As a parent in the Philadelphia area, you’re always on the lookout for activities to enrich your child’s development. What if you could find a space that blends fun and therapy seamlessly? Enter Kids at Play, Roxborough’s sensory playground meets therapy center, named Philadelphia Family’s 2024 LOVE Award Winner, Best Inclusive Play Space for Neurodiverse Kids, thanks to nominations from local parents who love and trust them:

“I love everything about the sensory stations they have for children with special needs. I love the rooms they had to teach the kids things, everything about this indoor attraction was top tier!”

– Ariel J.

“Kids at Play has long been offering physical, speech, and occupational therapy, but this year they started offering ABA (applied behavioral analysis) and are launching a mental health outpatient program for children as well. They take insurance including Medicaid which is usually a huge barrier for families to access services for their kids. They opened their new building in May and greatly expanded their services!”

– Philly Family Community Parent

Stepping into Kids at Play is like entering a kid’s wildest dream playroom. The 8,000 square foot facility is a wonderland of swings, climbing structures, ziplines, cozy play houses, and endless engaging sensory activities. Does your child love running, jumping and exploring? This is their happy place.

Therapy in Disguise 

But Kids at Play’s real magic is how it integrates vital therapies into this playtime paradise. Speech therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and mental health services are woven throughout, using evidence-based approaches like Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). So as your child plays, they’re reinforcing therapies that feel like fun.

“Kids at Play was born out of the idea that kids grow and learn best in their natural environment such as a playground! We wanted to create a space where you did not know who was getting therapy and who was just playing,” says founder Julia Bookbinder. This normalization creates an inclusive environment free of stigma around therapy for your child.

 

Born From a Philly Mom’s Vision

Bookbinder, a clinical social worker, created Kids at Play after struggling to find accessible therapy services without long waitlists for local families. Her vision? To make therapy an integrated part of a beloved play space.

Kids at Play first opened in East Falls in 2016 as a community haven for open play, birthday parties, and therapeutic services. But as demand skyrocketed, they relocated to their new, bigger Roxborough home in May 2023. Bookbinder proudly shared her vision, “We custom built a much larger space allowing for more birthday parties and expanded therapy services. We launched our ABA program last summer, servicing children with an ASD diagnosis, and we opened our Mental Health outpatient program this year. We have worked hard to become in network with all Medicaid plans so that all families can have access to our services!” 

Accessible Mental Health Services

Kids at Play’s licensed mental health professionals collaborate with each child and family, offering assistance tailored to their social, emotional, and behavioral requirements. In each therapy session, their therapists work with the child to create healthy social skills and effective coping strategies for navigating challenges. These strategies include:

• Talk Therapy – Used to encourage open and honest communication
• Play Therapy – Facilitates the expression and processing of emotions enjoyably
• Family Therapy – Fortifies relationships and fosters healthy communication dynamics
• Group Therapy – Enhances social skills and fosters connections among peers with shared experiences and more!

Explore the Sensory Playground in Roxborough

This new facility is a veritable playground put together by the ultimate fun experts – kids! Interactive zones incorporate tactile delights like ball pits, crash pits and collaborative building. As your child climbs, slides and zips around, joy and development intertwine.

While the play is center stage, Kids at Play’s team of seasoned therapists works behind the scenes tailoring your child’s experience. They skillfully incorporate evidence-based methods to support development areas like behavior, speech, motor skills, and more.

A Family-Run Philadelphia Labor of Love

“The aspect that our facility has so many different programs under one roof for families,”  says Bookbinder. “We offer Early Intervention which is a free federally funded program for children 0-5 years old. We offer Open Play and Birthday parties. We offer clinic based therapy ranging from OT, PT, SLP, ABA and Mental Health. We offer a program called Parents as Teachers which is a free evidenced based home visiting program for families to support their parenting skills and resources.” 

They even created a nonprofit called Kids at Play Foundation, which repurposes both gently used and new childhood items and gives them back to our local community members in need. 

For Philadelphia parents seeking playtime, therapy support, or both – Kids at Play is an unparalleled local resource under one roof. Come experience this truly special inclusive play environment right in your Roxborough neighborhood!

Photos by JPG Photography.