NOW REGISTERING FOR SUMMER CAMP, KINDERGARTEN, AND HOMESCHOOL ENRICHMENT CLUBS
A laboratory is a place and a culture of experimentation. Our biggest experiment? Discovering how each of us learn best!
We are located on ten beautiful acres in north Spokane featuring a nine-foot-tall Straw Bale Pyramid with large building supplies, an Outdoor Kitchen, and a Little House which contains our Arts & Crafts Studio and our Library.
We have picture books, kid fiction, abridged classics, YA novels, older teen novels, novels you would like, books on health and healing, biographies, books about alternative education (including John Taylor Gatto, John Holt, Akilah Richards, Naomi Fisher, etc), and how-to books, including sewing, home building, drawing, playing music, and outdoor cooking.
We have a variety of papers, markers, crayons, paint, fabric, sewing materials, embroidery materials, wooden spools, loose parts, and a variety of parts.
We accept donations of your surplus craft materials.
We cook! Parents take turns leading the cooking, and the kids help (if they want to). During our Teen Gathering on Fridays, the teens themselves cook (if they want to).
We've made quesadillas, many different kinds of soups (including Stone Soup), cookies, spaghetti, curry, and more. We also have a number of outdoor cookbooks on hand if you're looking for inspiration.
A nine-foot-tall straw bale pyramid
Lots of tires
Giant straw bales for hanging out... or building houses between them... or parkour... or anything!
Lots of large pieces of wood -- the kids love building their own houses!
Rather than trying to shield children from all risk, adventure playgrounds help them to learn to manage risk. Learning how to manage risk is safer than not learning how. This skill keeps them safer throughout their lives.
If you're brand new to the magic of Adventure Playgrounds, the best way to bring yourself up to speed is by watching this short documentary. It opens with a panel discussion of experts extolling the benefits of play. The documentary begins at 5:15.
Wikipedia article on Adventure Playgrounds
Wikipedia article on The Yard the first adventure playground established in the United States. It was opened in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1949, to give children "their own spot of earth and plenty of tools and materials for digging, building and creating as they see fit."
286 photos for Shorebird Park Nature Center & Adventure Playground in Berkeley, CA.
Article about Adventure Playground Berkeley
Another article about Adventure Playground Berkeley
Wikipedia article on Play:groundNYC a non-profit adventure playground that has operated on Governors Island in New York City since 2016 and advocates for access to space for free play.
Website for Play:groundNYC, which hosts The Yard, NYC’s only adventure playground
New York Playgrounds of the 60's and 70's
Pop-Up Play Spaces NYC, a guidebook
How to Create a Backyard Adventure Playground
Richter Spielgeräte Play Spaces
If you're as excited as we are about this kind of hands-on open-ended play (or if you just have some stuff to get rid of), here's how you can help build out our Adventure Playground!
We're currently looking for donations of
planks
long tubes
things you saw in the Adventure Playground Inspiration section above
Of course, it goes without saying that all materials should be in good condition.
