Blank Children's Hospital. Des Moines , IA , September, 2007.

• Olsen, H. Assessment for outdoor safety: Learn what you need to know about the physical environment standards . National Association for Regulatory Administration, Oklahoma City , OK , October 2006.

FILMS, RECORDS, INSTRUCTIONAL COMPUTER PROGRAMS

• Hudson, S., Olsen, H. , Dieser, R., & Thompson, D. (2002). Planning Accessible SAFE Playgrounds Using the Americans with Disabilities Act. – CD ROM – Cedar Falls, IA, NPPS.

• Hudson, S., Olsen, H., & Thompson, D. (2002). S.A.F.E. Playground Supervision Video. Cedar Falls, IA : National Program for Playground Safety.

• Hudson, S., Thompson, D. and Olsen, H. (2001). Applying CPSC Guidelines for the Development of SAFE Playgrounds – CD ROM – Cedar Falls, IA, NPPS.

• Hudson, S., Olsen, H. , Dieser, R., & Thompson, D. (2002). Planning Accessible Safe Playgrounds Using the Americans With Disabilities Act – CD ROM – Cedar Falls, IA NPPS.

Scholarly Presentations

• Iowa Educational Research and Evaluation Association Conference. (2002, November). School Playground Supervision Practices in the State of Iowa. (Poster Presentation). Ames, IA.

• Iowa School Age Care Alliance Conference (2002, October). The ABC's of Playground Supervision. Iowa City, IA.

• See How They Grow Conference . (2002, April). Safe Surfaces: Indoors and Outdoors . University of Northern Iowa. University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA.

• National Coalition for Campus Children's Centers. (2002, February). Planning for a SAFE Playground. San Antonio, TX.

• National Child Care Association. (2001, March). ADA, Age Appropriate Design and Their Application to Child Care Play Environments. Las Vegas, NV .

• Southern Early Childhood Association. (2001, March). How to Select Age Appropriate Equipment for Playgrounds. Little Rock, AK .

• See How They Grow Conference. (2001, March). In's and Out's of Playground Safety . University of Northern Iowa. University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA.

• Midwest Association for Education of Young Children. (2001, April). Four Elements of Playground Safety. Des Moines, IA.

WorkShop

• Speaker, Iowa School Buildings and Grounds . (2004, July 14). Building and Maintaining Safe Playgrounds? West Des Moines, IA.

• Instructor, Iowa Playground Safety Network, (2002, October). How Safe is Your Playground? Ankeny, IA.

• Speaker, Areas and Facilities Class (2002, October). Developing a Safe and Accessible Playground. University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA.

• Speaker, Physical Education Class . (March, 2002). Having a SAFE Play Environment at your school. University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA.

• Speaker, Physical Education Class . (2002, April). Curriculum Outside at the Playground . University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA.

• Instructor, National Program for Playground Safety. (2001, October). Wyoming School District #14 & #38. Playground Safety Training & Supervision Planning . Ethete and Arapahoe, WY.

• Instructor, Iowa Playground Safety Network. (2001, October). Central Iowa's Playground Safety Conference. Des Moines, IA.

• Instructor, Iowa Playground Safety Network. (2001, October). How Safe is Your Playground ? Iowa City, IA.

• Speaker, Physical Education Class . (2001, September). Understanding SAFE Playgrounds. University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA.

• Speaker, Fayette Elementary School . (2001, April). You Say Playground, I Say Safety . Fayette, IA.

• Speaker, Tri-County Head Start . (2001, April). How to Increase Playground Safety in Your Area. Waterloo, IA.

• Speaker, Physical Education Class. (2001, Spring). Teachers Need to Understand Playground Safety, Too . University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA.

• Television interview about Playground Safety on At Home FamilyNet, May 1, 2002.

Courses Taught

Introduction to Leisure, Youth, & Human Services

Leadership in Leisure, Youth, & Human Services Areas and Facilities

Internship in Leisure, Youth, and Human Services

Management in Leisure, Youth, & Human Services

Professional Services

Member of the Boundless Playground Technical Advisory Council, Boundless Playgrounds, Baltimore, MD, 2008-2009.

Consultation to NPPS's Early Childhood Outdoor Play Inspectors

Consultation to the Iowa Child Care Nurse Consultants.

Member of the Iowa Playground Construction Standards Task Force. Iowa Department of Natural Resources, 2006-2007.