Play Spaces
The Importance of Play
At PS 295, we provide daily opportunities for physical education, movement breaks, and safe places for play both indoors and outdoors. Because every child deserves to build physical health, confidence, stress relief, social skills, emotional regulation, and imagination through play.
Safe, spacious, and outdoor spaces for play are vital to a student’s well-being. We offer a variety of indoor and outdoor options on our campus that are rare in an urban school without resorting to only publicly-accessible spaces.
School Playground
Our private tree-shaded space opened in 2022 with student-designed elements, including new trees, climbing equipment, turf field, game tables, stage, benches, and colorful murals.
The newly added green infrastructure elements — living roof gazebo, permeable pavers, and synthetic turf areas — captures 430,000 gallons of stormwater each year, reducing neighborhood flooding and improve the health of nearby New York Harbor.
The playground is open to the neighborhood during non-school and after-school program hours.
Sensory Room
Opened in 2025, this specialized, open-format classroom is used by students at least three times a week, in addition to our in-school residencies that will also use the space.
Every student has unique sensory needs. When those needs are met, they can play a large role in developing executive functioning skills and self-regulation skills. Movement and sensory input helps kids feel more centered and ready to learn.
19th Street Courtyard
Our large enclosed outdoor courtyard on the 19th Street entrance to our building can support school-wide fitness and cultural programs. This is also our primary entrance for daily student drop-off and pickup.
Indoor Gym
Our multi-sport gymnasium is designed to accommodate a variety of physical activities and sports. It includes a half-court basketball setup, and age-appropriate recreation equipment to ensure all students can engage in safe and effective physical exercise tailored to their developmental needs.
Dance Studio
Our brightly-lit studio can be used by classes for dance, physical education, movement, and residency programs. The space features wall-to-wall mirrors and movement-friendly hardwood floors, reducing impact on joints while enabling smooth and safe motion, encouraging proper alignment and fluid movement.
Slope Park
This NYC Parks Department playground is next to our school playground on the same block (located on 6th Avenue between 18th and 19th Streets). Renovated in 1998, this playground features play and climbing equipment, safety surfacing, shade trees, benches, comfort station, spray showers, swings.
PS 295 Family Teacher Association and Garden Club also help the NYC Parks Department maintain the surrounding flower garden.
Prospect Park
Nine blocks away from PS 295, this 526-acre park’s sweeping green spaces and woodlands is the destination for our school’s annual Field Day and occasional class field trips.
Designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux in the mid-19th century, "Brooklyn’s Backyard" is our neighborhood's flagship park, welcoming more than 10 million visits annually.
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