Kaboom
KABOOM! We unite with communities to build kid-designed playspaces that can spark joy and foster a sense of belonging for the kids who are often denied opportunities to thrive.
Our Mission: End playspace inequity. For good.
Playing is the essence of childhood and is a critical developmental need that provides countless physical, social, and mental health benefits.
Far too many children – especially children of color – do not get the chance to play on a playground, something that should be part of every child’s life. This is playspace inequity.
Playspace inequity is a systemic problem. Racism, disinvestment, and exclusion have resulted in generations of kids who do not have access to places where they can play, learn, and feel like they belong.
Playspace inequity is an issue with deep roots, but it is also solvable.
KABOOM! unites with communities and diverse partners to build playspaces in places where we know from data that access has been historically denied. Together, we work to ensure every playspace reflects the unique needs, desires, cultures, and strengths of the community.
Since our founding over 25 years ago, we’ve built or transformed 17,000+ playspaces, engaged more than 1.5 million community members and brought joy to nearly 12 million kids.
Combined with our decades of experience in community engagement, our playspaces can spark joy and foster a sense of belonging for communities of color — communities that disproportionally have less access to play where they learn and live.
PLAY EVERYWHERE
Turning Everyday Places into Playspaces
KABOOM! created the Play Everywhere concept to inspire kids to play every day and to incorporate it into their normal routines. These innovations and installations bring play to unexpected, but everyday spaces, making play easy and available for kids and families.
While a playground can provide a joyful oasis for play, play must be available in other places to include play opportunities where kids, and their caregivers, are already spending their limited time. Play Everywhere encourages people to think about spaces that could become PLAYces — a laundromat, grocery store, sidewalk, bus stop — any unexciting situation can turn into a stimulating, creative outlet for play.
KABOOM! Grants
Since 1996, KABOOM! has collaborated with partners to build, open or improve more than 16,700 playgrounds across the country. Our work is community-driven; which means that our projects seek to build trusting relationships, center community voices, and engage diverse stakeholders. We do this by working hand in hand with your kids and adults to design, plan for, and build your community playspace.
We build playspaces in partnership with child-serving nonprofits and municipal agencies. Our projects are an incredible opportunity to build new and exciting places for kids and teens to play.
Our work will continue until every child has high-quality places to play, grow, and thrive.
KABOOM! 25 in 5 Initiative to End Playspace Inequity
One year ago, we launched the KABOOM! 25 in 5 Initiative to End Playspace Inequity, our five-year plan to accelerate our mission to achieve playspace equity across the United States. Playspace inequity is a problem with deep roots, but it is solvable and more urgent now than ever to address the physical, social, and emotional needs of children today.
Are you part of a school districts, parks and recreation departments, or housing system looking to make big changes?
We are seeking municipal partners (school districts, parks and recreation departments, housing systems, etc.) enthusiastic about creating equitable access to playspaces to join our 25 in 5 Initiative to End Playspace Inequity. Check out the Playce Partner page to learn more and take the interest survey.
VISIT: https://kaboom.org/25-in-5/playce-partners
KABOOM! Partnerships
Help us build kid-designed playspaces that spark joy and foster a sense of Belonging.
Become a Partner
KABOOM! unites with communities, funders, city leaders, municipal systems, peer organizations, and other strategic partners to increase access to playspaces for kids and communities. Join our efforts and together, we can end playspace inequity for good.
Together, We Can End Playspace Inequity for Good.
Far too many kids lack adequate places to play due to the ongoing effects of systemic racism.
These inequities leave communities of color with less access to playspaces than their white counterparts, limiting their ability to fully experience the physical, social, and emotional benefits of play.
KABOOM! unites with communities, including partners like you, to build kid-designed playspaces that spark joy and foster a sense of belonging for communities of color without access to play where they live and learn.
What We Can Build Together
By bringing together our remarkable, mission-driven partners, KABOOM! directs resources to communities that lack access to quality playspaces — engaging volunteers from our partners and these same communities to build kid-designed playspaces side-by-side. We ensure that communities guide the process, design the playspace, and determine the impact we’ll achieve together.
KABOOM! fosters strong partnerships at the local, national, and regional levels across sectors — including with foundations, corporations, municipalities, city leaders, schools, parks, housing, youth and community serving organizations — to drive better outcomes for all of our kids.
Over the past 25 years, we have built or improved 17,000+ playspaces, engaged more than 1.5 million community members, and brought joy to 11.5 million kids.
DONATE TO KABOOM!
You can make a difference in a child’s life.
Play is the essence of childhood. Imagination, creativity, and social and emotional learning all are enhanced by our ability to play.
Systemic racism, disinvestment, and exclusion have denied many children—especially children of color—the essential benefits and simple joys of play for generations.
KABOOM! works alongside communities across the country to build kid-designed playspaces that spark joy and foster a sense of belonging for the kids who are often denied opportunities to thrive.
Our mission: end playspace inequity for good.
VISIT https://kaboom.org for more details.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
CONTACT KABOOM!
KABOOM!
Address:
7200 Wisconsin Ave 400
Bethesda, MD 20814
Phone: (202) 659-0215
Website: https://kaboom.org/
- Org Type: Charity
- Country: USA
- Founded: 1996
- Website: Visit Website
- IRS Class: 501(c)(3)
