Comments on: What I Want for Every Community… http://becausebabiesgrowup.com/2010/02/what-i-want-for-every-community.html Just another WordPress weblog Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:19:56 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: What I Want for Every Child… http://becausebabiesgrowup.com/2010/02/what-i-want-for-every-community.html/comment-page-1#comment-1072 What I Want for Every Child… Mon, 08 Mar 2010 12:04:21 +0000 http://becausebabiesgrowup.com/?p=912#comment-1072 [...] my series on ways I would love to make a difference in the world. In previous posts I suggested an indoor play area not part of a fast food restaurant in every community and a bookshelf full of age appropriate books for every home. I’ve been thinking a lot about [...] [...] my series on ways I would love to make a difference in the world. In previous posts I suggested an indoor play area not part of a fast food restaurant in every community and a bookshelf full of age appropriate books for every home. I’ve been thinking a lot about [...]

]]> By: ajpassey http://becausebabiesgrowup.com/2010/02/what-i-want-for-every-community.html/comment-page-1#comment-1006 ajpassey Mon, 22 Feb 2010 13:59:16 +0000 http://becausebabiesgrowup.com/?p=912#comment-1006 @ strwberryjoy: Thanks for your suggestions! Sounds like you live in a well populated area. I neglected to mention we live in a very rural community. The only place for swimming lessons is at an outdoor pool up a mountain so it's only good for two months in the summer. There are absolutely no community classes for little ones like tumbling and there are no companies within a 30 minute drive that offer any space for free play except the McDonald's I mentioned in my post. I think that what you've suggested is an ideal i would love to see in every community. But our community is considered quite poor and so I feel a great place to start is with a community provided indoor play area because for many of the moms I know, $7/hr is not even a remote possibility. For them it's a choice between dinner and play. Obviously they choose dinner. But I'd like to find a solution to provide them with both. I think communities have done a good job of getting parks established with swings, playgrounds and open fields for sports. Now I'd like to see them take it one step further and create an indoor structure to help out in the winter for those of us who live in cold winter climates or the summer for those who live in hot summer climates. @ strwberryjoy: Thanks for your suggestions! Sounds like you live in a well populated area. I neglected to mention we live in a very rural community. The only place for swimming lessons is at an outdoor pool up a mountain so it’s only good for two months in the summer. There are absolutely no community classes for little ones like tumbling and there are no companies within a 30 minute drive that offer any space for free play except the McDonald’s I mentioned in my post.

I think that what you’ve suggested is an ideal i would love to see in every community. But our community is considered quite poor and so I feel a great place to start is with a community provided indoor play area because for many of the moms I know, $7/hr is not even a remote possibility. For them it’s a choice between dinner and play. Obviously they choose dinner. But I’d like to find a solution to provide them with both. I think communities have done a good job of getting parks established with swings, playgrounds and open fields for sports. Now I’d like to see them take it one step further and create an indoor structure to help out in the winter for those of us who live in cold winter climates or the summer for those who live in hot summer climates.

]]> By: strwberryjoy http://becausebabiesgrowup.com/2010/02/what-i-want-for-every-community.html/comment-page-1#comment-1005 strwberryjoy Mon, 22 Feb 2010 13:34:25 +0000 http://becausebabiesgrowup.com/?p=912#comment-1005 I don't think $7/hr is that much for a play place. We also have a church with a huge indoor playplace...tubes/slides/indoor picnic area. It's their community outreach program. There is NO CHARGE, has great hours and all they ask is that you clean up after yourselves. It's never busy. I would suggest looking into Gymboree classes as they are very physical but they only go up to age 5 http://www.gymboreeclasses.com/index.jsp AND they are pricey...but very educational. They also allow open "gym" hours to come play after hours. Another thing to look into would be something through the Parks and Recreation Department. Ours offers tumbling classes starting at 18 months. Again, pricey, but I don't expect anything good for free. A lot of high schools offer open swim hours at their pools for cheap, as well as having open hours for walking on indoor tracks. That would be good run around space and usually there are basket ball courts too. There is also another local church that offers a winter basketball program for kids which is great for the slightly older bunch. There is a "bouncy" place nearby too. It's not a restaurant, but does have a "fast food like" counter with pizza and junk, but that's not the focus. http://www.monkeyjoes.com/ It's also meant for a birthday party venue, but they have toddler bouncy areas which are great for even little crawlers. The other thing I would say to check out is local swim lessons but again, expensive. We paid $80 for 6 lessons that were 45 minutes long. They were very good though and they did water games/songs as well as swimming and safety skills. I don’t think $7/hr is that much for a play place. We also have a church with a huge indoor playplace…tubes/slides/indoor picnic area. It’s their community outreach program. There is NO CHARGE, has great hours and all they ask is that you clean up after yourselves. It’s never busy.
I would suggest looking into Gymboree classes as they are very physical but they only go up to age 5 http://www.gymboreeclasses.com/index.jsp AND they are pricey…but very educational. They also allow open “gym” hours to come play after hours.
Another thing to look into would be something through the Parks and Recreation Department. Ours offers tumbling classes starting at 18 months. Again, pricey, but I don’t expect anything good for free.
A lot of high schools offer open swim hours at their pools for cheap, as well as having open hours for walking on indoor tracks. That would be good run around space and usually there are basket ball courts too.
There is also another local church that offers a winter basketball program for kids which is great for the slightly older bunch.
There is a “bouncy” place nearby too. It’s not a restaurant, but does have a “fast food like” counter with pizza and junk, but that’s not the focus. http://www.monkeyjoes.com/ It’s also meant for a birthday party venue, but they have toddler bouncy areas which are great for even little crawlers.
The other thing I would say to check out is local swim lessons but again, expensive. We paid $80 for 6 lessons that were 45 minutes long. They were very good though and they did water games/songs as well as swimming and safety skills.

]]> By: A Magical Childhood http://becausebabiesgrowup.com/2010/02/what-i-want-for-every-community.html/comment-page-1#comment-995 A Magical Childhood Fri, 19 Feb 2010 16:40:42 +0000 http://becausebabiesgrowup.com/?p=912#comment-995 I've wanted one in our area for years. We're in Minnesota and it's so cold for so much of the year we really need a fun place to let the kids run and play. We're in a little town but the McDonalds a half hour away replaced their play area with just a slide and video games. Ugh. When they had a ball pit it always smelled terribly bad, though, so I guess they figured this was easier. I've read about lots of free community play places in Europe and would love to see indoor play areas as common as parks over here. They could set up coffee stands and such to bring in a little income. Just found your blog and love it, BTW! I’ve wanted one in our area for years. We’re in Minnesota and it’s so cold for so much of the year we really need a fun place to let the kids run and play. We’re in a little town but the McDonalds a half hour away replaced their play area with just a slide and video games. Ugh. When they had a ball pit it always smelled terribly bad, though, so I guess they figured this was easier.

I’ve read about lots of free community play places in Europe and would love to see indoor play areas as common as parks over here. They could set up coffee stands and such to bring in a little income.

Just found your blog and love it, BTW!

]]> By: Heidi http://becausebabiesgrowup.com/2010/02/what-i-want-for-every-community.html/comment-page-1#comment-992 Heidi Fri, 19 Feb 2010 03:41:56 +0000 http://becausebabiesgrowup.com/?p=912#comment-992 We have a place in town that my daughter calls "The Bouncy House." It's really called Parties R Us, and their main focus is a venue for throwing large kid parties indoors. But the main attraction is the 8 large bouncy house toys to play on. You pay for a 2 hour chunk of time and bounce away on bouncy slides, bouncy houses, and bouncy obstacle courses. It has been a godsend this winter with an active toddler and subzero temps. Now, if they would allow an hour of 'drop off time' when all the mommies and daddies could go in the other room and do yoga, that would be extra awesome!! I would love to have more "Mommy and Me" type classes available to the public. We take a yoga class once a week, but I would love to do more. Our community center and adult ed is awesome - I just need to find child care in order to take advantage of any of it. We have a place in town that my daughter calls “The Bouncy House.” It’s really called Parties R Us, and their main focus is a venue for throwing large kid parties indoors. But the main attraction is the 8 large bouncy house toys to play on. You pay for a 2 hour chunk of time and bounce away on bouncy slides, bouncy houses, and bouncy obstacle courses. It has been a godsend this winter with an active toddler and subzero temps.

Now, if they would allow an hour of ‘drop off time’ when all the mommies and daddies could go in the other room and do yoga, that would be extra awesome!!

I would love to have more “Mommy and Me” type classes available to the public. We take a yoga class once a week, but I would love to do more. Our community center and adult ed is awesome – I just need to find child care in order to take advantage of any of it.

]]> By: Sara http://becausebabiesgrowup.com/2010/02/what-i-want-for-every-community.html/comment-page-1#comment-991 Sara Fri, 19 Feb 2010 00:48:01 +0000 http://becausebabiesgrowup.com/?p=912#comment-991 Amber - I loved this entry. I've spent all day thinking about what I would want. I think at this point a good community center would be awesome - with a cheap workout facility and fun classes from cooking to gardening to quilting and whatnot. It's a lot to ask, but it would be so nice. Amber – I loved this entry. I’ve spent all day thinking about what I would want. I think at this point a good community center would be awesome – with a cheap workout facility and fun classes from cooking to gardening to quilting and whatnot. It’s a lot to ask, but it would be so nice.

]]> By: Shea http://becausebabiesgrowup.com/2010/02/what-i-want-for-every-community.html/comment-page-1#comment-990 Shea Thu, 18 Feb 2010 22:14:32 +0000 http://becausebabiesgrowup.com/?p=912#comment-990 My girls call it the same thing. There is a mom's club here that spent several years fundraising money to put a playground in the mall. It is the only other alternative to McD's here. My girls call it the same thing. There is a mom’s club here that spent several years fundraising money to put a playground in the mall. It is the only other alternative to McD’s here.

]]> By: Amanda http://becausebabiesgrowup.com/2010/02/what-i-want-for-every-community.html/comment-page-1#comment-989 Amanda Thu, 18 Feb 2010 21:29:35 +0000 http://becausebabiesgrowup.com/?p=912#comment-989 I'm in a similar situation. I'm not into fast food and it's not something that I want as a mainstay in our diet and the closest indoor mall play area is 30 miles away. I'd love somewhere for Jess to play indoors during the hot summer months here (since winter is when we do our playing outside). I’m in a similar situation. I’m not into fast food and it’s not something that I want as a mainstay in our diet and the closest indoor mall play area is 30 miles away. I’d love somewhere for Jess to play indoors during the hot summer months here (since winter is when we do our playing outside).

]]> By: ajpassey http://becausebabiesgrowup.com/2010/02/what-i-want-for-every-community.html/comment-page-1#comment-988 ajpassey Thu, 18 Feb 2010 19:19:31 +0000 http://becausebabiesgrowup.com/?p=912#comment-988 @Kelly: I was proud of Sammi, too, for not knowing what McDonald's was. Too bad that's changed now :( I hadn't thought of checking out churches for indoor play areas. I've sen several around us with outdoor areas, but I don't know if any of them indoor play spaces. @Kelly: I was proud of Sammi, too, for not knowing what McDonald’s was. Too bad that’s changed now :( I hadn’t thought of checking out churches for indoor play areas. I’ve sen several around us with outdoor areas, but I don’t know if any of them indoor play spaces.

]]> By: Jenn http://becausebabiesgrowup.com/2010/02/what-i-want-for-every-community.html/comment-page-1#comment-987 Jenn Thu, 18 Feb 2010 19:19:22 +0000 http://becausebabiesgrowup.com/?p=912#comment-987 I agree with you. We need indoor places to play. I agree with you. We need indoor places to play.

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