The parking lot at the Warehouse in Solon is filled mostly with mini-vans and SUVs, evidence that a family-friendly event is taking place this Saturday afternoon. Open vehicle doors reveal tiny feet dangling above favorite toys that have found their way to the backseat’s floor during the drive to this month’s Young Family Play Day. As moms and dads herd their little ones into the Warehouse, a light rain begins to fall.
“I like the obstacle course,” says Jackson Kramer, who is five and a half -- almost six. “I like it because it has the most fun things on it and it’s the longest. The big slide and the castle has just one thing.”
Safe and dry inside the Warehouse, kids are running gleefully from giant inflatable to giant inflatable. For the seven and under set, it’s not a party without an inflatable structure, or three, to bounce around in. “My favorite is going down the slide,” shares four year-old Ella Burney.
Making a Big Place Smaller
For past two years, the Young Families ministry has hosted the once-a-month Young Family Play Day to provide families with young children a fun, safe, and weather-proof environment where kids can play while parents develop friendships. “It’s such a great place to come and connect with people,” offers Mandy Kennedy, who is keeping a watchful eye on her youngest son, Jack, as he toddles around the Warehouse. “[Play Day] is a time where parents can actually see each other and not just pass each other in the nursery. You can actually sit and talk and have dinner, and your kids can gel while they learn to play together.”
The Burneys agree. Stephanie and Brett Burney, along with their kids, Ella and Nolan, look forward to the play day. “It’s like what the pastors say from the pulpit all the time,” says Brett. “It’s an opportunity to bond with folks that you see, but that you don’t get to talk to on Sunday mornings. It shrinks the church a little bit.”
“It’s like a whole family play date,” adds Stephanie. “If we had all of us over in one of our homes, it’d be a little crowded and there’s nothing for them to jump on besides the furniture! But here, it’s like go right ahead. My four-year-old is in the other room right now, and I know that if there’s a problem, she’ll come and get me,” explains Stephanie. “But for now, no news is good news!
Dads Are People, Too
Young Family Play Day is for families with at least one child who is seven years old or younger. The ministry recognizes that families come in all shapes and sizes; single parents, grandparents, and extended family are all welcome.
Brett recalls coming to his first play day without Stephanie. “This is a place I don’t mind coming to by myself with the kids,” says Brett. “Even if you go to a place like Chuck E. Cheese, or Chik-Fil-A where they have a playground, I feel a little safer here. It’s an enclosed space, sponsored by the church, and we know that we’re going to see a lot of friends here that we see at church, and here we can get to know each other.”
For guys who are less inclined to make social plans for themselves after a long work week, coming to Young Family Play Day is the best of all worlds. “For my husband, Robert, who works outside the home, coming here lets him be social, spend time with the family, and develop his church relationships,” explains Stacy Kramer, mother of Jackson and Sidney.
But Wait, There’s More
The Burneys also point out that the afternoon’s activities have the added benefit of providing a quiet night at home. “The best part is that the kids get very, very tired. We go straight home. I dunk them for their baths and they’re in bed and it’s done,” says Brett. “Then Stephanie and I have special time to have a date night.”
“I think we look forward to it as much as they do,” laughs Stephanie. “It’s a built-in date night.”
A Chance to Relax
Despite the loud peals of laughter and screams of delight emanating from the Warehouse side, the overall feel of Young Family Play Day is relaxed. The Loft side provides a quieter space for dinner and conversation while contained frenzy occurs on the Warehouse side. “Kids don’t eat as well if there’s something attractive for them to go do,” notes Stephanie. “If you can get them over here, they’ll actually sit down and eat. It’s logistically just so beautiful.”
Stacy also appreciates that the families at Young Family Play Day look out for one another. “Here, there’s something nice about the understanding that we seem to have as parents that our kids are all just starting to figure out how to be friends and play together. That’s been a blessing.”
Building Bridges
Pastor Scott Kennedy oversees the Young Families ministry at Parkside and would like to grow the monthly event as a bridge building tool for people to bring friends and family. “I’d like to see more people invite their friends who might not be interested in going to church, but might be willing to take their kids out to a fun afternoon.”
Interested in connecting with other families? Visit our website for more information, or contact Rachel at rpeteya@parksidechurch.com, or join us on Facebook for updates on the next Young Family Play Day.
