Third spaces used to be ubiquitous in our cities, for both adults and children. A third space can be described as a place other than home or work (or in the case of children, school) where people to go to connect with others. Often it is intended to mean places that do not charge money to exist in, but a broader definition includes a monetary cost that does not deprive most people of being able to partake.
Back in the day, children of all ages roamed the streets unsupervised. Over the decades, parents and society both have reined in this feral nature of children. Whether that change is beneficial or harmful is another conversation, but the reality is that this has led to fewer third spaces for kids.
Most parents are familiar with the dreaded cabin fever mode, where kids are cranky or hyper – or both – on the daily. Getting out of the house is imperative in the later months in winter. But where to go to connect with other parents, for your kids to connect with kids, while not breaking the bank?
Libraries have been the traditional bulwark of free public spaces to connect with others. Lincoln Library, 326 S. Seventh St., provides children's programming for infants to teens. Its Library of Things may help liven up a dull week at home while away from the library as the selection not only includes tools, but toys, instruments, podcasting equipment and more. The Makerspace at Lincoln Library has open hours through the week as well as specialty classes.
Don't forget the libraries of towns surrounding Springfield. They also offer a variety of children's programming, available for free.
Springfield has another Makerspace, 1227 S. Pasfield St. It offers sewing, 3D printing and more. Most importantly, there are talented adults on hand who may collaborate on projects, if desired.
Springfield has a plethora of museums, and many have offerings for children. One highly regarded spot is the Illinois State Museum, 502 S. Spring St., which has an educational play place for children in the basement. The Changes exhibit was always a favorite when my oldest was little.
The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, 212 N. Sixth St., offers storytime and crafts monthly for free, though registration is required. Kidzeum, 412 E. Adams St., usually has a limited number of free admission days each year as well.
Both Kidzeum and ALPLM offer a reduced rate of entry for regular hours through the Museums for All program. Showing a SNAP card (EBT card) and an ID allows for a reduced entry fee or a reduced membership, making museums that charge admission more affordable for low-income families.
Parks have always been a spectacular third space for kids, though it's more difficult to utilize in winter excepting those hearty souls whose hides are impervious to winter cold. But on beautiful days, there are several options for outdoor play. Pick a park! Springfield has many with playgrounds and some with trails to walk.
Washington Park, 1501 S. Grand Ave., has been a beloved park for many generations. Southwind Park, 4965 S. Second St., is newer with families making memories there. All play places at Southwind are ADA accessible. Several inner- city parks, including Duncan (500 N. MacArthur Blvd.), Enos (1000 N. Seventh St.), Bergen (2900 E. Clear Lake Ave.) and Gehrmann (1000 N. Second St.) parks have had makeovers in the last few years for a new experience at an older park.
The new outdoor playscape at Lincoln Memorial Garden, 2301 E. Lake Shore Dr., is simply amazing, though again, winter is often too cold to enjoyably play outside. But on those warmer days, the playscape as well as the trails and trolls are wonderful to experience. The nature center offers educational displays as well. Additionally, Lincoln Memorial Garden offers events for nominal fees. The maple syrup tasting has been a must-do for decades.
Westside Christian Church, 2850 Cider Mill Ln., has a free indoor play area, as does Calvary Church, 1730 W. Jefferson St.
Intricate Minds, a low-barrier community center located at 619 N. Grand Ave. E., offers an arts and craft center for children, as well as various classes for free. The Garvey Tubman Cultural Arts and Resource Center, 1319 S. 13th St., offers a variety of art, music, and food classes throughout the year.
There are a lot of third spaces for children of all ages in Springfield and parents too, especially newer ones, need these third spaces as well their children. Winter can be long and cold, but the warmth and care of other humans carries us through to spring.
Carey Smith has older kids, and is thankful to the 217 Parents group on Facebook for the suggestions in this article.
