Fiesta Schoolyards

Nearly 100 elementary schools in the City of Philadelphia have just an asphalt hardscape with zero schoolyard amenities or precious few, faded & worn.  Think of it!  Yet the cost of even one schoolyard has bottle-necked a quicker adoption of new schoolyards.  Therefore the Fiesta Schoolyard is specially designed:

• To more quickly transform School District of Philadelphia schoolyards from asphalt lots into dynamic spaces for play, learning, and community life.
• To convey to schoolchildren through a bright and clean schoolyard environment that they are important individuals who deserve good things in life.
• To provide neighborhood children a safe, clean, well-lit place to play and exercise in after-school hours and weekends.

  How does the Fiesta Schoolyards bring about “Smart, Impactful Transformation”?

• Smart – Quicker to create, more affordable than the typical schoolyard, and with play elements already been approved by the School District of Philadelphia, this methodology can scale.
• Impactful – Kids have more choices when there’s a variety of play elements arrayed before them. With painted games, maps, tunnels, performance stages, gardens, council rings or just a place to sit a moment, a Fiesta Schoolyard offers an engaging set of options that reaches the hearts and bodies of youngsters.
• Transformation – Stay tuned!  Evaluation, interviews and feedback will inform us and help us improve the Fiesta Schoolyard over time.

  Why Philadelphia? This is our home. We’re starting small with a budget limited for just a handful of pilot schools. However we seek corporate and government sponsorship and partnership. The goal is to provide every barren and desolate public elementary school play-yard in Philadelphia with a play-infused Fiesta Schoolyard!

Goal: To transform School District of Philadelphia schoolyards from barren asphalt lots into dynamic spaces for play, learning, and community life that fits the needs of each school community.