FINDING INSPIRATION IN EVERY CHILD
Welcome to Play Adventures - a unique Merced school and child care facility that offers outdoor, play-based, experiential and early childhood education.
PROGRAMS WE OFFER PARENTS:
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Programming: Preschool, Afterschool, MGM
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Workshops on multiple topics
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Parent resource and support
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Gimme a Break Nights
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Pop Up Play Days or Series
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Camps
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Free events
Click here to donate to Free Play for All!
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Much Much more... ​
Watch the video to learn more and visit the 'Our Programs' page for all that we offer along with pricing. You can also get in touch, we would love to hear from you​!
OUR STORY
How did we come to be?
Naomi Sukenik
Founder & CEO
Naomi founded Play Adventures with the idea that every child deserves a safe place to play and to lead their play without instruction. We showed up at parks, and kids found us playing with weird, found and recycled items and their imaginations ran wild when they began to create. Covid hit our community and we turned into a Large home child care, while community events dwindled. This past year alone we ran a Forest Preschool, an Afterschool, a 'my grownup and me' program for toddlers and young children, and held workshops for our families. Now that we are more safe against Covid, we are excited to begin community outreach, Pop Up Play Days and other wonderful events to look forward to!
Why we do what we do!
We believe there should be a space and time in a child's play dedicated to outdoor, self- directed play, Where the adults are mostly out of sight and out of mind.
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The four tenets that guide Play Adventures Clubhouse Programs:
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‘I am Capable’ meaning we believe in a child's full potential. They are capable of problem solving, assessing and taking risks, and resolving their own conflicts!
‘I am part of an environment’ - connecting to nature and our changing seasons, caring for our environment as we discuss concepts
like: sustainability, conservation, reusing, and recycling.
‘I am part of a culture’ - Most of us have a sense of belonging to a culture. By learning about multiple cultures, traditions and religions from around the world, we become more open minded and are more readily able to accept others. Knowledge and understanding of others is crucial accepting those different from us. Being kind no matter how our thoughts, opinions and beliefs differ.
'I am curious' - This means we let them investigate the things they are curious about without judgement (using an object in a different way then what is normally allowed (i.e dumping paint on a painting), exploring their environment (ie. digging a deep hole in the backyard) in a way that interests them (destroying a box). These show the different types of Play that are possible without being judged, criticized, or stopped.