Donor Spotlight >>

Kessy Family

I am a huge fan of Pretend City.  I am a full-time mom of two wonderful kiddos.  My oldest child, Tanner, has Kabuki Syndrome, a genetic mutation that causes challenges for multiple body systems as well as intellectual disability. Because of his disabilities, Tanner attends many therapies at school as well as 15 hours of therapy on his own time. 

When Tanner was three years old, we heard about Pretend City’s free Neurodivergent Family Night and were surprised to see it was fully booked. I knew this place had to be special, so I set my calendar to register for the next event. 

When we arrived, the play areas were beautifully themed, and there were ample staff and volunteers to keep the kids playing on their terms. Special needs play can be messy, unpredictable, and difficult to manage, but the folks in the blue aprons assured me it was okay to move on to the next station my son ran to without putting away everything first.  No one batted an eye at my son’s flapping, stimming, and constant streams of vocalizations. Staff and volunteers even talked to him when he could not talk back.  We felt so welcome and accepted, which keeps us coming back. We even bring Tanner’s therapists with us.  

Meanwhile, our daughter Alice enjoys her own style of playtime at Pretend City. She loved the infant area and has graduated to the toddler park and grocery store. She tends to load her Trader Joe’s cart with cheeses and Joe’s O’s. The home and art studio are also favorites for her to explore her creativity and independence. 

Tanner’s pretend play, language, and cognitive development have improved drastically since our time at Pretend City. It is impossible to know exactly how much each therapy, reward, and community outing affects each area of development, but we know Pretend City has been an integral tool to integrate our one-time isolated family into society. Tanner tells others about our visits.  We have Disneyland passes, and sometimes Tanner tells us he would rather come to Pretend City. 

I like to make a small donation when booking our Neurodivergent Family Night visits. Pretend City gives our kids an imagination break from regular life, offering an opportunity to escape into a city of little people which accepts them just as they are. This special type of play is not only fun, it integrates civic values of coexistence in a world bigger than ourselves. 

Every time we donate, I receive a lovely email from Ude that lets me know my contribution matters. No matter the size, every donation adds up to support and grows this uniquely special place where kids can play, imagine their future place in the world and parents get support. 

My hope for Pretend City is that generations will come to play. In addition to the hope of longevity, I hope that similar play places can exist in communities like ours as well as communities with less privilege. All children benefit from unrestricted imagination. 

Please join the generous donors, sponsors, and volunteers by supporting the play experience for children at Pretend City. Your contribution is a huge deal to these little minds.