National Institute 2026

In 2025, several Westchester County (NY) non-profit organizations and the County government joined forces to launch a "Disconnect to Reconnect / D2R" initiative to help families disconnect from their digital screens and reconnect with each other and society through play and other 'engaged' activities. Monthly newsletters, public screenings of the documentary, 'Playing for Keeps: The Upside of Downtime,' followed by panel discussions, and a County-wide conference all expanded and strengthened this effort. Learn from our experiences at the Westchester Library System (WLS) to explore how you can foster an environment of Play. Learn. Connect. in your community.