Featured Site: FreePlay on The Parkway FreePlay on The Parkway, the first play space developed by the non-profit Play Inbetween, celebrates its second season with fun, free activities for all on Saturday, June 2. FreePlay on The Parkway features Imagination Playground, Center City Philadelphia’s only eight-sided public sand box, a cast concrete Ping Pong table, and free activities from local educational and cultural organizations for children and adults. “The space has added a wonderful amenity to the neighborhood for visitors and locals alike,” says Christine Piven, Play Inbetween’s founder. “Children have a terrific open space to play, and one where they can build sand castles and fanciful structures with big, blue blocks and fabric.” Piven notes that FreePlay is made possible through the generosity of lead sponsor Sprout; Independence Blue Cross for supporting free programming; and the Philadelphia Parks and Recreation Department for space and staffing. FreePlay will offer free programming throughout the summer, including events with the Franklin Institute and story time with the Central Branch of the Free Library. Visit the Play InBetween website for a complete listing of programs and events. back to top  Imagination Playground Grants Available through Disney Magic of Healthy Living Thanks to generous support from Disney’s Magic of Healthy Living program, KaBOOM! is bringing play to children in need by granting Imagination Playground to five sites in select states across the country to facilitate unstructured play for young children. Communities in California, North Carolina, Illinois, Utah, and Pennsylvania are eligible to receive one of the five Imagination Playground in a Cart grants that will be awarded through this program. For more information on eligibility and grant commitments, please visit the grant page on the KaBOOM! website. Completed applications are due by 5 p.m. EDT July 20. Disney’s Magic of Healthy Living is an initiative designed to partner with parents in their quest to raise healthy, happy kids by reinforcing their work and inspiring kids to make healthy lifestyles fun! back to top Imagination Playground European Tour Imagination Playground kicked off its European tour with the launch of a special exhibition “Playspaces: Imaginative and Immersive Environments by Rockwell Group” at Architekturgalerie München and a play event at Munich’s Hochschule für Film und Fernsehen on May 12. The exhibition highlights the evolution of Imagination Playground and the inspirations that brought the innovative playspace to life. Selections of the exhibit will be traveling to Berlin, Potsdam, and other European venues this summer. Visit the Imagination Playground events page for more information on upcoming events. back to top Imagination Playground at the National Children’s Museum You are invited to a play date at the National Children's Museum Launch Zone! Children and families will be given the opportunity to experience a fantastic day of playing and building with Imagination Playground, letting their imaginations lead the way in the construction of castles, pirate ships and much more out of the loose parts. The National Children’s Museum (NCM) was able to obtain its very own Imagination Playground through a Let’s Play Community Construction Grant by Dr Pepper Snapple Group and national non-profit KaBOOM!. In addition to great play events at the Launch Zone, the Museum will sponsor playful activities throughout the Washington, D.C. region via its Museum Without Walls program. In both settings, play tools will create a block-building and construction zone providing children with the opportunity to engage in free play. For more information on upcoming play dates this summer, please visit the National Children’s Museumwebsite. back to top | 
