Got Questions? We Can Help!

Our Dream Playground is the latest iteration of the KaBOOM! Project Planner. This new tool will allow communities to not only plan playground projects but also to fundraise like never before! Based on extensive user feedback, we have revamped our older version of the project planner to provide the same resources and tools in a new and more engaging way.

We generally recommend a 12-month timeframe, as you'll need enough time to raise the needed funds and resources, recruit volunteers, and have the equipment manufactured. You'll also want to keep time of year in mind – no one is going to want to build a playground in 100-degree weather or three feet of snow! Even if you don't know the exact date that you want to build, it is important to set it early on so you have a goal to work towards. Projects with a set build date have a much higher rate of success.

The Planning Committee is a group of concerned citizens who lead the planning and execution of a community-build project. The Planning Committee is led by at least one Project Leader, and comprised of Team Members and Team Captains, who participate on or lead one of eight teams that is responsible for a certain aspect of planning: Children's Activities, Construction, Food, Fundraising, Logistics, Public Relations, Safety, and Volunteer Recruitment. Dividing up the tasks reduces everyone's workload while encouraging each individual to take ownership of the project. It also allows committee members to specialize in their favorite area, improving the quality and passion of the team's work. A well-organized committee is worth more than the sum of its parts!

The Project Leader is responsible for doing preliminary research; establishing a project plan; recruiting Team Captains and Team Members; and motivating, instructing, advising and helping your teams as they implement the plan. A Project Leader cannot go it alone—he or she needs the support of a robust Planning Committee! Dividing up the tasks reduces everyone's workload while encouraging each individual to take ownership of the project. It also allows committee members to specialize in their favorite area, improving the quality and passion of the team's work. A well-organized committee is worth more than the sum of its parts!

• Project Teams: We have learned over the course of completing thousands of playground builds like yours that the best way to accomplish all the tasks is to divide and conquer. Project Teams consist of volunteers that are either assigned by a Project Leader or self-selected into a role based on their skills, talents, and interests. Eight Project Teams work closely together throughout the planning and implementation of the playground project to ensure all tasks are completed:

  • Children's Activities
  • Construction
  • Food
  • Fundraising
  • Logistics
  • Public Relations
  • Safety
  • Volunteer Recruitment



• Team Captains: In addition to being a member of a Project Team, Project Leaders will assign 1-2 members of that team to serve as a Team Captain. The Team Captain's role is to delegate and manage the tasks of their assigned team. The person(s) assigned to this role are expected to stay in close contact with the Project Leader and provide regular status updates on the project. Oftentimes this role is taken on by someone who has experience in the area. For example, a teacher may take on the role of Team Captain for the Children's Activities team.

With the right amount of dedicated volunteers, your community can come together to build a playground in one day. Pulling off this kind of ambitious community barn-raising requires months of organizing by a Planning Committee, from fundraising to volunteer recruitment to preparation of the site.

For a medium-sized playground (50'x50'), we recommend having 10-20 volunteers to assist with advance site preparation, which may include removing asphalt, leveling a slope, and digging post holes for the play equipment. On the day of the build, we recommend having 100-120 volunteers to install the playground, haul safety surfacing, and complete side projects. (Playgrounds using poured-in-place rubberized surfacing, which is installed by professionals, can be assembled with just 50-80 volunteers.)

There are several reasons why we do this. For one, it's easier to get people to commit to volunteering for a single day. Who wouldn't want to give up their Saturday or Sunday when there's free food and fun activities for the kids? Make your one-day build a spirited community event and you will find the volunteers to make it happen. The sheer ambition of a one-day project will also pique interest and draw curious onlookers!

Secondly, it's easier to get business sponsors and media organizations involved in a building blitz. Challenge local businesses and corporations to donate just one day of their employees' time, and you can get a huge volunteer turnout. An eight-hour project is a natural fit for corporate team-building activities and/or publicity events tied to a conference or company anniversary. Media will also be attracted by a speedy playground "barn-raising" – that's a story in itself! Reporters prefer having a defined day and time in which they can show up and be guaranteed a great story with great photos.

You know what else happens at a one-day build? Fantastic, face-to-face community networking. Imagine having all of your sponsors, local officials, parents, association leaders and playground neighbors working side by side. Special supporters often want to lend a hand, and a lot of new relationships can be forged atop the mulch pile!

Finally, a one-day build is inspiring. No one will really believe that it's possible until they see it happen, and then each person will feel overwhelmed by the power of a dedicated community at work. If your community can do this today, what can you do tomorrow?

There are no skills that are absolutely necessary to build a playground. Assembling most manufactured playground equipment is like putting together a puzzle, and the most common tool used is a ratchet (for tightening bolts). Remember that a community-built playground project relies on teamwork for success; therefore, what might be a strenuous task for one person is an easy task for four people.

Playgrounds can vary greatly in cost, from $5,000 to more than $100,000. When developing a playground budget, you'll need to factor in the size of the site, the number of children who will use the space at any given time, the age of the children, site preparation needs (such as removing rocks or trees from the site, digging up concrete and old structures beneath the site), the kind of play equipment, and the choice of safety surfacing. Some communities also choose to invest in side projects such as picnic tables, community gardens, tricycle paths and blacktop areas, all of which can increase the cost of a project.

Some states have passed laws for playground safety; be sure to check with your state or local parks and recreation department to find out about laws in your area. For those states without specific mandates, there are three important guidelines and standards to follow to ensure that your playground is safe for your children. The CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission) has a set of guidelines that are updated every couple of years. The CPSC also issues recalls and warnings on their website (www.cpsc.gov). The ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) also has issued a set of standards (ASTM F1487-95) for playgrounds. Both CPSC and ASTM cover similar topics. There is also a standard for accessibility that comes from the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) that ensures that children of all abilities can have the opportunity to play.

The most common maintenance work that needs to be done regularly is ensuring that the safety surfacing is kept up. Engineered wood fibers must be raked and kept at a consistent depth, while synthetic rubber surfaces must also be kept clean. The maintenance for a playground structure varies greatly depending on the quality and type of materials used to construct it. Wooden materials require more maintenance than steel, and steel more maintenance than aluminum. No matter what kind of playground your community has, someone should be responsible for regularly inspecting the playground equipment and surfacing.

Community-built playspaces aren't just for kids! A few simple additions to the area around your playspace — like benches, shade structures, and murals — will transform it into an inviting community space. Some side projects also provide a great way for kids to get involved on Build Day. Learn more about how to plan your play environment at kaboom.org/sideprojects. These step-by-step instructions include shopping lists, skill level, and even a recommended number of volunteers.

Based on long-standing professional relationships, KaBOOM! recognizes these playground equipment manufacturing partners for their exemplary products, service and commitment to providing fun, exciting and safe playground equipment.

KaBOOM! is proud to work with these industry leading playground manufacturers as they introduce new concepts in free-play playground design and develop sustainable manufacturing and material use practices.

To learn more about the equipment manufacturers below, click the "View profile" button. To find a vendor near you, click the "Find a vendor" button. If you're looking for a vendor that specializes in a certain type of playground, like natural playspaces or wooden playgrounds, contact us for recommendations.

If you are using the Our Dream Playground toolkit outside of the United States, there are some things on the resource that may not directly apply to your specific project. Our toolkit is generally geared more towards those building playspaces in the US, however we are glad to provide some information for you as well! For more resources that could support and provide for your location, please contact one of the following international or Country-based Playground builders.

Kids Around the World
According to their website, "Kids Around the World, Inc. (KIDS) is a faith-based 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization dedicated to helping children and families who have been affected by war, poverty, illness, and natural disasters. Our home office is in Rockford, Illinois and our goal is to reach children around the world with the message of God's love for them."

Playground Builders
Playground Builders works with areas in need including: victims of economic stress, political injustice, natural disasters, and war-torn locations. According to their website, "Playground Builders is dedicated to building hope and peace through the gift of play. To date, we have supported the construction of more than 100 playgrounds throughout Afghanistan, Iraq and the Palestinian Territories. But this is just the beginning. There are many more children, schools, orphanages and communities in dire need of safe havens for play."

Swings: Bolivia
An installation piece which hopes to install swings in and around La Paz, Bolivia. "The goal is not only to connect with the local community but also with the travelers that pass through as they tour South America. Encouraging backpackers from a dozen countries to go out with us and do installations means that they take this experience and knowledge back to their homes and on their travels. It's not just about spreading joy, but spreading the desire to create it."

PlayEngland
PlayEngland is the United Kingdom's answer to KaBOOM!. According to their website, "[their] purpose is to ensure that children and young people in England have the space and opportunity to play freely as part of their daily lives, at school and other services, at home, and throughout the public realm. We promote the adoption of the Charter for Children's Play as a broad and abiding statement of how adult society should support children's play as a human right under Article 31 of the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child."

Middle Eastern Children's Alliance/Playgrounds for Peace
Playgrounds for Peace is a smaller organization within larger parent organization Middle Eastern Children's Alliance. "In the 1990s [MECA] established a partnership with the Welfare Association, a group of prominent Palestinian businessmen and other professionals, to launch "Playgrounds for Peace." This project was driven by the conviction that the ability to play—the right to play—is crucial to the health and development of all children, and only healthy children who grow up knowing more than anger, hatred, violence and fear, are children who can make peace that will be truly just and lasting. Playgrounds were built in Gaza, Nablus and Ramallah combining the best of US design and child development expertise with Palestinian tradition and input from municipal leaders, parents, teachers, and youth."

Playground Ideas
PlaygroundIDEAS works internationally, organizing playground builds worldwide for a large percentage of disadvantaged children.
"We operate with the help of international volunteers and funders, to help organizations and individuals create quality playgrounds for children all over the world. We do this because we recognize that while education is vital for all children, they need more than just a classroom to learn and grow to their full potential. Play is essential for children's development, and it forms a fundamental part of a well-balanced educational curriculum. We believe play need not be a luxury. Disadvantaged children need the opportunity to learn and play in a safe, educational, and fun environment – just like any of us would want for our own children."

This view has information that you may want to keep private. The Dashboard view is restricted to the:

• Project Leader
• Team Captains
• Team Members

It is not viewable by the public or Build Day-only volunteers.

Certain functions are restricted to the Project Leader or Team Captains as noted below:

• Edit the Project—this is restricted to the Project Leader, who can edit:
  • Playground project name
  • Address of the proposed playground
  • Project description
  • Build date
• Manage Tasks—as the Project Leader and Team Captains work through the eight Mile Markers and their associated tasks, they can mark each task as "Completed," "In Progress" or "Skipped," and share status updates on each task.
• View and Manage Financials—the Financials tab of the Dashboard for a project can be viewed by all project members.
  • Fundraising Overview—allows all members to view donations received and expenditures made on the project's online fundraising account. However, only the Project Leader can make transactions on the account. Everyone can also view dollars raised through off-line fundraising means, including grants, sponsorships, and money raised through community fundraising events. Only the Project Leader can enter these donations.
  • Set Your Budget—the Project Leader can set the overall budget for the project, and change it.
  • Start Fundraising Online—the Project Leader can set the online fundraising goal and enable online donations. The Project Leader can also change the online fundraising goal.
  • View Donors—all members can view donors. Donors who choose to remain anonymous will not be shown, but the date and amount of their donations will be visible under Account Activity in the Financials tab.
• Manage Volunteers—

  Here, the Project Leader can manage the different types of volunteers to your project.

  When someone joins your project, they can either RSVP to become a Volunteer or request to be a Member. Volunteers are interested in showing up on Build Day and lending a hand for an unforgettable day of community service. Members want to play a key role in the months leading up to Build Day by joining a Project Team, led by at least one Team Captain. In the "Manage Volunteers" section of the Dashboard, you'll see three tabs:

  • Assigned Members

    These are members of your project who have been assigned to a specific team. Only the Project Leader can promote members to Team Captain or remove them. Team Captains and do the same for their Team Members.

  • Unassigned Members

    These are potential Team Members who have expressed interest in getting involved. The Project Leader and Team Captains can assign or reassign, and move them to and from Teams.

  • Build Day Volunteers

    These folks want to help out on the big day! You can keep track of your volunteers here and send them messages as necessary. Be sure to let them know that you've received their RSVP and are expecting them on Build Day by clicking the "Confirm" button. If you have any questions or concerns about a volunteer or group of volunteers, send a message before you confirm them.

• Send Messages—

  Any Team Member can send a message to another individual Team Member, including the Project Leader; to a specific team; or to all Members. These messages are viewed only by Members and are not displayed on the public view of your project. Members can send a message, and access their inbox and sent messages.

• Add, Edit, and Delete Comments—

  Any Team Member can add a comment that that is visible to Team Members only or to the public. Public comments can be viewed under the "Comments" tab of the public view of your playground project profile, and the most recent comments will be seen on your public Project Overview. Project Leaders and Team Captains can edit or delete comments. Team Members can edit or delete their own comments.

Any visitor to the Our Dream Playground website can see the public view of your project. They can see the following:

• Overview—A brief introduction to your playground project, highlighting pictures, donations, updates, and progress to date.
• Mile Markers—An overview on how you will be planning and implementing your playground project using our community-build model.
• Map—Displays the location of your playground site and directions from a visitor's current location.
• Donors—A list of users who have made donations to a specific project.
• Team Members—An overview of the roles and responsibilities of the playground Planning Committee
• Comments—Updates and comments from the Team Members and the general public.

Any individual who is a registered user of OurDreamPlayground.org or kaboom.org can make a comment on a project or respond to a public comment made by a project Team Member.

The overview of your project page is your way of introducing your project to the world. You can share the vision and mission of your project, build support by outlining the need for the project, and let donors and volunteers know why your location is the perfect place for a new playground. Be sure to add at least one photo as soon as you can, preferably of your future playground site. Keep in mind that quality photos can tell a compelling story to potential donors.

By entering a street address or nearest intersection for your project site, you not only allow donors and volunteers to locate and support your project, you also provide directions to the location of your project.

Your playground project will not show up in search results or on our map until you have completed ALL of the following steps:

• Upload at least one photo, preferably of your future playground site. Keep in mind that quality photos can tell a compelling story to potential donors!
• Add a project description. Share the vision of your project, outline the need for a new place to play, and let donors and volunteers know why your location is the perfect place for a new playground.
• Enter the street address or nearest intersection of your future playground. This entry not only allows donors and volunteers to locate and support projects in their communities, it also provides directions to the location of your project.

Your playground project will not show up in search results or on our map until you have completed ALL of the following steps:

• Upload at least one photo, preferably of your future playground site. Keep in mind that quality photos can tell a compelling story to potential donors!
• Add a project description. Share the vision of your project, outline the need for a new place to play, and let donors and volunteers know why your location is the perfect place for a new playground.
• Enter the street address or nearest intersection of your future playground. This entry not only allows donors and volunteers to locate and support projects in their communities, it also provides directions to the location of your project.

KaBOOM! is a national nonprofit dedicated to saving play for America's children. Our mission is to create great playspaces through the participation and leadership of communities. Ultimately, we envision a place to play within walking distance of every child in America.

Like many non-profits, KaBOOM!, exists to solve a problem: The Play Deficit. Our children are playing less than any previous generation, and this lack of play is causing them profound physical, intellectual, social, and emotional harm.

We work to achieve our vision by defining the scale of the Play Deficit through mapping; by equipping communities with the resources and know-how they need to plan, build, improve, and open playgrounds; and by championing local policies and policy-makers who are increasing opportunities for play.

From our inception in 1995, KaBOOM! has led over 2,000 playground construction projects that pair community leaders with funding partners who support our mission. These playgrounds are our hallmark, all-volunteer, done-in-a-day builds that serve as an achievable win for communities that need it most. If you represent a child-serving organization in a high-need community that wants to provide their children with a great place to play, you can apply to be a Community Partner. Dedicated KaBOOM! staffers work closely with our Community Partners throughout the entire planning process, drawing from local assets and equipping community members with the know-how they need to make substantive change. That's why we say, "It starts with a playground."

KaBOOM! leads 150-200 playground builds a year, but it is our goal to empower thousands of communities to bring play to their schools, neighborhoods, and towns. That's what Our Dream Playground is for. Along with grants and fundraising tools, we offer all the knowledge that we have acquired in our 15 years of playground building by taking you through the planning process one step at a time.

Starting a playground project is as easy as 1, 2, 3! Click here to register your Dream Playground today.

To edit a project's location, build date, or description you must be the Project Leader. Simply select the "Edit the Project" tab on your Dashboard and make the needed changes.

All Project Members can easily add photos on the Project Overview Page of the Project Dashboard by using the upload form on the project Overview page. Any Youtube video can be added as well, using the form on the project Overview page.

Volunteer recruitment is one of the most important parts of getting your playground planning project off the group. If you are seeking more information on using Our Dream Playground to help you recruit, assign, and manage Team Captains and Build Day volunteers be sure to check out our short tutorial.

As in any planning process, it is helpful to have benchmarks as you work toward your achieving your goals. We designed a series of eight key Mile Markers that will help provide you with a roadmap to your Dream Playground.

The Mile Markers provide a general sense of where you are in the planning process. Within each Mile Marker, tasks assigned to each Project Team help you know exactly what you should be working on at any given time and what you need to do to advance to the next Mile Marker.

Once a project has been registered at OurDreamPlayground.org the Project Leader and Team Captains can begin the process of marking off task as "Complete," "In Progress" or "Skipped" within each Mile Marker. You can make status updates to each task to help keep track of your progress and keep other Team Members informed.

We strongly recommend that each of your Project Teams follows and completes our recommended tasks—after all, they are based on over 15 years of playground building experience and over 2,000 playground builds! That said, in some cases a task may not be applicable to your specific situation. For instance, if a person or business in your community has already agreed to donate all the food you need, you may be able to skip Food Team tasks related to securing food for Build Day.

Any Team Member can make a comment that that is visible to Team Members only or to the public. Public comments can be viewed under the "Comments" tab of the public view of your playground project profile, and the most recent comments will be seen on your public Project Overview. Comments are a way for you to share how your project is going. If you have a status update to share with the rest of your Planning Committee, we recommend making your comment visible to Team Members only. To share exciting news and milestones about your project with potential donors and volunteers, make your comment visible to the public.

Badges help to qualify your project your fundraising and grant opportunities -- and they increase your project's chances of being highlighted on Our Dream Playground homepage, which will help you attract more donors and volunteers. Both projects and individuals can earn badges that support your project and those badges can then be shared via social media (Facebook and Twitter) to spread the news about your project even faster! Click here for a complete list of actions that will earn you and your project badges.

While badges mark a specific milestone, each and every action you take on your project page earns you and your project points. The point system is based on a sliding scale with the more challenging or time-consuming tasks receiving a greater number of points. You'll be able to see how many points your project has earned on the Project Overview page, and how many points you have individually earned on your Profile page.

Wondering how your project ranks against other playground projects, or how your badges and points stack up against other users on Our Dream Playground? Leaderboards are populated with the people and projects with the most badges and points. They display the most active users and projects on Our Dream Playground. See What are badges and how do I earn them? and What are points and how do I earn them? for more information.

Should you need to disable your project for any reason, the Project Leader can do so by clicking on the "Edit the Project" tab on your Dashboard. Disabling a project will allow the project to remain visible only to the Project Leader. The project can be re-enabled on the "Edit the Project" page.

When creating a message, you have the option to send it to another individual Team Member, including the Project Leader; to a specific team; or to all Members. These messages are viewed only by Members and are not displayed on the public view of your project. Members can send a message, and access their inbox and sent messages.

Registering your project on OurDreamPlayground.org makes it easier than ever to raise funds for your playground projects. Individuals, businesses, and groups from your community can all make direct donations to your project, as well as individuals who are introduced to your project on Our Dream Playground. Click here for tips on effective online fundraising techniques.

Setting your project up for online fundraising moves you one step closer to completing your project. To get started, you will need to complete the following steps and the click the Enable Fundraising button under your Financial's tab:

• Set your Online Fundraising Goal
• Enter an street address or nearest intersection for your project site
• Upload a photo of the site where you'll be building
• Write a project description
• Set a build date
• Assign a Team Captain to each of your Planning Teams

NOTE: This information can be viewed by the Project Leader, Team Captains and Team Members.

In any online outreach you do, make sure to provide a link to your Donate page so that people can easily make a secure online donation. Remember, the more points and badges your project earns, the more visible it will be on Our Dream Playground, making it possible for our broader network to find and support your project. Click here for online fundraising tips.

Yes! Through our partnership with Dr Pepper Snapple, we are proud to offer $15,000 Let's Play Construction Grants to qualifying communities. Learn more here. We also award these grants through our annual Promote Your Playground Video and Design Contests. Click here for details.

Groupon donation "coupons" can be redeemed by visiting any project page. However, new Groupon coupons are no longer available as this promotion has now ended

Purchase a $10 or $25 coupon from Groupon and when it is applied to a project, our fantastic partners at Playworld Systems, Miracle Recreation Equipment Company, Landscape Structures, and Burke will match that donation. A $10 donation become $20, and a $25 donation becomes $50!

Funds will not be sent directly to you. All of your Groupon donations will be applied as an equipment credit when you purchase your playground equipment from one of our KaBOOM! Preferred Vendors.

If you have a specific project you want to donate to, visit that project's page on Our Dream Playground and press the Donate via Groupon button. Enter the redemption code into the form, and press Save. If you are unsure of which project you want to donate to, KaBOOM! has hand-picked a large selection of projects from across the country. Check out our featured projects and when you are ready to apply your Groupon, press the Redeem button.

Recipient of Construction Grants and KaBOOM! Community Partners are not eligible to have their donations doubled. The original value of the Groupon can be applied to the project, but it cannot be matched by the Preferred Vendors.

All unclaimed donations will be awarded to KaBOOM! to continue our work building great places to play across North America!

Playgrounds enable free play, but they cost money. In fact, fundraising is one of the biggest hurdles that a community will face. Help make a child's playground dream come true by donating to a project in need. Eighty five percent of our projects are funded by individual donors, and you can be one of them! Discover a project to help near you using our search tools. If a project has enabled online fundraising, you can support it by clicking the "Donate Now" button from their Project Overview page.

The project Planning Committee must complete a series of steps to enable online fundraising. If you don't see a "Donate Now" button, it's because they have not yet complete these steps. You can click the "Contact This Project" button on the Project Overview page to ask the Project Leader when online donations will be enabled.

Once you go through the steps of the donation, you will revive a confirmation stating your payment has been made. If you do not, please contact the Project Leader directly by clicking on "Contact this Project" on the Project Overview page.

All questions regarding your donation should be made directly to the Project Leader. You can message the Project Leader directly by clicking "Contact this Project" on the Project Overview page.

There are two ways to get involved. You can RSVP if you're interested in showing up on Build Day and lending a hand for an unforgettable day of community service. Or, if you want to play a key role in the months leading up to Build Day, you can ask to join a Planning Committee team. Click here to search for projects in need of volunteers, then click the "Volunteer" button the Project Overview page to indicate how you'd like to be involved. If you have any questions about the project beforehand, click "Contact This Project" on the Project Overview page.

There are no skills that are absolutely necessary to build or plan a playground. If you're RSVPing for Build Day, all you need is a smile and can-do attitude. If you'd like to join the Planning Committee, think about what you might have to offer. Have you planned a fundraising event before? Written a grant application? Sent a press release? Led children's activities? Your skills and interests can help you decide which Project Team you request to join.

KaBOOM! is a national nonprofit dedicated to saving play for America's children. Our mission is to create great playspaces through the participation and leadership of communities. Ultimately, we envision a place to play within walking distance of every child in America.

Like many non-profits, KaBOOM!, exists to solve a problem: The Play Deficit. Our children are playing less than any previous generation, and this lack of play is causing them profound physical, intellectual, social, and emotional harm.

We work to achieve our vision by defining the scale of the Play Deficit through mapping; by equipping communities with the resources and know-how they need to plan, build, improve, and open playgrounds; and by championing local policies and policy-makers who are increasing opportunities for play.

From our inception in 1995, KaBOOM! has led over 2,000 playground construction projects that pair community leaders with funding partners who support our mission. These playgrounds are our hallmark, all-volunteer, done-in-a-day builds that serve as an achievable win for communities that need it most. If you represent a child-serving organization in a high-need community that wants to provide their children with a great place to play, you can apply to be a Community Partner. Dedicated KaBOOM! staffers work closely with our Community Partners throughout the entire planning process, drawing from local assets and equipping community members with the know-how they need to make substantive change. That's why we say, "It starts with a playground."

KaBOOM! leads 150-200 playground builds a year, but it is our goal to empower thousands of communities to bring play to their schools, neighborhoods, and towns. That's what Our Dream Playground is for. Along with grants and fundraising tools, we offer all the knowledge that we have acquired in our 15 years of playground building by taking you through the planning process one step at a time.

"Community-build" means that a group of local citizens – usually organized as a parent committee, child-care center, school board, non-profit association, or neighborhood group – takes the lead in initiating, planning, and fundraising for a project to benefit the whole community. It means that local volunteers help to prepare the site and install the playground, and it means that community residents – especially children – are active in the design process. Finally, decisions about safety and usage lie in the hands of the community that will use and maintain the playground. Playgrounds that are built with the contribution and "sweat equity" of local volunteers are much more likely to be taken care of and enjoyed.

No. KaBOOM! is a non-profit organization that facilitates the partnership between communities and businesses to create equitable access to play opportunities for youth. We do not manufacture or sell equipment. However, we are proud to say that the play equipment industry is adapting to our successful community-build model. Due to consumer demand, many manufacturers now offer special materials for community builds. Visit Partners in Play for information about our current equipment suppliers.

No, only residents of the United States may participate in this video contest. Playgrounds must be built on United States soil.

Both your project's video and application must be complete by Friday, March 8, 2013 at 11:59PM EST.