Playful Learning Comes to Life on International Day of Play!
- vicki033
- Jul 7
- 3 min read
Updated: Jul 27
By Ellen Oatis, Program Associate, Playful Learning Landscapes
On June 11, the Live and Learn team joined partners and community members to celebrate the unveiling of two Live and Learn sites in the Sharswood and North Central Philadelphia neighborhoods, in honor of International Day of Play. These events mark an exciting step forward in the national movement to bring Playful Learning into the everyday spaces where families live, gather, and grow.
In Sharswood, local leaders including Councilmembers Dr. Anthony Phillips and Jeffery Young, Jr. spoke about the role public spaces play in supporting child development and educational equity. Guests and local residents explored the new playful landscapes filled with learning-focused installations — all co-designed with and for the community. These include: creative puzzles, benches, and an I-spy Little Free Library in the “The Backyard;” community rooms with custom table top games and an interactive mural of Sharswood; and “Run the Road,” featuring an I-Spy mural, a playful sidewalk course with animal prints, and traffic-themed column spinners to promote movement, early literacy, and joyful exploration.
The celebration continued at two buildings in Susquehanna Square, where a Playful Learning gate welcomed visitors into a “graphic novel come to life.” Newly transformed backyards encouraged children and caregivers to engage with oversized puzzle walls, cozy reading benches, and an interactive stage. Storytelling prompts designed to spark conversation and imagination guided the exploration. Inside, guests received a tour of the graphic novel inspired murals and had a chance to investigate the storyboard and eyecatching reading nook. These elements add layers of play and meaning throughout the space.
These Live and Learn landscapes were made possible with funding from William Penn Foundation and through deep collaboration with community and partners. Partners include: Watchdog Project Management, Playful Learning Landscapes, Masters Group Design, Pennrose, Community Ventures, WRT, KSS Architects, and artists and fabricators from FutureTogether, Weston Design and Fabrication Studio, Amber Art & Design, Mural Arts Philadelphia/Donna Grace Kroh, and Anointed Studio. Community residents and local community organizations played an essential role in shaping and supporting this work, including the Brewerytown Sharswood Community Civic Association, Lower North Philadelphia Community Development Corporation, Brewerytown Sharswood Neighborhood Coalition, and Tree House Books.
Together, these installations represent a growing movement to reimagine the built environment as a canvas for learning. By embedding playful, research-based prompts into affordable housing developments, the Live and Learn initiative is transforming everyday moments into rich opportunities for connection, creativity, and growth.
As children laughed, played, and made memories at both sites, the events remind us of what’s possible when design and community come together to support families and when play is recognized not just as fun, but as a powerful tool for lifelong learning. Click on the gallery below to see more from our three events!
