TAMPA, Fla. — Two Bay Area moms are drawing on their own childhood to bring more creative play to children.

Maggie Willman and Ashli Givens of South Tampa founded the nonprofit, "Rooted in Play." They collect and sanitize items that neighbors discard as junk. Then, they find an open space, lay out the loose parts and create pop-up play areas for children to use their imagination and create.


What You Need To Know

  • Rooted in Play is a nonprofit run by founders Maggie Willman and Asli Givens, where they collect and sanitize items that neighbors discard as junk and create pop-up play areas for children to use their imagination and create

  • Educational scholar Kyung Hee Kim says creativity has declined with 85% of today’s children less creative than children 30 years ago

  • Willman and Givens are applying for a grant that would bring the Rooted In Play program into schools, parks and neighborhoods

“We know kids are highly scheduled and don’t have time to sit and play and so they’re missing out on all the benefits that this play provides,” Givens said. 

Conducting her own research, educational scholar Kyung Hee Kim says creativity has declined with 85% of today’s children less creative than children 30 years ago.

“Play is vital to a child’s healthy growth and development because during play children learn important skills like teamwork, problem solving, creativity and critical thinking,” Givens said. 

Givens and Willman said they’ve seen a huge benefit in creating pop-up play areas for children. 

“Oh my gosh, it’s way better than I thought it would be,” Willman said. “It’s inspiring, it’s exciting. It brings out my own creativity.”

And children have been excited about it too.

“It’s really fun because you can build whatever you think of,” said Katherine Keipper, a young girl playing with loose parts. 

Since 2019, Rooted in Play has organized more than 90 pop-ups throughout the Tampa area and Givens and Willman said they're hoping to expand the operation.

They are applying for a grant that would bring the Rooted In Play program into schools, parks and neighborhoods. For more information, click here