Meadville Summer Parks Program

Goal: $15,000.00

Specific Need

The Summer Parks Program is a Community Collaboration that depends 100% on donations and grant funding to operate each summer. This is the 3rd summer the Parks Program has operated to enrich the lives of the children in the Meadville. We are in need of $15,000 to begin raising funds for Summer 2025.

Mission

The Meadville Summer Parks Program is a collaborative enterprise. Our partners are Creating Landscapes, the Meadville YMCA, Women's Services, the City of Meadville, and Fairview/Fairmont Family Center. We also work with the FCCA, Meadville Medical Center, French Creek Recreational Trails, Meadville Public Library, Meadville Master Gardeners, G,G&C Bussing and other community partners.

In summer 2024 (our third summer), the shared vision of our facilitating collaborators is for our children (between the ages of 6 and 12) to have a safe and naturally beautiful space for fun and meaningful learning at no financial cost to their families. Activities, focused on supervised creative free play, will also include nature exploration, art, literacy activity and sports. The natural outdoor setting of Shadybrook Park from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm Monday through Friday beginning on June 17 and finishing on August 9 is our chosen location and time- frame.

This year’s activity planning and staff training are being developed in conjunction with PlayLab (www.hatchpgh.com). We are also inspired by Timbernook (timbernook.com). These two approaches to learning specialize in providing social, emotional, cognitive and physical development through outdoor and intentional free play.

Another new component of this summer’s program is hiring and developing high school students. Students will be hired in late spring to give ample time for training.

Our third goal is to provide a Playlab training for all staff and collaborating partner representatives before the summer begins. Everyone who participates will learn why outdoor free play is vital to children’s development and how to advocate for student free play experience. Additionally, staff will learn how to facilitate play without interrupting when children are in the state of flow.

Here are some reflections from our High School and College staff:

In response to the question: What was your favorite experience this summer?

"Giving the kids a safe space to come eat and play...Seeing how providing this environment for them also changed them in better ways."

"My favorite experience was getting to help kids have a fun summer playing outdoors."

"I enjoyed the field trips that we went on. I feel it gave the kids hands on experience and to be more active in their learning...Also bonding with the kids and getting to know them."

In response to the question: What is something you learned?

"Building relationships with the children makes it easier to communicate and relate to their needs."

In response to the question...What does "free play" mean to you?

"Getting the opportunity to make decisions on how they want to spend their day and developing those independent skills and interpersonal development targets."

Please consider donating so we can continue this project next year!