Kids Kampus
Encyclopedia
Kids Kampus was a 10 acres (40,468.6 m²) city park and educational playground in Jacksonville, Florida
built with the purpose of stimulating children mentally, socially and physically.
A little over a year after opening, the park needed repairs. According to The Florida Times-Union, it was believed that buried concrete-and-steel rails remaining from when the property was utilized in shipbuilding had created gaps underground and that the combination of these gaps with the weight of the playground structures and fill dirt was causing excessive settlement in the soil. It was estimated that repairs and steps to prevent further damage would cost the city $305,000.00, without which the soil could continue to sink up to three feet or more by 2017, damaging park structures and creating hazards for users.
The park was shut down in 2011 and replaced with grass and trees.
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
built with the purpose of stimulating children mentally, socially and physically.
History
The idea was originally proposed by Mayor Ed Austin in 1993, but the groundbreaking ceremony was delayed until March 8, 2000. The $4.7 million facility finally opened officially on March 6, 2001.A little over a year after opening, the park needed repairs. According to The Florida Times-Union, it was believed that buried concrete-and-steel rails remaining from when the property was utilized in shipbuilding had created gaps underground and that the combination of these gaps with the weight of the playground structures and fill dirt was causing excessive settlement in the soil. It was estimated that repairs and steps to prevent further damage would cost the city $305,000.00, without which the soil could continue to sink up to three feet or more by 2017, damaging park structures and creating hazards for users.
The park was shut down in 2011 and replaced with grass and trees.
Facilities
Kids Kampus has 2000 feet (609.6 m) of jogging trails. A road made of yellow bricks leads to slides and playground equipment. Several design features help keep the Park a safe learning environment, including protective surfacing,security lighting and perimeter fencing. The park also features picnic and grilling facilities.Features
- Safe City is a small replica of a portion Jacksonville's downtown with a working traffic light, small plastic buildings and a railroad crossing. These are meant to introduce tricycle-riding children to traffic rules and personal safety while “driving”.
- Open Air Classrooms include one set of bleachers that will seat 150 children and one outdoor amphitheater that will seat 50 children.
- Playscapes and Learning Fun is an educational playground area.
- Water Splash Park has two areas:
- Three Friends is a large play structure in the form of a boat, with a water slide and water cannons.
- Bayou, Bogs & Frogs is a non-skid, sculptured rug that depicts Florida wetlands and includes water jets and a water-spouting turtle, snake and toadstool.
- Timucuan Indian Village with plastic huts
Elementary Educational Field Trips
Available to all organized public and private elementary schools. These programs adhere to the Sunshine State Standards.| Program Name | Description | Recommended for |
|---|---|---|
| Safe City | Traffic & poison safety, fire & water safety plus bike skills and safety. | Kindegarten & 1st Grade |
| Magical Magnets | Exploring magnetism. | Kindegarten & 1st Grade |
| Rollin' Up the River | Secrets of the longest river in Florida; perform scientific experiments to determine the water quality of the St. Johns River. | 2nd, 3rd & 4th |
| Creepy Crawly Things | Learning experience on insects | 1st, 2nd & 3rd |
| Water Cycle Workshop | Study of the water cycle as a drop of water and discovering the St. Johns River watershed | 2nd, 3rd & 4th |
| Bubblocity | Science and art with bubbles | 1st, 2nd, 3rd , 4th & 5th |
| Do You See What Eye See | A learning experience designed around optics and the human eye | 1st, 2nd, 3rd , 4th & 5th |
| Here Comes the Sun | An exploration of solar power | 2nd, 3rd , 4th & 5th |
| It's In the Air | Interactive performance to help understand Bernoulli's Principle | 3rd , 4th & 5th |
| History of Jacksonville | From prehistoric to modern times | 3rd , 4th & 5th |
| Mystery of Navigation | The secrets of magnetic north, building a compass and develop their navigational skills | 3rd , 4th & 5th |