Willow & Wonder, a sensory play studio for kids, will open in Pinellas Park next month
/A rendering created by Willow and Wonder owner Samantha Marti to illustrate her vision for the sensory play studio, opening next month in Pinellas Park | Willow and Wonder
A new sensory play studio designed for young children will open in Pinellas Park next month.
Willow & Wonder will celebrate its grand opening Sunday, November 1st, at 6541 44th Street North, Unit 6004, near the recently opened Sprowls Horizon Sports Park.
The 1,700-square-foot studio is designed for children ages 0 to 7 and will offer a lower-stimulation alternative to traditional indoor playgrounds.
During 90-minute open-play sessions, children can move at their own pace between a play area, rotating sensory stations, and an art studio.
Each visit will include themed sensory bins and a process-art activity, and children will leave with a craft.
The woodland-themed studio will contain a collection of custom-made wood furnishings, including a play cottage, mud kitchen, dollhouse, children’s tables and chairs, and a crawler area for infants.
The studio will also feature a large STEM wall with movable pieces that children can use to create ball runs and explore cause and effect.
Rather than using one-purpose toys, owner Samantha Marti said the studio will feature materials that can be used differently from one visit to the next.
Willow & Wonder owner Samantha Marti offers children’s sensory bins at a local event | Willow & Wonder
“You’re not going to see a fire truck,” Marti said in a conversation with St. Pete Rising. “You’re going to see blocks that you can build 17 different things and create different things over and over again. Let’s use our imagination to create something different every time.”
Willow & Wonder is rooted in the Reggio Emilia educational philosophy, which emphasizes child-led learning, creativity, and the role of the environment in a child’s development.
“Our philosophy here is that everything is child-led,” Marti said. “We want them to be masters of their own experience. We want them to do what they’re comfortable doing.”
The studio will accommodate up to 15 children and their caregivers at a time, helping keep sessions intentionally uncrowded.
Parents and guardians will remain on site during play sessions, while Willow & Wonder’s play guides help lead art and sensory activities.
Open play will cost $22 for the first child, including one accompanying adult, and $10 for each additional sibling ages 1 and older.
Willow and Wonder’s storefront at 6541 44th Street North in Pinellas Park | Willow and Wonder
Marti created Willow & Wonder after searching for indoor activities that worked well for her oldest son, Oliver, who is almost five. She said many of the region’s traditional indoor playgrounds felt too overstimulating for him.
“We needed to create our own environment that was calming and enriching,” Marti said. “There’s a sensory room that’s dedicated to kids that just need a minute and need to chill out. It’s completely separated from the play space.”
Willow & Wonder will also offer its Discover Co-Op, a child-led enrichment program for homeschool and alternative-learning families ages 4 to 7.
The Tuesday and Thursday program will include hands-on STEM activities, literacy, sensory exploration, process art, movement, and collaborative projects.
The studio is an approved Step Up For Students provider, allowing eligible families to use scholarship funds toward Discover tuition and drop-in sessions.
Willow & Wonder will be open seven days a week, with multiple 90-minute sessions Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday sessions will run from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., while Sundays will initially feature one session from 9:30 to 11 a.m.
Private birthday parties, music sessions, storytimes, and other workshops are also planned.
The November 1st grand opening will run from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and include three hours of open play, sensory exploration, and creative activities. Advance online registration is required.
For more information or to reserve a session, visit Willow & Wonder’s website or follow the business on Facebook and Instagram.
