Philadelphia is making significant strides toward ensuring all children can learn through play, especially in communities of color that have faced disinvestment and fewer safe places for kids to play and explore. As part of the Play Everywhere Philly Challenge, ten community organizations in Philadelphia are collaborating with local kids and community members to create new, interactive playspaces. These spaces not only encourage play but also support child development and early literacy. This initiative, funded by the William Penn Foundation and supported by the Playful Learning Landscapes Action Network (PLLAN), Watchdog Project Management, and KABOOM!, highlights the transformative power of playful learning—a research-based approach that embeds learning goals into play environments to spark interactions between children and caregivers that support learning and skill development.
Let’s take a closer look at three exciting projects that are reshaping how children in Philadelphia engage with their communities.
1. The Yard on John Coltrane Street
One standout project within the Play Everywhere Philly Challenge is the revitalization effort led by the Strawberry Mansion Community Development Corporation (SMCDC). This project honors the neighborhood’s rich jazz legacy, particularly the historic John Coltrane House, by transforming a section of N. 33rd Street into a dynamic, public outdoor space. The Yard, located at 1515 and 1517 N. 33rd Street, provides a gathering area for local kids and families, artists, and community members – returning the community’s lost tradition of public entertainment and shared gathering spaces.
In 2023 and 2024, SMCDC engaged the community through workshops, meetings, and a Youth Play and Learning Lab to co-create the initial designs for this first phase of improvements to the block.
Community members said it felt like a family reunion. We are a passionate, talented, and truly gifted community. We know the assets we have, and we want to keep the neighborhood ours and enjoy it. Our community deserves to be honored and respected.
Tonneta Graham, President and Executive Director of SMCDC
The space features playful learning elements, such as musical instruments, a reading nook, and musical decals. Children and families can practice math skills by playing different beats and seeing patterns in musical scores, and they can tell rich stories through song and dance. With shade sails, ample seating, and a stage for performances, The Yard will provide a welcoming environment for all ages. Local residents, including kids, have already contributed to the project by helping to build picnic benches, sparking excitement and a sense of pride.
What sets this project apart is its deep community connection. SMCDC explicitly made efforts to work with local business owners and organizations, like Tiny WPA and Fresh Artists, to complete the work in a manner that reflects the unique spirit, resilience, and unity of Strawberry Mansion. The incorporation of local high school and elementary school students’ art in the art gallery makes the space a true reflection of the neighborhood’s values, identity, and creativity. The Yard is now open to the public and serves as a hub for cultural events, concerts, and gatherings – a symbol of collective empowerment – a space that is truly for and by the people of Strawberry Mansion. Additional phases of work are to come and SMCDC is committed to community members leading decision-making about the space and its programming.
“It’s a joy to bring this back to residents,” said Graham.
2. Cobbs Creek Park
Clean Air Council (CAC) is another key player in the Play Everywhere Philly Challenge, focusing on enhancing access to green spaces for kids and families in the Cobbs Creek community. This project was born out of an equity study conducted by The Circuit Trails, which identified barriers to trail usage in underserved communities, including Cobbs Creek Park in West Philadelphia. Having worked in the area for more than a decade, CAC identified a critical need for safer, more inviting entryways to Cobbs Creek Park and its surrounding trails. Many residents felt displaced and disconnected from these natural spaces due to traffic safety concerns stemming from the busy Cobbs Creek parkway. CAC’s goal became to create safe, accessible, playful areas that encourage kids and families to connect with nature and each other at safe crossing intersections.
Access to nature and green spaces provides a respite from the hustle and bustle. It brings people together in a way that no other space can. Everyone deserves the awesome physical, mental, and social health benefits of nature.
explained Will Fraser, Transportation Outreach Coordinator for CAC
In addition to creating safe, accessible, and inviting entryways, murals and playful panels are currently in development. The project is a joint effort with organizations like Tiny WPA and Amber Art and Design, who are integrating art and play elements to make the park more engaging for kids. At each of four entrances to the park, playful learning elements will allow children and families to learn about different types of nature found in the park and engage in imaginative play and storytelling.
CAC’s approach is rooted in years of collaboration with local community members. Through workshops, surveys, and other community feedback sessions, kids and community members have shaped the designs. The playful elements will reflect major themes that emerged from community feedback – local history, nature, art and the need for restful spaces.
The project will culminate with a celebration during Trails Day in Spring 2025, marking the opening of a space that truly belongs to the Cobbs Creek community. With continued excitement and input from residents, this project aims to foster a deeper connection to nature and play for all kids and families in the area. CAC will continue partnering with local organizations to host kid-friendly event activations to attract more kids to Cobbs Creek Park.
3. The Rail Park
The Rail Park, a transformative green space built on three miles of underutilized railway, is another inspiring project in the Play Everywhere Philly Challenge. The park is enhancing its appeal for kids and families by creating a new playspace that integrates culture, nature, and play.
It really is an oasis in what is otherwise a concrete, industrial neighborhood
Rebecca Cordes Chan, Executive Director of The Rail Park
Though the park – which opened its first phase in 2018 – has won awards for its landscape design and integration of native plantings and art, it didn’t have dedicated spaces for children to play. This new addition will address that gap, ensuring the park is more inviting for kids and families, while also maintaining the park’s emphasis on culture, nature, and community vision and voice.
The project’s inspiration stems from extensive community engagement, with young voices playing a pivotal role in the design process. Local students from the nearby FACTS School, who had once wondered why the park didn’t include a playground, now have had the opportunity to help design playful elements that reflect the neighborhood’s culture and heritage.
“We relied on the wisdom, experience, voice, and vision of the young people to lead the way,” said Chan. “It’s so inspiring to see what they came up with. Then, they’ve come back to the park and said, ‘I actually did that, I designed that.’”
The design incorporates elements of the local culture and heritage of Chinatown. The story of the Monkey King kept coming up in conversations and its influence is seen in the mandala-inspired play structures. Children created prototypes of giant boba cups and storefronts that encourage connections to the neighborhood and early literacy skills. The inclusive design process led to trust, community ownership, and respect for the movable play pieces that ensures everyone cares for the pieces and leaves them for others to enjoy.
Photo courtesy of Friends of the Rail Park, Daniel Jackson / Embassy: Interactive
Since the first unveiling of this playspace during Labor Day 2024, the park has hosted several community events, including activities for Design Philadelphia Festival, Halloween, and Dia de los Muertos. These events, coupled with the park’s playful learning components, provide kids and families with an opportunity to engage with the environment in new, meaningful ways.
The Future of Playful Learning in Philadelphia
The Play Everywhere Philly Challenge is part of a broader movement to create more equitable playspaces across the country. Thanks to funding by the William Penn Foundation and the support of all of our partners, these new spaces bring playful learning to areas that have historically experienced systemic disinvestment. The projects featured here are just a glimpse of the exciting ways our partners are reimagining public spaces to spark joy, curiosity, and learning in all children.
By the end of 2025, all ten of these new playspaces will be complete, each fostering an environment that nurtures creativity, literacy, and learning for children. Through collaboration between kids, community members, and our partners, Play Everywhere Philly is transforming everyday spaces into powerful learning opportunities—ensuring that play, in all its forms, remains a vital tool for children’s growth and development in Philadelphia.