Where can young kids go to play in Chicago? South Loop resident Debbie Frisch is seeking to help answer that question with HelloBaby, her free play space that has been serving Woodlawn since 2017.
Frisch, a foster mom for 56 kids over 15 years, was motivated to start HelloBaby after receiving an unexpected inheritance. She tells us about the lack of accessible play spaces in the city and how she’s addressing it.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Where are ‘play deserts’ in Chicago?
“‘Play deserts’ are a lack of access to developmentally appropriate, safe play opportunities. They usually fall into the low-income neighborhoods, which are mainly populated by people of color. … In this age of increasing wealth disparity — where you've got these moms working so hard at these jobs that don't provide a living wage and these families are doing all they can to hold it together — sometimes because play isn't that accessible, it falls between the cracks.”
Why is free play important?
“[Free play] helps them resolve conflicts, be more empathetic, be compassionate, and handle a setback well without falling apart. And if you go to school and nobody is your friend, all this learning is going to start coming at you and you're not going to be able to receive it because you're like, ‘Why does no one want to sit with me at lunch? Why is no one playing with me on the playground?’ If you've got that down, then the learning is just going to come at the developmentally appropriate time.”
Debbie Frisch is committed to making play accessible across the city. (Courtesy of HelloBaby)
How has the community responded to HelloBaby?
“What we've noticed in Woodlawn is we've really created a beautiful, safe, and connected community. My goal was we'd set it up, we'd provide the space, and then let the neighborhood kind of take it over. They take care of us and they take care of each other. Now they babysit for each other's kids, they go to each other's birthday parties, they meet at HelloBaby, they'll meet outside of HelloBaby in each other's homes.”
A second HelloBaby location in Avalon Park is set to open next year.
