The Lincolnwood Parks and Recreation Department turned several Thursdays into pop-up play dates with the community, hosting again this summer the program that last year garnered state recognition.
The Community Park Play Dates program ran June 22 through Aug. 10.
The program received an “Outstanding Program” award from the Illinois Park and Recreation Association last year, and organizers are actively planning ways to add to the event lineup next year.
“We’re always trying to look for new and different ways to reach out to the community,” said Lincolnwood Marketing and Community Outreach Coordinator Linda Vering.
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The play dates were open to children of all ages and allowed them to do such activities as create pipe cleaner paintings and make sand art, as well as play games like Sharks and Minnows. There was also time allotted to allow the children to enjoy simply play with each other on the playground.
The play dates were held at different parks each time and were offered free of charge, organizers said.
Vering explained that though the program incurred costs, it was important to the organizers that the program be free, like the village’s summer concert series and Halloween events.
“We wanted this to be [free] so we know people don’t have to worry about even bringing a couple dollars with them,” she said. “They can just come as they are and show up and have fun.”
Vering said the idea to bring the play dates program to Lincolnwood was appealing because the village has 13 parks. Having the event at a different one each time offered a variety of spaces for children of all ages to enjoy the outdoors and allowed parents to mingle and visit different parts of town.
“We thought, ‘how fun would it be to just go out and meet people right in their neighborhood park?’ That encourages people who don’t live in that neighborhood to visit a different area they’re not familiar with and bring people together from different walks, religions, races and gather in the park,” Vering said.
“To be outside, running around, playing, talking to each other and actually engaging is something you can’t take for granted anymore,” she added. “Any opportunity to do that is well worth doing.”