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City parents and their youngsters braved the overcast weather to join members of the new Takoma Park Play Committee in Heffner Park Saturday morning to celebrate the city's first Play Day event.

The children – mostly infants and toddlers along with a handful of elementary schoolers – scampered about the park space, marveling at the talent of the face-painting booth artist, imitating the steps of the Turkish dance group and listening intently to 17-year-old Josh Weiner explain the trick behind juggling (it's all in the wrists). Everyone had a good laugh as state Sen. Jamie Raskin tried his hands at the act.

"That's how we juggle the budget in Maryland!" joked City Councilman Terry Seamens (Ward 4) with a laugh as Raskin, (D-Dist. 20) of Takoma Park, tossed the colorful bags from one hand to the other.

The 11-member committee formed last March when city resident and physical education teacher Pat Rumbaugh came across the Washington, D.C.-based KaBOOM! organization, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting play space for children. While researching for a book about the importance of play, Rumbaugh found out about KaBOOM!'s "Playful City" award and the "National Play Day" promoted by the group each September.

After successfully earning Takoma Park a "Playful City 2009" designation from the group in June, Rumbaugh and her peers – including Mayor Bruce Williams, private residents and Takoma Park Maryland Library employees – got to work on the play day, setting a tentative attendance goal that was quickly achieved, according to Rumbaugh.

"I think we have met our 200-goal for this year," she said Saturday as she surveyed the crowd of laughing, skipping children and laid-back parents socializing in small groups or helping their youngsters navigate the Heffner Park playground equipment.

Self-labeled "Library Geek" and committee member Phil Shapiro agreed.

"At one of our first meetings I said, ‘Whatever happens, that will be our standard for success,' so, even if only one kid shows up and he's crying the entire time, that's a success; because we tried," he said.

A short time later, a young boy tripped and began to cry as Shapiro and others nearby stooped to help him.

"There's the crying child," Shapiro said with a sheepish grin. "Success."

Aside from a scraped knee and maybe a few odd bumps, the play day went off largely without a hitch and only a few brief droplets of rain in an otherwise clear sky from 11 a.m. to the event close at 1 p.m. Following the juggling demonstration, Raskin wrapped up the event with a game of "Simon Says" in which the lenient politician often had to start over to keep everyone happy.

"Simon says jump three times," he said before quickly adding; "Now everybody jump two times … You've got to sit down; Simon didn't say!"

A pair of disqualified toddlers stared at the smiling senator, their expressions aghast at having been singled out before Raskin quickly added: "Okay, okay, that was a practice round!"

From a parent's perspective, Etienne Gilbert lauded the play day as a definite success as he recounted his 2-year-old son Kyle's escapades at the "Truck Touch" event held by the nearby city Public Works facility to coincide with the event, followed by the many activities to keep his attention afterward.

"I don't know what their expectations were, but they had a lot of activities, and the park here is always a big hit so we've had a lot of fun," he said, gesturing to Kyle, who kicked a ball around the park's playground. "I hope they do it again."