PLAY
Pop-up obstacle course
Street Lab’s PLAY program enables safe, hands-free play for children on closed-off streets in high-need neighborhoods. The program builds on our work at NYC play streets since 2013, and was designed from the ground up with industrial designer Hannah Berkin-Harper in response to COVID-19. The program launched in July 2020 in conjunction with the launch of the city’s first official Play Street Program. Program elements include:
- A touch-free obstacle course with colorful barriers, hurdles, balance beams that can be arranged in any configuration and combined with chalk drawings for custom challenges;
- Street chalk and layouts for creating engaging, appropriately-distanced zones for street games, and physical activities (maze, race track);
- Signage guiding people through the installation and encouraging all to maintain a safe distance;
- Custom-designed benches stored on a rolling dolly in a compact stack; and
- Street Lab staff to oversee all.
We’re determined to make a safe place for learning and play, so kids in these neighborhoods don’t fall behind. Thanks to SPIN for early support. And now, we’re making our PLAY kit for other cities too!
NYC Mayor announcing Street Lab at 2020 Play Streets:
PLAY Design Partner:
Hannah Berkin-Harper
PLAY Fabrication Partner:
Bancroft Design
PLAY Founding Sponsors:
Lead Sponsor 2020
NYC COVID-19 Response and Impact Fund at The New York Community Trust
Blog posts about PLAY:
Making a place for learning at NYCHA public housing
Many NYC kids who live in low-income neighborhoods report that there is little to do over the summer, especially when camps and cultural institutions are out of reach. To help fix that, for six weeks this summer, we created a safe place to hang out and learn next to...
Making a place for learning at NYC summer play streets
The Uni Project has brought learning to NYC play streets since 2013, and this year we deployed our newest program BUILD NYC to play streets at Butler and Forest Houses (NYCHA) hosted by the Police Athletic League (PAL). One of our goals was to work with play street...
Closing out summer play streets in the Bronx
Today, the Uni Project wrapped up a month-long series at NYC Play Streets. Over the past four weeks, we brought our program BUILD NYC to play streets at Butler and Forest Houses (NYCHA), hosted by the Police Athletic League (PAL). Made possible in part...