Ella Klepner, 2, plays with a concoction of food coloring and chia seeds on Monday at the Lend & Learn playground. “We’ve been coming here for about a year,” said Klepner’s mother, Emily, “I’m a stay-at-home mom so I’m always looking for things to do outside of the house.”
The Lend & Learn playground hosted the Messy Mondays Potions Lab event, put on by First Chance for Children, on Monday. Families with children under 5 showed up to the playground, which was outfitted with several stations for art and play.
“It’s great to have evening events because parents can fit it into their work schedule,” Gay Litteken, the executive director of First Chance for Children, said.
Nicole Schmitz talks to a young attendee on Monday at the Lend & Learn playground. “Being able to interact with kids all day, it’s what I love to do,” Schmitz said.
From left, Avery, 5, and Emma Knerr, 3, play on the swings with their mother, Sarah, on Monday the Lend & Learn playground. “This is their favorite activity,” Knerr said.
Amy Nations plays with her children Stevie, 6 months, and Heath, 5, on Monday at the Lend & Learn playground. Messy Mondays are a weekly event during the month of May.
