KaBOOM! Community Builds

Each year, KaBOOM! leads a number of playground builds across the country using our time-tested community-build model.

These done-in-a-day playgrounds, ice rinks and skateparks are dramatic, inspirational events that people come back for again and again.

The community-build process kicks off with Design Day where local children help design the new playspace. After Design Day, the planning period begins. Each week a KaBOOM! Project Manager works with the planning committee to help them organize logistics for the day of the build. This eight to ten week planning period culminates in Build Day, in which 150 to 500 community and corporate volunteers work side by side to build a playground, ice rink or skatepark or refurbish a sports field…all in one day!

These KaBOOM!-led projects are proven models of how building a playground can strengthen people’s faith in themselves and in their communities. Not only is a space transformed, but the people who made it possible also change because of the experience and walk away knowing they can make a difference!

Here’s a snapshot of a typical Build Day:

7:30 a.m. – Volunteers are welcomed to the build site by excited Build Captains donning purple and orange KaBOOM! gear. They distribute group assignments and direct volunteers to the breakfast area where they can all gather and meet before the day gets started.

8:30 a.m. – The official Build Day kick-off begins! The KaBOOM! Project Managers, community leaders and Build Captains speak on the background of the project and the safety issues for the day. They then lead the group in rounds of cheers and warm-up exercises. The Cupid Shuffle is one of our favorite ways to get the blood flowing!

10:00 a.m. – At this point in the day, everyone is hard at work. Take a walk around the site and you’ll find volunteers shoveling mulch to provide a safe ground surface for the playground, or constructing rockblocks on which the children will climb, or painting mural pieces to bring some color to the playground.

12:00 p.m. – At lunchtime, volunteers eat in rotating groups. This allows all our volunteers to take a break and eat a well-deserved, hearty meal. This system also allows the building process to stay on track, as there is never a moment when the build site is empty.

1:30 p.m. – The playground is almost complete! Volunteers who have completed their assignments help others who aren’t quite done yet or begin to clear the site of trash and debris, making way for the fantastic ribbon-cutting ceremony to follow!

2:30 p.m. – Celebration! After about six hours of hard work, the playground is complete. The volunteers and community members gather to celebrate this wonderful accomplishment of strengthening their community by building a great new place to play!

Download a pdf document with this information.

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