By ALIN HETT
Hays Post
Mindy Werth, founder and executive director of Play Hays, said her daughter helped inspire an indoor children’s museum for Hays.
Now, Kinley is the inspiration behind a book that gives families a glimpse of what it could become.
Werth wrote "My Big Adventure at Play Hays," a children’s book following a little girl through Play Hays, a planned museum with play spaces modeled on places in the community. The book introduces the idea of the museum without giving away every stop on the girl’s adventure.
“I wrote the book for my daughter Kinley,” Werth said.
Werth said she had written the words before bringing them to Define Design and Remodel, whose team illustrated and designed the book. Play Hays board member Caci Pommerehn, and a designer with the company, said following the girl lets readers imagine a visit before the museum opens.
To view the museum plans, click here
“You kind of get to see it through their eyes,” Pommerehn said. “You get to follow the girl through the book and see all the places she gets to visit and be a part of in our community.”
The book is also a fundraiser. All proceeds will go to Play Hays, a nonprofit working to open the museum at 2706 Vine St., in the former Sears building. Werth said the group hopes to open sometime in 2027.
To help get there, Play Hays has divided its fundraising goals into “puzzle pieces.” Painting is the first priority, followed by flooring and bringing in playhouses. Later plans could include work on the building’s exterior, additional party rooms and more play spaces.
Werth said she wants children who walk through the doors to have a calm, clean place to imagine and learn through play. She also has hopes for parents.
Werth said she wants to inspire community and connections through play.
"I want any child that walks through that door to be able to feel like they're playing in a calm, clean space where they can just imagine and learn through play," she said.
She said she also wants parents and caregivers to make connections and feel as if they're a part of something bigger than themselves.
Pommerehn also said the museum could become another reason for families traveling through western Kansas to stop in Hays.
The play spaces are expected to include a market, café, garage, salon and camping area. Local sponsors will have opportunities to support them, and Play Hays plans to share information about sponsorship packages at GiveFest on Oct. 7. The group will also display its interior and exterior concepts, offer merchandise and take book orders at the event.
The book is available for preorder through a form on Play Hays’ Facebook page. Softcover copies cost $17, and hardcover copies cost $27. The books are printed locally by Northwestern Printers.
Play Hays will host a read-aloud at 10 a.m. Oct. 24 at the Hays Public Library. Books will be available to buy there, and preorder pickups are expected to begin that day. The group also plans to sell copies at the museum once it opens.
Werth credited the building owner, Define Design and Remodel and community donors with helping the project reach this point. For now, each book purchase will help move another piece of Play Hays into place.
If interested in donating or supporting Play Hays, click here.