PlayMatters. Serious Fun Starts Here. GIVEAWAY CLOSED

Big or small, everyone is always looking for time to play, and we rightly do it. Free play is healthy and a basic need for all ages. Can’t wait for next weekend! But, while it comes around again, why make your little ones wait for a chance to play? Time to get serious about fun. Research shows that play is crucial for learning and developing while we have fun. How great is that!!

Let’s talk about a cool place: PlayMatters.

It is a 1000 square foot safe indoor play space dedicated to providing children 5 years old and under the perfect environment for their fun and early development needs. Focused on increasing the awareness on the importance of free play, and starting from the basic principal that free play is a child’s job, Play Matters gives children the opportunity to explore the world around them thanks to the different play centers available. Kids can dress up, discover new exciting art materials or play cook, all which allows them to develop their cognitive gross and fine motor and social/emotional skills as they also build self- confidence and acquire new skills.

The drive and dedication that Sally Annette Cote, the brains behind this wonderful children play space, gives out when talking about PlayMatters is contagious and frankly, uplifting to encounter people so devoted to what is good for children. This lady, who from very young wholeheartedly has been working with children, has a certificate in Infant and Toddler Care, two Associate Degrees; one in Early Childhood Special Education, a Bachelors Degree in Organizational Management with a minor in Elementary Education and is currently working on her MBA, is also planning to get her PhD in Early Childhood Education. Whew, oh, yes, she is a mom too. Sally was inspired by her son (the official greeter at PlayMatters), and she tells us that she had been wanting to start a child business for years, and when her son was born, she just new she had to do something, not to send him to childcare.

With a background like that you know PlayMatters has to be (and is) a fabulous preschool like atmosphere and the perfect place to play.

PlayMatters also offers:

-free play areas and special areas for the smaller ones who need tummy play time.

-a great place to meet up for playdates or meet new friends.

-supervised play if you need it.

-drop your kids for play while you run your errands.

- arts and craft activities for children as they come in.
-available to celebrate your little one’s birthday party (on weekends only).
-summer preschool program available.
-mom groups
-family friendly wholesome and educational workshops and events for parents and children.

Their next event is of course celebrating Halloween! PlayMatters has teamed up with many local businesses to make sure this festivity is the talk of the town for weeks to come, and more importantly, to ensure your little one enjoys the best Trick – O – Treating event yet in the safest kid friendly environment.

The Party at PlayMatters will be from 1-4 pm on October 31rst:
* Mask Creations -- create a mask to go with your costume, or for any time.* Pumpkin Decorating* Halloween Story Times (a list of times will be up on Halloween)* Pumpkin Bowling* Color Pages* Fun Color and Scented Play-Dough (with recipe cards to take home). This is a great list! Plus there will be treats for those who participate in activities! Games, activities and crafts, and plenty of treats, what more can you ask for the perfect Halloween?

Here is the address for you to get there:
PlayMatters
7720 Greenwood Ave. N.
Seattle, WA 98103
206.784.2700

It gets even better; families participating on the Halloween extravaganza enter to win 3 free visits to PlayMatters!

Not in the Seattle area? Not to worry, PlayMatters is so serious about play that they are offering all you Cool Moms near or far a great giveaway:

For those far: A winter/Seasonal activity and book that includes a craft kit with all the required supplies (minus scissors) and instructions on how to do it. To enhance the experience further, you will get the skill/knowledge being learned while doing the craft, and dialogue starters. The kit will go along with a story book to increase the learning and understanding of the topic.

For those lucky enough to access PlayMatters: you win the right to choose 5 free visits that do not expire plus a 1 free day friend pass OR 3 free visits for you and 3 visits for a friend (the visits are a $45-50 value!).
To enter the giveaway, please visit PlayMatters, and tell us what interests you most of their website.

For additional entries to this giveaway, you can (leave a comment for each one, separately, please):
1-Become a Cool Moms Cool Tips Facebook fan.
2- Follow us on Twitter and tweet :RT@coolchillmom, great giveaway to a fantastic play enter here to win one of two prizes. http://bit.ly/3cdwZQ (you get an entry for every day you tweet, don't forget to include your tweet link).
3-Grab our button (2 entries).
4- Follow our blog (2 entries).
5- Suggest your friends to fan us on Facebook (2 entries).

Giveaway ends on November 20th, midnight EST.
Winners will be contacted via e-mail and will have 48 hours to reply or new winners will be chosen.