Rhonda Clements, Ed.D.

Dr. Clements received her Doctorate of Education at Teachers College, Columbia University from the Department of Movement Sciences and Education.  Since that time, she has authored or edited 9 books in the area of movement, play, and game activities for children. She has also written more than 20 articles concerning the need for play for preschool and elementary school age children, including seven book chapters, and has presented at more than 40 national or international conferences and over 60 state or local conferences. Dr. Clements was one of eight national experts to contribute to the document entitled, Active Start: A Statement of Physical Activity Guidelines for Birth to Five Years which was sponsored by the National Association for Sport and Physical Education. She was also the recipient of the Early Childhood News Director Award in the curriculum category for the Let's Move, Let's Play Product.

In addition, Dr. Clements is the past President of The American Association For the Child's Right to Play (IPA/USA), and she has also served as a consultant to numerous state education departments, the US Department of Health and Human Services to train Native American Head Start Specialists, Small World Press, Nabisco, NAEYC, SECA, Kindercare, Children's Television Network/Sesame Street, Sesame Place, Nick Jr. Family Magazine, The Disney Channel, Crayola Crayons, Verizon Wireless, and Parental Wisdom. She conducted a national survey for Wisk Laundry Detergent aimed at investigating the extent to which children are playing outdoors today. Dr. Clements has also appeared on more that 100 radio and television stations throughout the country, and has been interviewed by more than 300 journalists and newspaper reporters on the subject of child's play.  She is currently the Associate Editor of the on-line journal, PlayRights: An International Journal of the Theory and Practice of Play, and is serving on the Early Childhood Development Unit for UNICEF where her expertise is used to provide play activities to children during times of natural disasters and emergencies.

Watch an interview in which she discusses the Physical Education for Teachers program at Manhattanville.

Rhonda Clements Curriculum Vita