Who We Are
Our aim is to incorporate self-directed play opportunities for children and adolescents using loose parts, under the supervision of trained playworkers, cultivating a community that understands and values the importance of play.
Our Mission
Prioritizing Play your Way.
Statement
Letting our children self direct their own play based on their intrinsic motivation, their interests and passions allows children and adolescents to take advantage of this magical time. Compensate the academic oriented school systems, the facilitated after school programs, the physical play at playgrounds and sports teams and the overwhelming use of screens with scheduling in time that is theirs. An outdoor environment where adults are trained to listen, respect and see your child for their full playing potential. We know that by playing children learn and develop; they practice life skills, problem solve, resolve conflict, explore their strengths and learn about their weaknesses, interact with a multi age social group, try new things, create, build, innovate and destroy. The adventure playground morphs to your child's needs and the playworker are there to support those needs. Read more below about the origins of adventure playgrounds and what guides this philosophy.
Our Four Founding Elements
The elements below are the key ingredients to what we believe and practice. Click below to learn more.
Hi! I'm Naomi.
I am always up for an adventure. I have a passion for education, outdoors and play. I strive to enrich children's lives with as much outdoor unstructured play as possible while sharing my ideologies with others. I advocate as a mother of three, a playworker and an educator to create a reality where children get to truly indulge and experience their childhood, allowing them to play freely, discover and explore- play is a priority.
Hi! I'm Aurora.
My name is Aurora Sánchez-Villalobos an 18 year old that just graduated high school. During high school I would volunteer with a few groups including Play Adventures. At first I wasn’t sure what I was up against but hey the name of the organization had Play in it. I kept coming back to volunteer at the pop-ups and I fell in love with what we did. There was something different each time. Each kid played out their fantasy and I was lucky to not join as an 18 year old but as my inner child wanting to come out once again.
Hi! I'm Sofia.
The philosophy behind play adventures resonates deeply with me and just makes sense. As a child I grew up climbing trees, sloshing around in mud and bringing home random animals. I know that the way I was raised has made me into the person I have become and I am so thankful I had the chance to learn and play independently in the ways I wanted. I believe every child should have a chance to learn, play and grow in their own way. Watching kids play, problem solve, make connections and engineer their own creations has been an amazing and fulfilling experience for me.
Hi! I'm Brandon.
The name is Brandon Lopez; I am 22 years old. Playworker in-training by day, gamer and car enthusiast by night. Becoming a "playworker" was something I have never heard of, something very different than most other workplaces. The idea of playing as you are working seemed like an interesting opportunity to try, and so far it has always been a blast to be a part of. Each day I work, there is always something different going on that makes each day interesting. Training as a Playworker has also given me a possibility and potential to look into a future career as a teacher or maybe even run my own daycare. Working with children can be difficult at times, but knowing that they ended the day happy because you were a part of it, makes me happy. This work, this position, everything about it so far has been rewarding for me on a personal level, and I have to thank Play Adventures for giving me this opportunity to have this experience, for allowing me to give the same experience to all the children who come and play.