Annual mother and son game night a big win for all
Jun 05, 2019 03:27PM ● By Holly Vasic
Lacey Pledger’s boys hold planes at Mother and Son Game Night May 3. (Courtesy Lacey Pledger)
By Holly Vasic | [email protected]
South Salt Lake’s Mother and Son Game Night kicked off summer once again with kids and their moms eating watermelon, playing in a bounce house, flying kites and more. The yearly community celebration at Central Park (2797 S. 200 East) keeps growing, and South Salt Lake is thrilled by the turn out.
“Over 200 mothers and sons came,” said Myrna Clark of South Salt Lake’s Parks and Rec Department who puts on the event. “There were a few daughters there too, but we don’t turn family members away,” she clarified. Clark said the event originally began as a fiesta themed night due to the date being near Cinco de Mayo, “but it struggled to keep interest.”
A few years ago, the theme was adjusted and participation increased. “We changed into the game night idea five years ago when the city turned 75 years,” Clark said, because of the correlation between the diamond anniversary, at 75, and baseball season. The South Salt Lake youth baseball and tee-ball programs also occur during early May.
“We decided to make a game of it,” Clark said, including minute to win it and baseball home run games in the mix of activities.
Bringing the community together to enjoy themselves is Clark’s hope for the event. “It is a joy to just watch the faces of the kids light up when they do something fun,” Clark said.
Tashell Hall said her sons loved the event. “My favorite part, probably, was watching my two boys interact together and actually get along.” With the near seven year age difference between her boys finding activities for them to do together isn’t always easy.
Hall’s 13-year-old daughter decided to sit this one out. Hall said she was welcomed but her daughter wanted her mom and brothers to have fun, saying, “No, that’s your guy’s thing.” Hall said this was their first time at the game night but is already planning on attending next year.
Lacey Pledger brought her boys, ages 3 and 6, to the event as well. They loved the rockets. “You jump on it,” Pledger explained, “and they shoot in the air. I liked that. I thought that was fun.”
Her boys also enjoyed flying kites and drones and shooting balls inside the bounce house.
