Children's museum and indoor play area in the works

The Hill County Early Childhood Investment Team — ECIT — is partnering with Havre mom Kimberly Vaughn in creating a children’s museum/ indoor play area called, “Hi-Line Littles.” 

“We as ECIT have done informal polls with parents, surveys of parents and had some family forums and when we ask parents what they really want in our area and what would be helpful to them, we always get feedback about the need for an indoor play place or a place for the kids to go when the weather is bad,” Tina Thomas of ECIT said. “Also, it would be just an informal way to connect with other parents or meet up with other kids that are the same age as your kids, just a big need in Havre. 

Thomas said that Vaughn, a mom with four younger than 6, was already working on the idea of creating a children’s museum.

Thomas added she connected with Vaughn and invited her to an ECIT meeting where Vaughn said she not only had an idea, but a plan and needed funding, support and backing for the idea.

“We thought it was just a perfect idea, it was a great match with ECIT because we also want to connect with parents in a real natural way. And we realized it would probably be easiest to do some of the projects we wanted to do in a place where parents are already at instead of trying to create events, create meetings and things for parents to come to, and thought the best way to connect with parents is where they are already are, somewhere the kids are entertained and safe and play,” Thomas said. “So we wanted to build a support around the community and thought Kimberly’s idea of a children’s museum indoor play area was just perfect.”

Vaughn said they have several places in mind for the museum but are leaning toward a building downtown.

It’s a lot of investment up-front to get the equipment and to set up the environment that’s really safe and fun for kids and families, Thomas said, but she said she knows it’ll be sustainable because they know parents want to come.

“Our other big focus is to make it affordable because we want it to be a place where all families feel welcome and all families can come,” she said.

“Right now, we are at that kind of hurry-up-and-wait phase,” Vaughn said. “We have a lot of paperwork, we are writing by-laws, and trying to get established as a non-profit, but we are hoping within the year (to open). That’s our big goal.”

Hi-Line Littles is a holding Pizza Hut fundraiser Thursday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. If people say they are donating to Hi-Line Littles while paying for a dine-in or carry-out order, 20 percent of the purchase price will go toward the project.

Vaughn said the first thing the money raised will go for is the partnership hiring a lawyer in order to get a non-profit status, and, after that, money raised will go into an account that will be used for the purchase of playground equipment, paying rent and other things to get them up and going.

Thomas said with ECIT’s partnership they would be able to offer parents support and a place for parent advocacy groups or some parent trainings.

People who are interested or would like to know more information can contact Thomas at 390-4772 or [email protected] or by messaging Vaughn at Hi-Line Littles Facebook page.

Thomas said people are invited to attend ECIT’s monthly meetings, held the second Wednesday of the month from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at District 4 Human Resources Development Council Activity Room.