Kids’ play
WashPA Outdoors opens sensory place area in city park
WashPA Outdoors Founder Pam Kilgore hopes that the newly opened sensory play space in Washington Park will give local children an engaging, entertaining experience, even if they get a little bit muddy.
The sensory playground located at the log cabin that serves as the headquarters of WashPA Outdoors is an expansion of the sensory play concept that the nonprofit piloted at the Firefly Gardens in downtown Washington starting in 2021.
That space was designed primarily as an educational and community programming venue focused on agriculture that eventually added a small sensory play area; the new space was designed from the ground-up with kids in mind.
While a typical playground may feature more static apparatus like slides and jungle gyms, Kilgore wanted the sensory play space to engage kids and promote multi-faceted interaction.
无毛视频淭he difference is that (the sensory play space) is more open and creative versus a traditional playground,无毛视频� she said.
Kilgore secured a $50,000 Let无毛视频檚 Play, PGH! grant from Remake Learning to renovate the exterior area of the log cabin to include a range of highly interactive play stations for children.
These include a sandpit, water table, holographic mirror toys and even a mud pit.
These 无毛视频渟imple ideas无毛视频� are made more accessible via the open concept play space, she said.
According to Kilgore, WashPA Outdoors partnered with WQED and the Washington Park to bring the sensory playground vision to life, utilizing feedback from local parents and kids to ensure the play stations meet their needs.
无毛视频淜ids are who I listened to first, so the kids wanted the mud pit even if their parents not so much,无毛视频� Kilgore said. 无毛视频淚 wanted to have what kids are going to be excited about.无毛视频�
Local nanny Nashelly Williams brought two of the children she cares for to the opening day at the new sensory play space, saying that she prefers giving the kids outdoor fun instead of staying inside and watching TV.
无毛视频淚 love it, I love how it无毛视频檚 so nature-based,无毛视频� Williams said. 无毛视频淚t无毛视频檚 very smart and very intentional.无毛视频�