Our Story

by Playlab CEO Lori Colon

In 2011, I asked for "experiences" for my children/family in place of Christmas gifts. One of the gifts we received was a gift certificate to C.O.S.I, in Columbus. It was then that a desire was born to have a place in our community for children to creatively explore, dream, build, research, be taught, be inspired, dig-in and learn. 

As an early childhood educator and director, I was part of a community of professionals including parents, educators, and children who taught me that the most important tool we can gift our children is the power of play. As an educator, I have learned that kids learn best by doing. It was the philosophy we adopted within our educational childcare centers and school-aged programs, an idea that was intensified while visiting C.O.S.I. in Columbus and then Cleveland Children's Science Museum, along with several other hands-on learning experiences over the years.

Fast forward to the fall of 2019, I began to research the need for a place in our community solely focused on educational, creative, hands-on play for children. It was at that moment in time that I began to shift my desire to a dream and my dream to reality. 

In February 2020, a Board of Directors was established and the Wayne County Children's S.T.E.A.M. Playlab was established as a nonprofit in Ohio. We officially had our groundbreaking ceremony on June 6, 2021, and have been working on the building plans and exhibits with Boss Display and Weaver Commercial Contractors.
The LincWay building was constructed and officially opened in late 2022, and is located next to the Dutch Kitchen restaurant in Dalton right off Route 30 in Wayne County. The Playlab will be inside of the LincWay facility, and our goal is that our 30,000+ square foot interior will be completed soon. LincWay, LLC also has an additional 20,000 square feet of space that houses other family experience opportunities like the LincWay Painting & Pottery Studio and LincWay Café, plus businesses within the LincWay Workspace and Conference Rooms, and the J & Co. Hair Studio & Spa. 

LincWay has created an amazing space and we are so blessed to work with them as we create the Playlab! 

Follow our website and Facebook page for up-to-date information.

~Lori Colon, CEO