Kidoinfo + Greater Kennedy Plaza present Summer Family Programming in Burnside Park (adjacent to Kennedy Plaza), Downtown Providence
Now in its 5th year, Kidoinfo has partnered with Jen Smith of Greater Kennedy Plaza (a project of the Downtown Providence Parks Conservancy) to create FREE weekly summer events, both fun and enriching, that attracts hundreds of families to downtown Providence.
Tuesdays and Thursdays (July and August). FREE. All Ages.
Downtown Tuesdays! Kidoinfo Play in the Park
Every Tuesday (July 1 - August 26) from 3-6pm
Music, games, educational activities, a Free-Play Mobile Playground and more for kids of all ages!
Added bonus: Food trucks!
Thursdays on the Plaza! Kidoinfo Storytime + Art in the Park: Maurice Sendak’s Wild World!
Every Thursday (July 3 - August 21) 10:30am - 12:30pm
Families bring a blanket and enjoy different storytellers under the trees near the fountain in Burnside Park followed by art-making with guest artist Ricky Katowicz.
With PVD Food Trucks @ Kennedy Plaza (11:30am-1:30pm)
And later on Thursday: Family-friendly music series and beer garden from 4:30 — 7:30pm
- 10:30am: Storytime features at least one story each Thursday morning from a local Rhode Island author, illustrator or storyteller and is accompanied by a mini-mobile playground and facepainting for little ones who have the wiggles, so the whole family can enjoy!
- 11:30am: Art in the Park -Maurice Sendak’s Wild World! Travel to distant lands! Fly through a night kitchen! Dance a frenzied jig! Burnside Park will transform into a Wild World inspired by the books and characters of Maurice Sendak, Children and their parents (ie. Wild Things) are invited to join guest artist Ricky Katowicz. To build, glue, paint, mold, arrange, fashion, and style. Each making session is to be followed by a glorious display of the work — and a parade… or two… and a photobooth… plus you!
Open Air Reading Room and Imagination Center
The Imagination Center is currently getting spiffed up for the season and will be reopening in mid-July. Look forward to browsing books featured in past Storytimes and books from our Leave a Book - Take a Book program.
GET WITH THE PROGRAM! Donations for our “Leave a Book — Take a Book” bin are sought for the series. Your donations can make it possible for any child who needs or wants a book to take one home with them and keep the excitement about stories and books going! If you want information about how you can get involved and support this free, high-quality & accessible family programming, email: jen@kennedyplaza.org.
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS: City of Providence, The Dept. of Arts Culture & Tourism, Greater Kennedy Plaza, Downtown Providence Parks Conservancy, Providence Tourism Council, RISCA, Providence Phoenix, RISCA, City of Providence Department of Art, Culture + Tourism, Department of Park and Recreation, Books on the Square.
Family Fun on the Plaza Schedule:
Burnside Park, Downtown Providence, Rhode Island
Week 1 :
Tuesday, July 1: Play in the Park
- 3:00 — 6:00pm
Family friendly activities and Playspace at the Imagination Center
Featured Activity: Join Providence Children’s Museum to invent with Rigamajig, an imaginative large-scale building kit featuring wooden planks, wheels, pulleys, rope, and nuts and bolts, designed by RISD professor Cas Holman.
Thursday, July 3: Storytime and Art in the Park
- 10:30am — 11:30am
Storytime with featured storyteller with John McNiff, historian & re-enactor shares “Tales of the Gaspee — Rhode Island’s Independence Day” in the character of a sea-farer atop the sunken ship Hannah in Burnside Park! - 11:30am — 12:30pm
This week’s art project is a seafaring craft. Art in the Park: Maurice Sendak’s Wild World! with guest artist Ricky Katowicz begins July 10!
Week 2 :
Tuesday, July 8: Play in the Park
- 3:00 — 6:00pm
Family friendly activities and Playspace at the Imagination Center
Featured Activity: Imagination Playground
Thursday, July 10: Storytime and Art in the Park
10:30am — 12:30pm
- Storytime with featured musician, cartoonist, storyteller Keith Munslow
- Art in the Park (AIP): Maurice Sendak’s Wild World! (following Storytime) with guest artist Ricky Katowicz
Featured Activity: Playing In the Night Kitchen
Using recycled bottles, cartons, boxes, and cans, we will create individual dioramas (our very own ‘night kitchens’). Once complete we will use Play-Doh to recreate the airplane that Mickey formed In the Night Kitchen and fly it over the Milky Way. All tools and materials provided.
Week 3:
Tuesday, July 15: Play in the Park
- 3:00 — 6:00pm
Family friendly activities and Playspace at the Imagination Center
Featured Activity: Imagination Playground
Thursday, July 17: Storytime and Art in the Park
10:30am — 12:30pm
- Storytime with featured storyteller: Len Cabral
- Art in the Park (AIP): Maurice Sendak’s Wild World! (following Storytime) with guest artist Ricky Katowicz
Featured AIP Activity: Outside Over Here
Ida rescued her sister from the goblins with courage and her Wonder Horn. In this workshop, we make our own handmade kazoo horns using simple materials that can be found in any hardware store. All tools and materials will be provided. (Funnels and tubes make beautiful sounds!)
Week 4:
Tuesday, July 22: Play in the Park
- 3:00 — 6:00pm
Family friendly activities and Playspace at the Imagination Center
Featured Activity: Imagination Playground
Thursday, July 24: Storytime and Art in the Park
10:30am — 12:30pm
- Storytime with featured storyteller: Intergalactic creature troupe BIG NAZO
- Art in the Park: Maurice Sendak’s Wild World! (following Storytime) with guest artist Ricky Katowicz
Featured AIP Activity: Where the Wild Things Become
In this workshop, we construct our very own Wild Things masks from cardboard, fabric, fur, and paint. All tools and materials will be provided. There will be some taping, gluing, and stapling involved. Also, paint can be messy - so please dress accordingly.
When the craft is complete, a wild rumpus party will take place in the park!
Week 5:
Tuesday, July 29: Play in the Park
- 3:00 — 6:00pm
Family friendly activities and Playspace at the Imagination Center
Thursday, July 31: Storytime and Art in the Park
10:30am — 12:30pm
- Storytime with featured storyteller: Author + Author/Illustrator team Anika & Chris Denise
- Art in the Park: Maurice Sendak’s Wild World! (following Storytime) with guest artist Ricky Katowicz
Featured AIP Activity: Bumble-Ardy Birthday Party
It’s a birthday party for EVERYONE!!! Bumble-Ardy missed 8 birthdays in a row, so let’s make up for them! We’ll make our own birthday supplies and bring out a big pretend cake. Then we’ll sing happy birthday to ourselves! You’re all invited.
Week 6:
Tuesday, August 5: Play in the Park
- 3:00 — 6:00pm
Family friendly activities and Playspace at the Imagination Center
Featured Activity: Imagination Playground
Thursday, August 7: Storytime and Art in the Park
10:30am — 12:30pm
- Storytime with featured storyteller: Illustrator Jen Corace & author/illustrator Alison Paul
- Art in the Park: Maurice Sendak’s Wild World! (following Storytime) with guest artist Ricky Katowicz
Featured AIP Activity: Really Rosie, it’s Dress-up Time!
Put on your favorite get-up and come on over to the park! And then peek through “Rosie’s Costume Closet” to make that outfit even BETTER! We’ll have hats and scarfs, fake beards and mustaches, wigs and wands, and all manner of sparkly things. Like Rosie, we’ll dress up and create a character for ourselves. There’ll even be a photo booth to capture it all in the act.
Week 7:
Tuesday, August 12: Play in the Park
- 3:00 — 6:00pm
Family friendly activities and Playspace at the Imagination Center
Featured Activity: Imagination Playground
Thursday, August 14: Storytime and Art in the Park Closing Event
10:30am — 12:30pm
- Storytime with featured storyteller: Â Author Kara LaReau, Author/Illustrator Kelly Murphy & Author/illustrator Alison Paul
- Art in the Park: Maurice Sendak’s Wild World! (following Storytime) with guest artist Ricky Katowicz
Featured AIP Activity: Pierre & The Lion
Do you remember Pierre? And how he didn’t care? Well, let’s just say it leads to a rather unfortunate incident with a lion… In this workshop we’ll be making simple lion puppets …with a twist… eat or be eaten! When we’re all done we’ll definitely remember that we certainly do care.
Week 8:
Tuesday, August 19: Play in the Park
- 3:00 — 6:00pm
Family friendly activities and Playspace at the Imagination Center
Featured Activity: Imagination Playground
Thursday, August 21: Storytime and Art in the Park Closing Event
10:30am — 12:30pm
- Storytime with featured storyteller: Valerie Tutson
- Art in the Park: Maurice Sendak’s Wild World! (following Storytime) with guest artist Ricky Katowicz
Featured AIP Activity: Chicken Soup with a Calendar that’s Nice
In August it will be so hot, but we will use our cooking pot… no silly, we won’t be actually cooking anything! We will be using our hands to make a next year calendar out of bowls and spoons. All materials provided - just bring your nimble fingers and an appetite for Chicken Soup with Rice!
Week 9:
Tuesday, August 26: Play in the Park
- 3:00 — 6:00pm
Family friendly activities and Playspace at the Imagination Center
Featured Activity: Imagination Playground
NUTS ‘n BOLTS

Location: Under the trees near the fountain in Burnside Park, Kennedy Plaza
Rain/Heat location: Aurora, 276 Westminster Street, Providence, RI
Parking: Metered street parking. Park in the mall parking lot. $2 for up to 3 hours. Or check RIPTA.com for schedules.
Food: Bring a picnic or buy food from an array of local food trucks.
Ages: All ages
Cost: Free event
Story hours are a great way to discover new books with your child. Oftentimes kids love to hear their favorites over and over. Find them at the local library. When we want to a buy a copy for our own personal collection, we love to support local bookstores.
Here’s a list of some of our favorites:
- Books on the Square: 471 Angell Street, Providence, RI 02906
- Barrington Books — 184 County Rd. Barrington, RI, 02806
- Myopic Books — 5 South Angell Street, Providence, RI 02906
- Symposium Books — 240 Westminster Street, Providence
Great story time in the park, today. So nice to see how it’s grown over the years!