Play for All
Application period for the 2025-26 program year opens January 8, 2025!
The Play for All project helps California libraries design and create welcoming family play spaces and offer meaningful programming around play for young children ages zero to eight.
Purpose
Research shows that play is essential to a young child’s development. The California State Library’s 2021 white paper Together, Learning More! documents the influential role play has in a young child’s cognitive, social, and emotional skills development. The paper also demonstrates that a range of play experiences is important for well-rounded development.
| Play Characteristic | Influence on Development |
|---|---|
| Imaginary Play | Creativity, Reasoning, Empathy |
| Social Play | Self-regulation, Pro-social skills, Language development |
| Physical Play | Fine motor skills, Scientific thinking, Language development |
| Game Play | Executive functions, Reasoning, Creativity (when open-ended) |
Many young children in California, however, do not have equitable access to safe spaces to play and learn. Play for All supports libraries in providing access to quality play spaces and play-based programming for young children in communities that have been marginalized, under-resourced, and underserved.
The Play for All grants are Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) funded. The projects meet Goal 4 of the California LSTA Investment Plan 2023–2027: Strengthen equitable resource-sharing and access to information, services, and opportunity with an emphasis on local community strengths and challenges.
Participating Libraries 2024–2025
- Butte County Library — Sure Start Family Playtime
- City of Escondido, Escondido Public Library — Escondido Library Little Explorers Safari
- County of Imperial Free Library — Libraries on the Spectrum Inclusion Project
- Fresno County Public Library — Betty Rodriguez Regional Library Play & Grow Center
- Oceanside Public Library — Empowering Communities Through Play
- Paso Robles Library Foundation — Paso Robles Play for All @ Your Library
- San Jose Public Library Foundation — EquityPlay Grant: Bridging Gaps in Access to Quality Play Spaces for Marginalized Young Children in San Jose
- Santa Fe Springs City Library — Pop Up & Play
Questions
Email earlylearning@library.ca.gov.