Activities such as telling stories and roasting marshmallows around a campfire, grilling and visiting farm stands provide memories for families, and the Green Hills Public Library District hopes to capture that vibe with its newly redesigned play area for children.
The new theme of the space is a natural fit for the library, 10331 S. Interlochen Drive in Palos Hills.
“I chose the campground theme because I wanted a name/theme that evoked exploring, playing and fun,” said Natalie Djordjevic, head of Youth Services. “This is what I want children to do in this space, so I wanted a name that reflected that.”
A mural painted during the COVID-19 pandemic was camping themed, “so the furniture, toys, and new additions were selected to fit our mural,” she added. “We did some touch-ups on the paint during this construction project just to clean up the space a bit.”
New play activities include log-like seating around a toy campfire with s’mores and roasting sticks that add to the playful element, a farmer’s market stand, complete with play food and accessories, a wooden play grill and a snake that children are encouraged to sit on.
Other activities that fire up imagination are a felt board table with themed characters and scenes, as well as an educational light table, which is the item Djordjevic likes best.
“My new favorite piece we added is the light table and all of the different science cards to use with it,” she shared. “I love that we have a toy that is perfect for sensory play and also educational.”
The light table includes X-ray transparencies and constellation patterns, encouraging young learners to explore science through play.
In addition to the play items out on the floor, staff worked to develop a new in-house toy collection. Library patrons can check out kits with themes such as building, sensory, cars, active play and music.
The reimagined space was part of the library’s 2025-27 strategic plan, “with the goal of transforming community feedback into functional results,” Deputy Director Sara Horn shared.
She said the strategic planning process included surveying residents to get insights on how to meet the community’s needs. “One of our strategic directions is to optimize library spaces for access and comfort, and redesigning the play area became one of our priorities based on patron response.”
Horn has high goals for the redesign. “We hope that the space provides a positive, lasting impact on those that use it,” she said. “These are some of the earliest interactions at the library for our youngest patrons. We hope that it can help establish a routine of regularly visiting the library as they continue to grow and pursue other services we offer.”
The project cost about $16,000, which was built into the library’s operating budget, and Djordjevic, with help from a committee, provided leadership for its planning and installation.
“I began by doing a lot of research on toys, furniture, and objects for the space. My main concerns were safety, ease of use, functionality, fun, if the new area and toy library would be manageable by staff, and cost,” she shared. “After, I created a very detailed proposal, timeline checklist, purchase list, and task list. The team then completed tasks on the timeline. I created the toy library, trained staff on all the new procedures, and finally, our facilities manager assembled all of our new purchases.”
Although one might be tempted to think only books would be important to libraries, that’s not the case.
“Our mission is to connect the community with information and experiences to inspire lifelong learning. Books and reading are still integral to our mission, but libraries have evolved into community spaces that serve more needs than ever before,” Horn explained. “For our youngest patrons, toys support learning, development, creativity, and imagination through play. And having an in-house toy library supports our sustainability initiatives since more patrons can get use out of the toys, reducing environmental and financial impacts.”
Thus far, patron reaction to the changes and additions has been positive.
“The moment we opened the space there was already a family waiting to use it, and we’ve seen a lot of excitement from children and parents alike while they explored the new space,” Horn said. “There have been times the space was filled with families enjoying themselves, which is really amazing to see.”
Djordjevic said some equipment has been more popular than others. “Definitely the farmer’s market stand and grill, play food and cooking is always popular. The big sit and play snake has been a huge hit too!”
Horn’s favorite part of the redesign is tied to produce. “I would have to pick the farm stand. When children serve up a platter of play food to their parent or caregiver, all with a big smile on their face, you can see their imaginations taking flight. And that is truly inspiring.”
Although no specific programs have been planned, they are in the works. “We would love to do some storytimes in the space during the upcoming school year,” Djordjevic said.
Melinda Moore is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
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