Our 14th Annual Day of Play Family Festival was a resounding success! On September 13, 2025, thousands of people enjoyed a wide range of activities, crafts, and entertainment at the free Day of Play at Elm Park in Worcester. Read on to learn how our community celebrated the power of play.
Attendees of All Ages Enjoyed a Day of Family-Friendly Fun
The power of play was on full display at Day of Play. Highlights from this year's family festival included:
- Cornhole toss, magnet fishing, an obstacle course, a dance class, and other activities promoting active physical play
- A tot-sized neighborhood where children could play, build, and explore to their heart's delight
- A creative play area where children could join drum circles with Head Start music teacher Tony Wilson, add thumbprint "leaves" to a community tree with Together for Kids Coalition, and much more
- The hilarious granny pants game, which involves players slipping into oversized, colorful “granny pants” and racing to catch bouncing balls
- Family yoga, tai chi, and other mindfulness play activities
- Alphabet rock pits where children could move letters around to build words, opportunities for children to make a plush reading buddy, and other activities to help children become better readers
- A STEM station where children could design, build, and test different materials in the same ways engineers do to find creative solutions to a wide range of problems
- A creative arts project where children could use crayons, stickers, and other materials to craft their own crowns and wear them once they were done
- A teddy bear clinic where children could use a stethoscope and a thermometer and apply bandages to stuffed animals and dolls while learning about the importance of getting an annual checkup
- Opportunities to see and explore a fire truck and meet with Worcester Fire Department firefighters
- Samples of nutritious and delicious milk from Garelick Farms
- A live animal presentation from Leo Spinner of Skins & Scales
- Live performances from The L-Jays, Chuck & Mud, and many others
- Appearances by WooSox mascot Smiley Ball, Worcester Bravehearts mascot Jake the Lion, and Libby, Worcester's mobile library
- Countless laughter and smiles from children, parents, and volunteers
Shelese Johnson, an Edward Street Board Member and Department Head of Early Childhood at Worcester Technical High School, has proudly served as a Day of Play volunteer since we launched our family festival.
This year, Shelese and many of her students at Worcester Technical High School volunteered at Day of Play.
For Shelese and her students, the festival was an opportunity to foster a spirit of servitude and give back to the community.
"It’s important for our tech students to know the importance of volunteerism and pouring into our communities," Shelese says. "I’ve been volunteering in the community my entire career. It’s a wonderful feeling, one that I want them all to experience. No matter how big or small the deed, it can make an impactful difference in the lives of others."
Day of Play Links the Joy of Play to the Joy of Learning
At Day of Play, attendees have lots of opportunities to get outdoors, play, and have fun with family and friends. As visitors enjoyed the festival's events and activities, they also learned through the power of play.
"We had so much fun at the Worcester Day of Play," said a mother who attended Day of Play with her two children. "We enjoyed the live music and performances. My 2-year-old loved driving the fire truck and school bus, while my 6-year-old loved creating buttons, a shield, and building cars to roll down the ramp at the physics table. They both loved the rubber duckies they won spinning a prize wheel. We stayed until close and still weren't ready to leave. We can't wait to go back next year!"
Additionally, the vignette below provided by the grandmother of a child and mother at Day of Play highlights what it's like for parents and children to attend.
"Brayden was with his mother in Worcester this weekend and ended up at the Day of Play event. To quote Brayden, he said, 'It was the best, they had absolutely everything fun a kid could think of! I played all day long!' The cubes (boxes) were one of his favorite things. It was a true example of kids having a really great day when their parent might otherwise not be able to afford a day like that. It created a really nice memory for both Brayden and his mom."
Day of Play Volunteers Make All the Difference in the World
We want to thank everyone who volunteered for our 2025 Day of Play and made it an amazing festival for all of our attendees.
Our volunteers went above and beyond to make sure everyone's Day of Play experience was special.
"Everybody already knows about the huge variety of different activities, but they might not realize how much the quality of volunteers boosts the experience," says Natalie Bauer, who has attended the past two Day of Play festivals with her family. "The volunteers bring such great energy and enthusiasm that it takes some of the burden off of parents to keep the kids engaged and on task. At each station, they help get the kids excited about the activities and explain them in an age-appropriate way."
For example, Natalie says her 4-year-old was able to do one of the programming/STEM activities in a different way from the 9-year-old next to her, and both children had a blast and learned something from the experience.
"The volunteers made the day so much more fun for my daughter. Many of them even helped her determine which stations to go to next, based on her interests and skill level," Natalie says. "If you’ve ever seen an episode of Ms. Rachel (and she’s pretty hard to miss) you know how she can make any task fun, easy to understand, and engaging, and that’s the spirit that was present throughout the entire Day of Play. It really can’t be beat."
Without Our Volunteers, Day of Play Wouldn't Be Possible
Day of Play is a testament to the hard work of our volunteers. These individuals commit substantial time and energy to get ready for Day of Play, making sure everything goes off without a hitch.
As Day of Play gets underway, our volunteers remain accessible to help parents, children, and families make the most out of their experience. And it doesn't end there! Even as we pack up the park, we've started planning for next year. Each year, our Planning Committee helps us elevate the event.
"Our volunteers are the secret sauce. Their enthusiasm and delightful engagement of each attendee sets the festival apart," says Kim Davenport, CEO of Edward Street. "They are why many parents, children, and families have made Day of Play an annual tradition, and they often come back year after year to help us plan for and coordinate our family festival. We are incredibly grateful and appreciative for all that they do."
Thank You to Our Generous Sponsors!
We're continuing to look for ways to grow our family festival, and our sponsors are helping us do just that.
Our sponsors provide fiscal and in-kind support, so the community can continue to enjoy the Day of Play for free.
Presenting Sponsors
- Edward Street
- City of Worcester
- Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care (EEC)
- Worcester Family Partnership
Activity Sponsors
- Garelick Farms
- Guild of St. Agnes
- The Hanover Insurance Group Foundation
- Wegmans
Contributing Sponsors
- Eastern Bank
- Groundworks
- Middlesex Savings Bank
- Rainbow Child Development Center
- YMCA of Central Massachusetts
Supporters
- All One Credit Union
- Bob's Discount Furniture
- Boys & Girls Club of Worcester
- Cornerstone Bank
- Country Bank
- Early Childhood Advocates for All (ECAA)
- Lakeshore Learning
- OpenSky Community Services
- Webster Square Day Care Center
- Price Chopper/Market 32
- Worcester Comprehensive Education and Care
- YWCA of Central Massachusetts
- Quinsigamond Community College
It's Never Too Early to Get Involved in Our 2026 Day of Play
2026 marks the 15th anniversary of Day of Play. For those who'd like to get involved in Day of Play as an interactive activity provider or volunteer, email us at info@worcesterdayofplay.org or call us at 508-792-0220 for more information.
You can also sign up for our mailing list to get updates about next year's Day of Play and our monthly Day of Play newsletter featuring fun activities for families and children.