Westchester’s second Play2Learn Festival will be staged by the Harrison Public Library Foundation on Sunday, September 10 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event, which celebrates the importance of play in a child’s life, will be held in Ma Riis Park outside the library.
Riis Park. Contributed photo
“The Play2Learn Festival is all about the role of play in the development of children. Play contributes to their cognitive, physical, social and emotional well-being,” says Galina Chernykh, director of the Harrison Public Library. “It also gives parents an ideal opportunity to engage fully with their children.”
Eight different play zones with over 25 hands-on activities will be distributed throughout the park. Play zones include creative play, science, music and dance, physical play, sensory experiences, make-believe, construction, and technology. Bubbles, science experiments, cookie art, animal mask-making, giant building blocks, science, technology, engineering and mathematics projects and an obstacle course are just a few of the activities.
Popular partners and performers include Nora’s Ovenworks, A.I. Friedman, MacInspires, Clay Art Center, Curious-on-the-Hudson, Learn’ique, Chloe’s Kids, Songs for Seeds, and many more.
“We were delighted with the strong response to the first Play2Learn Festival,” says Dave Donelson, Harrison Public Library foundation president. “Over 1,500 parents and kids thronged the park and library and the feedback was tremendously positive. We look forward to an even bigger event this year.” The foundation sponsors the event through donations from numerous Westchester companies and individuals.
Popular food trucks will sell refreshments and musical entertainment will be ongoing.
The Harrison Public Library is at 2 Bruce Ave. in Harrison. For more information, visit http://www.harrisonpl.org/play2learn.
