When Kaylee Livengood and her husband traveled with their children in the past, they made a point of visiting children’s museums and play centers along the way. Their kids loved being able to touch, explore, pretend and figure things out for themselves. It was more than simply having a place to burn off some energy. They were learning without necessarily realizing they were learning.
At some point during one of those experiences, one of their children asked a simple question: “Why don’t we have something like this in our town?”
That question eventually became the idea behind Play Out Loud, a new play center with the feel of a children’s museum that officially opened in April 2026.
Located in the former Rudy’s store on Main Street in Oakland, Play Out Loud is not your typical indoor playground. While there are certainly opportunities for kids to climb, explore and be active, the focus is much more on interactive play and imagination. The goal is to give children a place where they can play, pretend and learn at the same time.
And there is plenty to discover.
One of the things that makes Play Out Loud different is the attention given to the individual activity areas. There is a rock pit, a vegetable stand, a pizza kitchen, a puppet stage and a train station, among other interactive spaces. There is even an impressive three-dimensional air tunnel that is unlike anything most children will encounter at a traditional commercial play center.
Many of these features are hand-built, locally created and larger than life. They were designed to encourage children to interact with their surroundings rather than simply move from one piece of playground equipment to another. A child can pretend to run a store, make a pizza, put on a puppet show or imagine they are working at a train station. The possibilities change depending on the child doing the playing.
That emphasis on imagination is part of what makes the center feel more like a children’s museum than a traditional play place.
What may be even more special, though, is how much of Play Out Loud has become a community effort. Kaylee and her family may have started with an idea, but local businesses and organizations have helped turn that idea into something much bigger.
Several local businesses have sponsored activity areas, helping make them recognizable and connected to the community. Partnerships include organizations and businesses such as the Farm Bureau, Mt. Fresh Pavilion, Mt. Postal and Foxes Pizza, along with many others that have contributed in different ways. Instead of generic play areas that could exist anywhere in the country, these partnerships help give Play Out Loud a sense of being truly local.
Kaylee said that once she and her husband began seriously considering the idea, it seemed as though doors kept opening and pieces began falling into place. What started with a child wondering why their hometown did not have a place like the children’s museums they had visited eventually became a real destination for local families.
The vision does not stop with the current setup, either.
Play Out Loud is working toward pursuing nonprofit status, with a target of January 1, in hopes of opening additional opportunities for private and public funding. The long-term goal is to continue developing the center into a genuine community playhouse for children, with rotating activities and exhibits that keep the experience fresh.
That could mean that a child who visits several times throughout the year will continue to find something new to explore.
Affordability is another important part of the mission. Regular admission prices are designed to be accessible for families, and Play Out Loud offers specials throughout the week. Two for Tuesdays and Sunday Family Days allow children to play for just $5 each. Local businesses have also sponsored special days when families can enjoy reduced admission.
For families looking for a place to celebrate, comprehensive birthday party packages are available as well. Memberships are another option for families who want to make Play Out Loud a regular part of their routine and take advantage of multiple visits.
With the center open seven days a week, there are plenty of opportunities to stop in, The Gravel Pit The Gravel Pit whether it is for a planned family outing, a rainy-day activity or simply a chance for kids to do something different.
Perhaps the best way to describe Play Out Loud is that it gives children permission to be curious. They can build, pretend, experiment, ask questions, make up stories and create their own adventures. There is no single “right” way to play.
For Kaylee Livengood and her family, an idea that began with a child’s simple question has grown into a place where other local children can make their own discoveries. And because so much of the center has been shaped with help from local businesses and community partners, Play Out Loud feels less like something that was simply brought to town and more like something the town helped build.
For families looking for something beyond the usual slides and tunnels, Play Out Loud offers a different kind of experience—one where play is the starting point, but imagination, creativity and learning come along with it.
Written by Tamra Canfield.
From the September issue of the Lakefront Magazine.