Family Fun on the Plaza! 2015 Kidoinfo Play in the Park and Storytime + Art in the Park: The Great Green Room!
Kidoinfo + Greater Kennedy Plaza present: Summer Family Fun on the Plaza in Burnside Park
Tuesdays and Thursdays (July and August). FREE. All Ages.
Now in its 6th year, Kidoinfo has partnered with Jen Smith of the Downtown Providence Parks Conservancy to create FREE weekly summer events, both fun and enriching, that attracts hundreds of families to downtown Providence.
Downtown Tuesdays! Kidoinfo Play in the Park
Every Tuesday (July 7 - October 27) from 3-6pm
Music, games, educational activities, a Free-Play Mobile Playground and more for kids of all ages! Added bonus: Food trucks!Designed to support and encourage children’s playtime: Music, games, educational activities and more for kids of all ages along with weekly enrichment programming from community partners. This year, Kidoinfo will be teaming up with playSCIENCE in July and August to offer hands-on fun. Miss Katie will be leading nature-oriented expeditions and musical shindigs to enlighten our little ones.
Thursdays on the Plaza! Kidoinfo Storytime + Art in the Park: The Great Green Room!
Every Thursday (July 9 - August 20)
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 - The Great Green Room! This creative program encourages children to make and participate in their own storytelling magic through art. Our 2014 visiting artist, Ricky Katowicz is back for 2015 programming to host The Great Green Room! Where the stories of Margaret Wise Brown, such as Goodnight Moon, Runaway Bunny, The Important Book and others will be transformed into magical experiences using all of the 5 senses. Katowicz will be hosting several guest artists to lend their specialties to the playful and rhythmic styles of Margaret Wise Brown’s works.
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 7: Play in the Park
- 3:00 — 6:00pm
Family friendly activities and Playspace at the Imagination Center
Featured Activity: This year, Kidoinfo teams up with playSCIENCE in July and August to offer hands-on fun. Miss Katie will be leading nature-oriented expeditions and musical shindigs to enlighten our little ones.
Thursday, July 9: Storytime and Art in the Park
10:30am — 12:30pm
- Storytime with featured storyteller: John Mcniff, Tales of the Gaspee
- Art in the Park: The Great Green Room! (following Storytime) with guest artist Ricky Katowicz
Featured AIP Activity: Runaway Bunny with Melissa Jones.
Week 2 :
Tuesday, July 14: Play in the Park
- 3:00 — 6:00pm
Family friendly activities and Playspace at the Imagination Center
Featured Activity: This year, Kidoinfo teams up with playSCIENCE in July and August to offer hands-on fun. Miss Katie will be leading nature-oriented expeditions and musical shindigs to enlighten our little ones.
Thursday, July 16: Storytime and Art in the Park
10:30am — 12:30pm
- Storytime with featured storyteller: Valerie Tutson
- Art in the Park: The Great Green Room! (following Storytime) with guest artist Ricky Katowicz
Featured AIP Activity: Seven Little Postmen with Jess Rosenkranz
Week 3:
Tuesday, July 21: Play in the Park
- 3:00 — 6:00pm
Family friendly activities and Playspace at the Imagination Center
Featured Activity: This year, Kidoinfo teams up with playSCIENCE in July and August to offer hands-on fun. Miss Katie will be leading nature-oriented expeditions and musical shindigs to enlighten our little ones.
Thursday, July 23: Storytime and Art in the Park
10:30am — 12:30pm
- Storytime with featured storyteller: Len Cabral
- Art in the Park: The Great Green Room! (following Storytime) with guest artist Ricky Katowicz
Featured AIP Activity: The Noisy Book with Bevin Kelley (aka Blevin Blectum)
Week 4:
Tuesday, July 28: Play in the Park
- 3:00 — 6:00pm
Family friendly activities and Playspace at the Imagination Center
Featured Activity: This year, Kidoinfo teams up with playSCIENCE in July and August to offer hands-on fun. Miss Katie will be leading nature-oriented expeditions and musical shindigs to enlighten our little ones.
Thursday, July 30: Storytime and Art in the Park
10:30am — 12:30pm
- Storytime with featured storyteller: Intergalactic creature troupe BIG NAZO
- Art in the Park: The Great Green Room! (following Storytime) with guest artist Ricky Katowicz
Featured AIP Activity: The Color Kittens with Wendi Wing
Week 5:
Tuesday, August 4: Play in the Park
- 3:00 — 6:00pm
Family friendly activities and Playspace at the Imagination Center - Featured Activity: This year, Kidoinfo teams up with playSCIENCE in July and August to offer hands-on fun. Miss Katie will be leading nature-oriented expeditions and musical shindigs to enlighten our little ones.
Thursday, August 6: Storytime and Art in the Park
10:30am — 12:30pm
- Storytime with featured storyteller: Keith Munslow
- Art in the Park: The Great Green Room! (following Storytime) with guest artist Ricky Katowicz
Featured AIP Activity: Little Fur Family with Lindsay Metivier
Week 6:
Tuesday, August 11: Play in the Park
- 3:00 — 6:00pm
Family friendly activities and Playspace at the Imagination Center
Featured Activity: This year, Kidoinfo teams up with playSCIENCE in July and August to offer hands-on fun. Miss Katie will be leading nature-oriented expeditions and musical shindigs to enlighten our little ones.
Thursday, August 13: 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: The Great Green Room! (following Storytime) with guest artist Ricky Katowicz
Featured AIP Activity: The Important Book with Rachel Blumberg
Week 7:
Tuesday, August 18: Play in the Park
- 3:00 — 6:00pm
Family friendly activities and Playspace at the Imagination Center
Featured Activity: This year, Kidoinfo teams up with playSCIENCE in July and August to offer hands-on fun. Miss Katie will be leading nature-oriented expeditions and musical shindigs to enlighten our little ones.
Thursday, August 20: Storytime and Art in the Park Closing Event
10:30am — 12:30pm
- Storytime with featured storytellers: Author/illustrator showcase
- Art in the Park: The Great Green Room! (following Storytime) with guest artist Ricky Katowicz
Featured AIP Activity: Goodnight Moon with Lily DaMota
Week 8:
Tuesday, August 25: 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, Providencea
Category: activities: outdoor, art, community, community news, free / cheap, kidoinfo event, kidoinfo news, parks/playgrounds, play, special events, stories and telling
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