RIVERSIDE, CA – Target and national non-profit KaBOOM! awarded the City of Riverside Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department a $15,930 grant to use toward the purchase of an Imagination Playground in a Cart™, an innovative playground equipment system.

KaBOOM!, the national non-profit dedicated to giving kids the childhood they deserve through play, is working with Target to increase access to play across the country. Grants for Imagination Playgrounds are helping to achieve that goal by bringing active play to more than 430,000 kids across the country.

Imagination Playground in a Cart™ is an innovative design in play equipment that encourages creativity, communication and collaboration in play. With a collection of custom-designed, oversized blue foam parts, Imagination PlaygroundTM provides a changing array of elements that allow children to turn their playground into a space constantly built and re-built by their imagination.

“Riverside is honored to be selected to receive the Imagination Playground,” said Adolfo Cruz, Director of Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department. “We’re looking forward to seeing all of the imaginative ways kids will use this equipment.”

It is important for Riverside children to have access to new play equipment in a variety of locations and formats. Versatile equipment such as Imagination Playground TM encourage movement, exercise, creativity and fun, and is available for use at both indoor and outdoor venues. The department plans to use the new play equipment at City-wide special events such as the “Winter Wonderland” and “Spring Eggstravaganza.”

Unstructured, child-directed play has proven to help kids develop physically, emotionally, socially and intellectually, yet today’s kids have less time and fewer opportunities to play than any previous generation. The grant is part of Target’s ongoing efforts to help make wellness more affordable, accessible and inspirational for its team members, guests and communities.