Our work at NYC Play Streets
Play streets are a tradition in New York City. They are exactly what they sound like—streets closed to traffic for play, usually during summer when school is closed. For a time, when we first began working at play streets in 2013, the number of play streets seemed to be growing in NYC, thanks to support from the city’s health department and work by Transportation Alternatives. However in recent years, we’ve witnessed the closing of many of the city’s summer play streets in favor of more structured and controlled environments. Others have noted this as well. And just like adults, children appear to be spending more of their free time at home in front of screens. Despite this, we want to continue to support play streets because we believe that city children need space for unstructured, spontaneous, voluntary play.
Photos of our work at NYC Play Streets:
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Uni Reading Room, East Harlem Play Street
Uni Reading Room, West Harlem Play Street
Uni Reading Room, Jennings Play Street, Bronx
Uni Reading Room, Rivera Ave Play Street, Bronx
Uni Reading Room, Irving Play Street, Bronx
Uni Reading Room, Forest Ave Play Street, Bronx
Blog posts about our work at NYC Play Streets:
Uni READ, DRAW, SOLVE at Jennings Play Street in Bronx
This summer, we are once again deploying to play streets in Harlem and the Bronx. Today, I worked one of our favorites, run by Caldwell Programs in Morrisania. I hung out, and took some photos, let the kids take photos, and gathered feedback for our new...
Uni Project embarks on 8-week initiative to reach kids at NYC play streets
Every year, in July and August, we turn our attention to a special effort: how to reach NYC kids with reading and learning opportunities outside of school, during summer. With start-up funding from the Shippy Foundation, we deploy the Uni portable reading room right...
Uni at play streets. Booyah!
This summer, we created regular pop-up reading rooms at six different play streets in Harlem, the Bronx, and Brooklyn. Play streets are just what they sound like—streets closed to traffic so kids can play and get physical exercise. In NYC, the Uni Project is...
The Uni’s first Artist-in-Residence
This summer, illustrator and Parsons student Tiffany Lin was our artist-in-residence. We first met Tiffany as part of a class that created handmade books for the Uni on Governors’ Island. Tiffany made a scrolling book called LOOK UP! that told the story of a girl...
Uni at West Harlem Play Street, 2014
Every Thursday in July and August 2014, we deployed the Uni reading room to a play street at Broadway and W 137th St run by Harvest Home next to their farmers' market. Learn more about our ongoing effort at play streets. Made possible by a generous grant from Shippy...
Uni reading room at Bronx Play Street, Summer 2014 (p2)
(Page 2 of 2) In July and August 2014, we deployed the Uni reading room to a new play street run by Caldwell Programs on Jennings Street near Prospect Ave in the Morrisania neighborhood of the Bronx. Learn more about our ongoing effort at play streets. Our...