YORK, Pa. — Keystone Kidspace, a nonprofit organization in York, offers experiences, tools and mentors to help kids develop their imagination.
"We’re all about putting real materials and real tools in the hands of kids, so they can just come in here and do things the way that they want to do it and explore and have access to things that they might not otherwise have access to," Jennifer Borden, director of visitor experience, said.
This unique spot is teaching both kids and parents to explore, create and play in their own way.
"It’s so much fun because it gets kids and parents the ability to create and craft and tinker the way that they want to," Borden said.
Keystone Kidspace gives children the chance to get creative while learning science, technology, engineering, arts and math.
"We’ve got a wide range of arts and crafts, as well as technology pieces," Borden said. "Snap Circuits, 3-D printers here, so we can keep kids entertained for hours."
The activity center hosts a variety of classes, camps, exhibits and drop-in experiences.
"We have a winter cave that kids can crawl through and play with the snow that we have here," Borden said.
"We also have our ice rink. The kids can ice skate on and play with snow there, so we have lots of activities to keep both kids and adults engaged in this holiday season."
Keystone Kidspace also makes an effort to take their show on the road for families who can't visit their physical location; attend in-school assemblies and community events; purchase supplies and bring on more creatives, residents and experts to round out programs.
"What makes us unique is we really are the only maker space in the area, in the York area," Borden said. "A maker space means that we’re a place for kids and families can come and make things; it’s pretty simple. There’s nothing like this in our area, so to have it right in York, it's a great asset to the community."
Even activities that don't seem outright educational can help kids develop confidence and soft skills.
"Part of our mission is to teach kids that it’s okay to color outside the lines, it’s okay to fail," Borden said. "It teaches them resilience, teaches them how to problem solve, it teaches them how to work together in a group as well as individually."
According to their 2023 Annual Report, Keystone Kidspace reached over 1,500 children.
"It’s very easy for us to tap into our child-like side," Borden said. "To just climb through the winter cave that we have upstairs with the kids, to just get down and get dirty with them, to help them to be the best if they can be."
Keystone Kidspace has drop-in hours on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 12 to 4 p.m.
"Our target age is six to 16, but that doesn’t mean that a four-year-old is not gonna have fun here," Borden said. "We have right now three-, four-, five-year-olds here; they’re having a blast."
The maker space is also hosting a holiday mini camp starting Dec. 27.
"They go nonstop when they’re here a lot of times, and families come on the weekends, mom and dad think they’re only gonna be here for an hour or two and it’s four, five hours later and they’re still here," Borden said.