A new independent, community-based playspace for young children ages 0-6 started by North Brooklyn-based parents will hold its first in a series of pop-ups on Saturday, April 6th, at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Gym (1 Havemeyer St.) from 3 p.m. – 6 p.m. The full schedule through the end of June is available here.
The three-hour play sessions with Kid And Playspace cost $10 cash upon entry and are held in the spacious gymnasium at Mount Carmel, where toys are provided and activities planned; parents should plan to stay with their kids at all times.
Proceeds go back into the co-op to help with the cost of toys, maintenance and activities. Apple juice boxes, water, and snacks such as crackers and fruit will also be provided.
“We’ve gone out into the community and have gotten a lot of toys for various age groups between 0-6 years,” said Kristin Sears, who originally conceived the idea of the playspace, adding that the church will also lend toys for the play sessions.
The lack of affordable and accessible spaces in North Brooklyn for parents to let their kids play and exert energy in a social setting is what led to Sears to pitch the idea to an online group of North Brooklyn parents.
“It came about because we all have three-year-olds with a lot of energy and no place to displace it, so we just decided to create one, and the people at Mt. Carmel have been really great to work with us and letting us in their space for a spring run,” she said.
Local parents Megan Cornelius, Joy Sian, Jeanne Meyer, Lauren Balliet, and Chelsea Rhodes were also integral in the playspaces’ launch, Sears said.
The playspace will focus on toys that are easy to sanitize, like push-toys and tunnels and tents, Sears said. A play station with costumes and future activities like face painting are also in the works.
“Provided our spring run is successful we can continue in the fall with them, they’re already very excited about it,” Sears said.
Interested parents can signup for the Kid and Playspace mailing list here.