Building Community Through Playful Learning

Susquehanna Square is a 37-unit affordable housing community developed by Community Ventures in 2020. Located in the heart of North Central Philadelphia, the community is home to residents of all ages. Community Ventures provides both property management and supportive services, while actively engaging residents and partnering with the surrounding neighborhood on beautification and educational initiatives.

The Live and Learn pilot promotes educational equity through the installation of Playful Learning spaces in affordable housing communities. Susquehanna Square was selected as one of the pilot sites. The initiative created a valuable opportunity to engage residents, enhance the community environment, and foster learning through interactive experiences.

What is Playful Learning?

Playful Learning is a science-backed approach in which learning goals are embedded in play from the start, guided by adults or sparked by thoughtful prompts, to ignite curiosity and deepen understanding. It nurtures six essential skills that help children thrive: collaboration, communication, content, critical thinking, creative innovation, and confidence.

A Graphic Novel Comes to Life at Susquehanna Square

The residents, together with the project team came together to brainstorm, design, and create a Playful Learning Installation at Susquehanna Square. The theme, A Graphic Novel Comes to Life, resulted in brightened, enlivened, and active indoor and outdoor spaces with opportunities throughout the community to interact with activities that build literacy skills .

The entry gate is alive with color and encouraging words.
Bright murals in the hallway promote reading, writing, and creative thinking.
Boy with a blue cape and red hat, stand on an open book reading the purple words in a wall - Greatness is Within You.
A cozy book nook is a great place to read.
Spell words and match images at the interactive shed
Interactive story starters

Project Team

Learn More

To learn more about the positive impact that Playful Learning is having in Philadelphia please visit the Live and Lean website.

Community Ventures (CV) and Octavia Hill Association (OHA) have entered into a cooperation agreement based on their shared missions. CV is a non-profit developer, property manager and supportive services provider founded in 1987 and OHA is a for-profit mission-driven property management company founded in 1896. Through this collaboration, as of March 29, 2026, CV and OHA have consolidated all staffing and property management operations under Community Ventures.

Read the full press release available here: community-ventures.org/OHA-Collaboration