CHILDREN's PLAYSPACES

“Play gives children a chance to practice what they are learning.” – Mr. Rogers

SASQUATCH SHACK @ LIBERTY PARK

Hike into the woods and discover a cozy community among the trees. What’s the Sasquatch family up to? Enjoy cozy reading nooks, a special toddler area, and plenty of space for the imagination to run wild.

MOOSE’S MARKET @ SHADLE PARK

Feel the dirt between your toes and lend Farmer Moose a hand with her veggies. Explore fun spots to read, a special carrot climber, and an enclosed area for our smallest sprouts to read and explore.

MT. SHAW @ HILLYARD

Climb up into the clouds or tunnel into the mountain on a day trip to Mt. Shaw. Who else will you meet on the trails? Mt. Shaw is the ultimate hangout for kids at Hillyard Library. 

TURKEY TREETOPS @ SOUTH HILL

A rafter of turkeys will live in the rafters at South Hill Library, complete with a turkey coop climber and a nest for our littlest library visitors. The walls will be lined with a wheat graphic as a nod to the South Hill’s proximity to the Palouse. Just don’t let the turkeys keep you from visiting this playspace!

 

RIVER RUMPUS @ CENTRAL

Take a dive under the Spokane River with Goat at River Rumpus, featuring a slide, a submarine inspired by a Riverfront Park gondola, and a special toddler playspace in the belly of a fish!

BASALT BURROW @ INDIAN TRAIL

A family of marmots lives at Indian Trail library and our littlest readers can float with their imagination in a leaf-powered sailboat. Look for clues from other libraries, like a tunnel leading to the Shadle Park Library and a Sasquatch in a tree.

 

TAKE A VIRTUAL TOUR

River Rumpus

Sasquatch Shack

Moose's Market

Mt. Shaw

Basalt Burrow

Turkey Treetops

THE LATEST FROM THE BLOG

ABOUT OUR PLAYSPACES

When we asked Spokane citizens what they wanted to see in their libraries, the number one answer was new and improved children’s spaces. Modern libraries are reimagining their spaces as more than repositories for books and that includes new and fun spaces for kids and their caregivers. 

In a study published in Library & Information Science Research in January 2020, researchers showed that “the use of the Play-and-Learn spaces was associated with increases in the kinds of caregiver and child conversation and interaction known to support language, literacy and STEM skills. These results suggest that libraries can become part of a new learning culture that impacts city residents at the places they naturally go.”

Our children’s playspaces were designed by Luci Creative. They were amazing partners, creatively interpreting the essence of Spokane into these inspiring and whimsical spaces that celebrate our local flora and fauna. Our libraries will become part of a new learning culture that will impact Spokane residents in the places they naturally go.

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