Spring is finally here and it is the perfect time of year to get your kids outside to play. Wouldn't it be nice to have a great place to play within walking distance? KaBOOM!, this month’s featured national non-profit organization, thinks so! In fact, they would like to see a great place to play within walking distance of every child in America. They have been building playgrounds for children for over 18 years and are dedicated to saving play for America's children through the participation and leadership of communities.
KaBOOM! recognizes the value of unstructured play for children and how important it is to help their minds and bodies grow. In today’s fast paced lifestyle, children have a level of toxic stress that we didn’t have when we were kids. How do kids release stress? Play! This is what inspired KaBOOM! to launch their "Playful City USA Program" in 2007. They want to help inspire cities across the United States to focus on play. Through their Playful City program, KaBOOM! has recognized 217 cities in 43 states that show a strong commitment to the cause of play beyond the playground – from creating policies to developing programs – to make play a priority.
KaBOOM! doesn’t expect communities to do all of this on their own. Through their long standing grant programs, KaBOOM! works with corporate sponsors to help cities in need build playgrounds for their children. In addition to working in lower income areas that may not be able to afford new playgrounds, KaBOOM! has built play spaces in areas that have been devastated by natural disasters. In 2005, they launched “Operation Playground” which helped build playgrounds after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. In 2013, KaBOOM! helped the Long Beach, NY, community rebuild playgrounds for their children following Hurricane Sandy. This is something that could easily have taken years to do, but KaBOOM! made a huge difference in this community by reminding us of what should never be forgotten ... Children NEED to play in order to heal, learn and grow.
Do you want your kids to put down their electronics and get outside? KaBOOM! has created some great tools to get children’s play back to basics. Visit their store for some neat ideas. To learn more about this wonderful organization, visit www.kaboom.org. Here you can find out how to apply for a grant, get your community in the Playful City USA Program, support this incredible movement of play, and more.
