Every Child Needs the Power of Play!

Over the past year, our children have faced unprecedented challenges - from school closures coupled with increased screen time to an ever-widening social and educational gap. A resource like kidSTREAM is needed now more than ever.

Children need access to hands-on, minds-on play. Your gift today, gets kidSTREAM closer to opening our doors tomorrow. Help us create a space for every child.

An Accessible Treehouse Adventure

 with multiple lookout peaks, linked together by rope bridges that sway over activities below. 

Why is this important to children? Children need both "safe risk" and gross motor (large muscle) play, which are decreasing at a significant rate in today's childhood. Key development, both mentally and physically, happens when children take on risk, and a safe environment, like professionally designed and built rope bridges and treehouse lookouts provide this opportunity.

An Agricultural Space

with a small pretend orchard and play farm, farmer's market, scales, a climbable tractor, as well as rotating carts for planting real plants.

Why is this important to children? Ventura County is home to a bountiful agricultural economy, and children are further removed from where their food is grown - even when it's close to their backyard. Additionally, pretend play is developmentally critical for children in that through this play important complex social and higher order thinking skills are developed and practiced.

A Channel Island Exhibit

featuring a whale pod with water play, climbable Channel Islands, a rolling wave tunnel, balance surfboards and kayaks, as well as a kelp obstacle course. Additionally, programming carts will supply hands on learning about every exhibit, deepening the learning and context for every child.

Why is this important to children? Our region's national park is mostly under water and many don't have the opportunity to visit, but we bring a fun and educational version of the Channel Islands to our children. Much of the play in this marine play space is gross motor play with scalable challenges for children of different ages and abilities.

Sand Play

with Pygmy Mammoth Dig and "Mud Kitchen" - This "beach" will separate the Channel Islands from the agricultural space, much like it does in Ventura County. 

Why is this important to children? Sand, like the water that will run into this area, is not only a sensory play opportunity, but helps develop fine motor skills, communication and socialization and cooperative play.

Water Play

with a meandering dry stream bed that children can hand pump water into to wash their fruit at the agricultural stand or bring to the "mud kitchen" for play in the sand.

Why is this important to children? Water is a favorite sensory play tool for many children, and due to the conservative use of hand pumps which limit output and gray water collection plans, we can be mindful of this precious natural resource without denying children the opportunity for water play.

There are so many other exciting plans in the works for kidSTREAM's outdoor play space, from an amphitheater for programming and dramatic play to an art and music space to a "secret garden" path with a labyrinth and vine covered tunnels and nooks. 

We are so excited to bring these outdoor plans to you, but we need your help! Donate today to bring this much needed resource to the children of Ventura County!