Park Forest Preschool has successfully expanded and enhanced its playground, thanks to overwhelming community support. The nonprofit, state-certified school has provided early childhood education to income-qualifying families in Centre County since 1967. This expansion will offer even more educational and exploratory opportunities for children.
Located on the grounds of Park Forest Village United Methodist Church, the preschool already benefits from a large outdoor play area. However, the recent improvements aim to transform this space into an even more engaging, nature-based learning environment. The preschool’s staff and board of directors spent the past year developing a “wish list” for the playground’s expansion, focusing on creating spaces that encourage creativity, exploration, and active learning.
Key additions to the playground include:
An interactive bike path
Mud kitchens where children can use natural resources to mimic cooking
A new garden playhouse to promote role-playing skills
A larger, safer play area for two-year-olds
The success of the expansion was made possible through the generous contributions of local individuals, organizations, and volunteers. Notable supporters include:
100+ Women Who Care, who provided a grant for playground upgrades
PSU Landscape Architect Professor Peter Aeschbacher, who volunteered his design expertise and carpentry skills
PSU Landscape Architect students, who collaborated with staff to develop the expansion plan
Troop 31 Boy Scouts, who dedicated many volunteer hours to complete physical labor for the project
Park Forest neighbors Anne Whitney and Marc Wellington, who built and delivered two mud kitchens
Sam Walker, a Life Scout working toward Eagle Scout, who led the construction of a garden playhouse
Board members and their families, who contributed to the renovations and installations
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