To address the 30 million word gap, the Words at Play Vocabulary Initiative was designed to provide free vocabulary-building activities and strategies to two communities which face generational poverty and a lack of resources. Headed by the Free Library of Philadelphia, the project brings together five of Philadelphia’s largest cultural institutions to promote children’s long-term vocabulary development through family-centered activities, where parents are treated like the experts that they are. It also makes these cultural institutions accessible for the families. Words at Play builds on the knowledge that families want the best for their children, including being prepared for school.

Words at Play events take place in neighborhood libraries, partner locations, and the surrounding community. All five partners leverage their area of expertise to bring content rich activities and vocabulary to the community. One of the reasons Words at Play is so successful with customer engagement is that the program works in the community, to meet people where they are and truly engages community members in building children’s vocabulary. Words at Play provides strategies to enhance what families already do together to promote early literacy. This empowers families to continue using the new strategies on their own.

Neighborhood Ambassadors are community advocates who are passionate about Words at Play. They provide a bridge between Words at Play and the community to build trust in the Free Library and its partners. Words at Play engages with non-traditional community partners, like barbershops, that broaden the library’s reach and appeal to disparate audiences. The program brings community members together across invisible barriers to support future generations. Other communities have heard about the positive impact of the initiative, and are reaching out to the Free Library to expand the program to their neighborhoods.