FORT Pure Play leads to storefront on Caroline Street
After opening FORT Pure Play – a place where children can let their imaginations run wild with open-ended, sensory-based play – in the fall of 2017 at 202 Herndon Street, owner and operator Jodie Vaughn is building on that success and recently opened FORT To-Go at 900 Caroline St.
FORT To-Go sells toys, or “play parts for the work of childhood,” that tap into children’s imaginations. Their pieces are from all over the world and also include small-batch American-made companies. Jodie – a pediatric occupational therapist in a past life – said “we sell sensory-rich, beautiful, well-made, timeless, loose-play materials that can be used in open-ended, imaginative play.”
While her professional background has certainly afforded her a unique understanding of the way children develop through play, as a mother Jodie has also witnessed it firsthand through her three sons. They were the original “test subjects” of many of the toys FORT To-Go offers, so Jodie hopes to bring the same joyful experience her sons have had growing up to other children and families in Fredericksburg and beyond.
“We curate special pieces that can be used for years to come, passed down among children in a family, and even across generations,” Jodie explained. The pieces are indeed wonderful, so for more information on the FORT brand, you can visit their website at fortpureplay.com or use their handle @fortpureplay to follow them on Facebook and Instagram.