Wednesday, Shakopee's leading politicians stood toe to toe with a motley crew of pre-K kids, all armed with safety scissors. The occasion? A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the library's newest amenity—an interactive, indoor playground that replicates Victorian-era Shakopee on a tiny scale.
The "Smart Play Spot" is aimed at kids in preschool and kindergarten, said Barb Hegfors, branch manager of the library.
The play area was developed by the Minnesota Children's Museum, and partially funded by a Legacy grant. It is designed to hone young children's language and math skills, as well as provide them with a glimpse of old Shakopee. The city's miniature includes a tailor shop, a post office, a fire station (which will be converted into a school house in fall), grocer and train depot (with steam locomotive). Kids can also play in a life-size canoe and a giant, hollowed out tree trunk.
The area also incorporates the four most dominant languages in Shakopee—English, Spanish, Russian and Dakota.
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