Playful Events Around Pittsburgh

Here are more local, playful events, activities, and programming happening throughout the Pittsburgh area.

Saturday Crafternoons at Assemble, (for learners 5-11 years old)

• Saturday, 01/28 | 1 - 3 p.m.

• Saturday, 02/04 | 1 - 3 p.m.

• Saturday, 02/11 | 1 - 3 p.m.

• Saturday, 02/18 | 1 - 3 p.m.

Silly Science Two Day Camp, Monday, 01/30 - Tuesday, 01/31 | 4 p.m. (Assemble)

Table Top Tuesday: Board Games, Every Tuesday | 12 - 2 p.m. (Schenley Park Cafe and Visitor Center)

• Tuesday, 01/31

• Tuesday, 02/07

• Tuesday, 02/14

• Tuesday, 02/21

• Tuesday, 02/28

Frick Environmental Center Outdoor Sensory Classroom Public Meeting

• Virtual Meeting, Tuesday, 01/24 | 12 - 1 p.m.

• In-person Public Meeting, Thursday, 01/26 | 6 - 7:30 p.m.

• In-person Public Meeting, Saturday, 01/28 | 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Fun with Fabric and Image Transfers!, Saturday, 02/11 | 3 - 5 p.m. (Trust Arts Education Center)

Seedlings: Winter Wonderland, Wednesdays (Pittsburgh Botanical Garden)

• Wednesday, 01/25 | 1 - 2:15 p.m.

• Wednesday, 02/01 | 1 - 2:15 p.m.

• Wednesday, 02/08 | 1 - 2:15 p.m.

• Wednesday, 02/15 | 1 - 2:15 p.m.

• Wednesday, 02/22 | 1 - 2:15 p.m.

Early Childhood Mornings, Wednesday, 02/01 | 10:30 - 11:30 a.m. (The National Aviary)

Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh "Playdate at the Library" Events, Various dates, times, and locations.

Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh "Meet & Play" Events, Various dates, times, and locations.

International LEGO Day, Saturday, 01/28 | 10 a.m. - 9 p.m. (Ross Park Mall)

Art as Self Care and Resistance with Juliandra Jones, Wednesday, 02/15 | 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. (CLP - Homewood)

Pittsburgh Center for Creative Reuse presents Sculpture Art, Saturday, 02/04 | 2 - 4 p.m.

Attack Theatre presents Dance Workshop, Tuesday, 02/21 | 4 - 5 p.m. (CLP - Homewood)

Isaac Bower Studio presents: Cojiform Interactive Sculpture Workshop, Saturday, 01/28 | 1 - 2 p.m. (CLP - Homewood)

EveryBody Outdoors: North Side Art Hike, Saturday, 02/18 | 1 - 3 p.m. (Randyland, 1501 Arch Street, Pittsburgh)

Young Adult: South Side Coffee Hike, Sunday, 02/26 | 9 - 11 a.m. (Southside Works)

Open Studio at the SLB Radio's Youth Media Center

• 2023 Schedule

  • Mondays - Thursdays | 3 - 7 p.m.

  • Saturdays | 1 - 5 p.m.

Welcome our newest Playful Pittsburgh Collaborative members! - January 2023

Grounded Strategies - Member Level: Affiliate of Play
Grounded’s mission is to improve the social, economic, and environmental health of distressed and transitional communities by building capacity to reclaim vacant and underutilized land.

Grounded uses the process of reclaiming vacant and underutilized land as a platform for engagement, education, and building trust among communities.

For more information on Grounded, visit groundedpgh.org.

Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh - Member Level: Activist of Play
The mission of Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh is to provide innovative and inclusive museum experiences that inspire kindness, joy, creativity and curiosity for all learners. Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh forges connections with artists, community partners and neighbors to work on behalf of children, youth and families, with a vision of transforming education.

For more information, visit pittsburghkids.org.

Sunshine Parties and Play LLC - Member Level: Promotor of Play
Sunshine Parties and Play is a full service decorating and gated soft playground company. Sunshine Parties and Play’s sensory soft play areas are fun environments that encourage interaction, exploration and creativity while also providing parents and caregivers a safe space to allow young children to play and be free.

To learn more about Sunshine Parties and Play, visit sunshine-parties-and-play.square.site.

Pittsburgh Center for Creative Reuse - Member Level: Promoter of Play
Pittsburgh Center for Creative Reuse is a non-profit that inspires creativity, conservation, and community engagement through reuse. Creative Reuse operates a non-traditional art supply shop located at the intersection of Wilkinsburg, Homewood, and Point Breeze, where people can donate used art and craft supplies, as well as shop for these unique items all in the same location.

Creative Reuse offers an array of creative programming that provides engaging experiences through hands-on making and virtual learning. Whether it's a birthday party, a classroom project, or a community event, each program can be customized to fit your vision.

For more information about Creative Reuse, visit pccr.org.

Playspaces in Pittsburgh and How You Can Help Improve Them

Playful Pittsburgh Collaborative spoke with Sue Lucas, Communications Specialist at CitiParks, to inquire about renovations to local spaces and if there are any clever, new projects coming soon to a neighborhood near you. Sue mentioned that Sheraden Park is entering Phase I of the Sheraden Park Master Plan. Sheraden Park is located in the West End of Pittsburgh and serves the neighborhoods of Sheraden, Esplen, Elliott, Chartiers City, Windgap, and Crafton Heights.

Arsenal Park, which is located in the heart of Lawrenceville, is also entering Phase I of improvements with its Master Plan as well. 

Sue also shared that Anderson Playground, or “the dinosaur playground” surrounding Squirrel Hill, Oakland, Greenfield and Four Mile Run neighborhoods, is getting an exciting renovation. 

The most exciting aspect of these park renovations is that you can use your voice to influence the end result. Community public input sessions allow for participants to attend virtually, and allow you to give your input on the direction of the playground’s design. 

Here are the upcoming Community Meetings for each park mentioned here:

• Anderson Playground 

• Sheraden Park

• Arsenal Park

As an advocate for creating, improving, and enjoying all of the various playspaces around Pittsburgh, our hope is that everyone living in Pittsburgh and surrounding communities visit a space that inspires play and playful moments.

One last thing before you go -- Check out these awesome Pittsburgh playspace resources:

• If Kids Built a City

• Which dinosaur do you want to see at the updated Anderson Playground? (Kidsburgh)

• 15 fun indoor play spaces in Pittsburgh and the surrounding region (Kidsburgh)

• 24 Indoor Pools and Indoor Water Parks around Pittsburgh for Wintertime Swimming Fun (Kidsburgh)

• A Parent's Guide to Indoor Play Places in Pittsburgh (Macaroni KID)

• 27 Fun Family Friendly Things To Do In Pittsburgh With Kids (TheEdvocate)

The Transformative Power of Games

During the conference when programming finished for the day, there was time in the evenings to play games with conference attendees and new friends. A slew of board and card games were strewn across the banquet table. There were more games to choose from than one could have found time to play. 

A favorite of mine was Sparkle Kitty, a game like Uno where silly word strings help you to unlock your princess from the tower.

Another game, called The Mind, has a deck with 100 numbered cards labeled one through one hundred. Players must get their scrambled hands in ascending order. The catch? There’s no talking. There were also many student developed games that were open to testing. From remote control to virtual reality, there was really something for everyone to play at this conference.

So, what did I learn about the transformative power of games? Games bring people together and help them connect with a new, common language [or a new understanding of  body language]. Learning a game with someone new is a fantastic ice breaker. As you play together, you come to understand the flow of the game better together. You help and support one another as game play continues. During our game play at the Conference, we all shared laughs and groans. We got on the same wavelength through play, networked, and made memories that none of us will soon forget.

To continue the conversation around how games transform us, here are some resources about gaming and play that resonated with me after attending this conference:

• [BOOK] The Transformational Framework

• Let’s Answer a Burning Question…What is a Transformational Game? (Schell Games)

• Gaming the System: The Many Educational Benefits of Game-Based Learning (EdSurge)

• [GAME] IMPACT: Learning Edition (KnowledgeWorks)

• [BLOG POST] Intro to Making Games using the Transformational Framework (Chaos Theory Gaming)

• Game-based Learning in the Classroom (Schell Games)

• Learn Through Play (PA Promise)

• [ACTIVITIES] 8 Brain-Building Games to Play in the Car (PBS Kids)

• Children’s Play Time Is a Key to Early Learning (BucksCo.Today)

• Non-Gendered Play in Early Childhood (Trying Together)

• Art Activities that Encourage Social-Emotional Development (Trying Together)

Looking for more suggestions? Try these unique games:

• Cover Your Assets 

• Skull King 

• Dimension 

• Catch the Moon 

Playful Pittsburgh Collaborative Partner Member Highlight - SLB Radio / Open Studio

Playful Pittsburgh Collaborative Member SLB Radio recently unveiled their Open Studio at the Youth Media Center (YMC), a free after school program for teens in grades 6-12 who are interested in podcasting and media creation. SLB Radio’s Director of Programs, Deanna Baringer, shared their story about why Open Studio is a great, playful space for teens to explore future opportunities in media.

SLB Radio Open Studio Highlight by Deanna Baringer

Microphones are a little bit magical: turn one on and suddenly, small voices become big. They invite us to tell stories, sing songs, play games, share our truths, and can help build connections between people young and old, across geographical and cultural divides. This is the kind of work SLB Radio has been doing for decades: amplifying the voices of youth over the airwaves, broadcasting live on Saturday mornings from our studio co-located in the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh, and offering programming for youth at sites around western Pennsylvania.

In May of 2022, we realized a long-time dream as we opened the Youth Media Center, a state-of-the-art 3,500 square foot expansion of our studio space designed to serve as a home for youth creators in Western Pennsylvania. The Youth Media Center includes flexible classroom space, recording pods, editing bays, and shelves full of books, games, and more. It’s the perfect place for young people to not only record podcasts, but to be creative in all sorts of ways.

Teens interested in podcasting and media creation are invited to join us at the Youth Media Center for Open Studio, our free drop-in program for teen creators in grades 6 - 12. Here are just some of the thing students can do during Open Studio:

• Create original podcasts and audio projects

• Record original work, such as poems, songs, stories, and essays

• Learn about writing, recording, editing, and more

• Play games, have conversation, and make new friends

…and so much more! Our specialty is audio, but the Youth Media Center is a place where creativity of all kinds is welcome and encouraged. Open Studio runs throughout the school year with weekly after-school hours Monday through Thursday, and weekend hours on Saturdays–a detailed schedule can be found on our website.

Playful Pittsburgh Collaborative Aims to Understand How Play is Perceived in the Pittsburgh Region with New Survey

The Playful Pittsburgh Collaborative Play Survey is seeking input from the public to gain a better understanding of how caregivers, educators, child care professionals, and kids in Pittsburgh currently play, what play resources they need, how they perceive Playful Pittsburgh Collaborative, and their current knowledge and understanding of play equity.

Play Survey Details

Playful Pittsburgh Collaborative advocates for equitable play opportunities for all people. The Collaborative is encouraging people throughout Pittsburgh to participate in this survey in order to continue its work of elevating the impact and benefits of play.

Those that participate in the Play Survey will be eligible to win one of ten $25 Visa gift cards.

The survey closes February 1st, 2023.

About Playful Pittsburgh Collaborative

The Playful Pittsburgh Collaborative is a group of organizations dedicated to advancing the importance of play in the lives of children, families, and communities in the Pittsburgh region by:

• Raising awareness that play is a critical element in the lives of people of all ages.

• Educating decision-makers (from parents to legislators) in our region so that their choices support access to play for people of all ages.

• Modeling (and inspiring) through various activities the actions we hope our broader community will take in their daily lives.

For more questions about the survey, or to learn more about Playful Pittsburgh Collaborative, contact Adam James at playfulpgh@tryingtogether.org or visit playfulpittsburgh.org.