A vibrant mural celebrating family, imagination, and playful connection
Families Forward
As part of HopePHL’s Families Forward initiative, this Playful Learning mural transforms an interior space into a vibrant celebration of family, imagination, and community. Set within a dynamic treehouse world, the mural depicts children and caregivers reading together, gardening, making music, solving puzzles, playing games, and exploring side by side.
Through layered scenes of movement, storytelling, collaboration, and discovery, the mural invites families to observe, talk, imagine, and problem-solve together. The artwork reflects the joy, resilience, and everyday moments of connection that define the Families Forward community, turning the space into an inspiring backdrop for playful interaction and shared learning.
The Learning Goals
The Families Forward Playful Learning mural strengthens communication through embedded “Do You See?” prompts that encourage children and caregivers to observe closely, describe what they notice, count, and ask questions together, turning everyday moments into rich conversation. It fosters collaboration by depicting families engaged in shared activities like reading, gardening, music, and play, modeling teamwork and inviting children and caregivers to explore the scenes side by side. The mural also supports critical thinking by encouraging families to search for characters, identify patterns, make predictions, and interpret what is happening across the layered treehouse world.
The Team
The Families Forward mural was created through a collaboration between Playful Learning Landscapes, HopePHL, and Lindsey Balbierz.
Supporters
The Families Forward Playful Learning mural was generously supported by the William Penn Foundation.
