WakeMed’s PlayWELL Park
The world’s first health education playground
Built in 2004, the Poe Center’s PlayWELL Park is a community resource visited by over 30,000 school children and local families per year. Our 1.5-acre one-of-a-kind health education playground offers children the opportunity to learn about health and engage in imaginative educational play.
The Poe Center recently completed a $1.6 million renovation. Updates include new health-themed playground equipment, interactive sidewalk art, refreshed signage throughout the park, and increased safety and security features.
Features include:
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- Physical Activity Tree House – Scale the rib rise, climb the nerve net, and slide through giant arteries.
- Nutri-Climb – Make healthy food choices to master the wall.
- Zip Line – Zip between two giant ears.
- Pedal Posts – Pedal your arms and legs for strong bones and muscles.
- Healthy Choices Maze – Make wise decisions with each twist and turn to reach the end.
- Lickety Split – Protect your peepers with giant sunglasses before taking a trip down the tongue slide.
- Adventure Climb – Work those bones and muscles as you make your way through the obstacle course.
- MindWELL Garden & Labyrinth - Rest and reset while exploring Poe's mental wellness themed sensory garden.
- Little Free Library – Take a book, leave a book, read a book.
Poe’s Little Free Library
WakeMed is the lead sponsor of WakeMed’s PlayWELL Park at Poe and provides landscape maintenance as an in-kind donation.
Renovations to PlayWELL Park were made possible through partnerships with the Mead Family Foundation, Townebank, The Grange, Wake County and other individuals.
