North Hill’s Early Learning Interactive Art

In a 2019 arts-education collaboration between the Summit Education Initiative, First Serve, ArtsNow, and several talented interns from the University of Akron’s EXL Center—learning landscapes on sidewalks and playgrounds throughout the North Hill neighborhood came to life opening up a world of opportunities.

Tasked with the challenge of installing art that would promote early childhood learning in a very casual way with parents and children, the group of interns worked collaboratively to design and create the activities.

There were some outdoor sidewalk games painted in front of The Exchange House, and a music wall built behind there. Animal track pieces complete with animal facts were stationed at Patterson Park. 

At playgrounds and schools, hopscotches were designed to reinforce colors, shapes and numbers all at the same time. One of the interns explained there’s something especially inclusive about hopscotch. Kids don’t have to be part of something to go up to a sidewalk and have fun with it.