On Wednesday, May 10, The Kaleidoscope Project officially launched with an intimate event at pilot site Beginning and Beyond, a downtown Raleigh childcare center. Community members heard directly from The Kaleidoscope Project partners about our mission to enhance the lives of Wake County children by working together as a community to turn the places kids go, into places kids grow.

To kick off the event, Beginning and Beyond children performed a song for guests, providing an immediate reminder of our mission.

Steering Committee members Pam Hartley of Marbles Kids Museum and Deborah Mugno of the Lucy Daniels Center provided background on the project and a vision for what the Wake County community can expect as we move forward. John Rex Endowment CEO Kevin Cain highlighted the reasons for his organization’s investment in The Kaleidoscope Project, citing our mission to enrich the places and spaces where children spend their time.

Beginning and Beyond owner Rosalind Blair provided a first-hand account of how she and her team intentionally designed an outdoor playground for the center, why Beginning and Beyond has partnered with The Kaleidoscope Project as a pilot site, and how she envisions her space growing for the future.

Guests experienced first-hand the way the outdoor playground at Beginning and Beyond was designed to help kids grow. The vegetable garden uses nature to nurture children’s development. The “hill slides” built into the natural slope of the ground allow adults and children to strengthen relationships as they play together. Children can express their feelings at the music wall.

With design features like these, Beginning and Beyond is a great example of a space that helps nurture children’s social and emotional development. The Kaleidoscope Project is excited to kick off this community collaborative so we can work together to create great children’s spaces across Wake County.