Just before climbing up the soft plastic slide shaped like a pile of fruit, 4-year-old Phoebe Fuller declared it her favorite part of the new playground.
Little did she know, the slide ? and each piece of the play area at The Mall in Columbia ? carries a message of healthy living, which health officials hope will sink in as children play.
“Maybe the 10th time we come, we?ll mention to the kids, ?Hey, look at this,? ” said Phoebe?s mother, Kerry Fuller, referring to the fruit-shaped slide and words written in the carpet reminding children to brush their teeth and wash their hands.
Health officials unveiled the new health-themed play area Thursday as a gaggle of screaming children hopped, climbed and ran in stockinged feet through the plush playground.
Much like the kid-friendly spots at Marley Station Mall in Glen Burnie or Towson Town Center, the equipment is soft and the floor carpeted. But Howard?s play area also aims to educate.
“It?s not only for fun, but it teaches lessons,” said County Executive Ken Ulman, who attended the unveiling.
The playground, designed by Playtime, was built through a partnership between Howard County General Hospital and The Mall in Columbia.
“We are trying to help the county become a model public health community,” hospital President and CEO Victor Broccolino said.
It also fits in with the county?s Healthy Howard initiative, which seeks to incorporate health habits into daily activities, said Dr. Peter Beilenson, Howard?s health officer. The Healthy Howard mascot, a dog, greets children at the playground?s entrance with a list of safety tips.
IF YOU GO
The playground is in the J.C. Penny Court at the Columbia mall on Little Patuxent Parkway.
