play:ground

play:ground play:groundNYC is reimagining the urban environment as a place for all children to play, create and explore, regardless of demographic status.

08/19/2026

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We’re sharing a of one of the play spaces that has popped up in The Yard this season - Tree Fort! Our Playworker team ...
08/17/2026

We’re sharing a of one of the play spaces that has popped up in The Yard this season - Tree Fort! Our Playworker team set the foundation but the young people brought the vision and it evolves and changes every single day. Proof that construction at The Yard is for everyone - no expert skills required! Has your young person mentioned Tree Fort to you?

Time for some more • When children write, direct, style, and perform their own plays, they aren’t just putting on a sh...
08/12/2026

Time for some more • When children write, direct, style, and perform their own plays, they aren’t just putting on a show, they’re building confidence, executive functioning, emotional resilience, narrative literacy, and empathy. Child-led drama allows young people to step into different roles, negotiate storylines, and bring their imaginations to life entirely on their own terms. By taking full ownership of the stage at The Yard, they learn to express complex emotions, solve problems collaboratively, and discover the true power of their own voices.

That’s the magic of The Yard: by giving kids the freedom, space, and real materials to bring their wildest ideas to life, we watch them transform from imaginative storytellers into confident creators.

08/06/2026

No school? No problem! Register for one (or more) of our upcoming mini camps for unstructured outdoor play this fall! Link in our bio.

We have spots available in our upcoming Family Play Workshops on Saturday, August 22, 2026 and October 10, 2026.If you’d...
08/05/2026

We have spots available in our upcoming Family Play Workshops on Saturday, August 22, 2026 and October 10, 2026.

If you’d like to learn more about the playwork philosophy, and introduce child-led play into your family’s life, join us for a full afternoon of programming: a parent/guardian workshop, children’s play, and family time together in The Yard. Click the link in our bio to learn more and register!

Join us Saturday August 1 for our next Preview Hours from 10:30-11:30am at The Yard! Our Family Preview Hours offer a qu...
07/31/2026

Join us Saturday August 1 for our next Preview Hours from 10:30-11:30am at The Yard!

Our Family Preview Hours offer a quiet, low-sensory environment with strictly limited capacity, designed specifically for families of young people with disabilities or neurodivergent children. It’s a pressure-free space for your young person to play, and a chance for us to connect with you so that we can learn from you how to make The Yard more welcoming and accessible.

RSVP at the link in our bio! If you know anyone who would benefit from this time please share!

Happy International Day of Friendship! At The Yard, watching young people make friends is pure magic - and maybe a litt...
07/30/2026

Happy International Day of Friendship!

At The Yard, watching young people make friends is pure magic - and maybe a little bit of alchemy. Many campers arrive without knowing a single soul. Some dive right in, while others take time to warm up to a big, open play environment. Our Playworkers know you can’t force friendship, but you can set the stage. By pairing shared interests, setting up engaging spaces, and sometimes acting as the human bridge, they get to watch deep connections take root. Before you know it, a group rescue mission or a shared beetle discovery turns total strangers into lifelong besties. In fact, we have campers who have built friendships that last for years and now coordinate their schedules every summer just to come back to camp together!

Want to help young people connect in their own free play? Here is how to foster friendships like a playworker:

Set the Stage, Not the Rules: Create loose, inviting spaces with crafts, games, or water play that naturally draw young people with shared interests together.

Be the Human Bridge: Engage with two hesitant young people at the same time until they naturally recognize each other as a match.

Use Shared Goals & Playful Scenarios: Invite young people into a lighthearted joint mission (like joining forces to rescue a “captive” grown-up!) to build instant teamwork.

Celebrate Unique Contributions: Encourage young people to bring their own passions to the table, whether it’s a bug kit or a wild story, and highlight what makes their ideas exciting to others.

Step Back When the Spark Ignites: Once the dynamic takes off, slowly fade into the background and let them take full ownership of their new connection.

Curious about the core philosophy that drives play:groundNYC? So much of our organizational why and how comes from the P...
07/27/2026

Curious about the core philosophy that drives play:groundNYC?

So much of our organizational why and how comes from the Playwork Primer, written by the incredibly Penny Wilson. This is the foundational text for anyone looking to understand playwork principles and how to approach self-directed, adventure play.

Whether you’re a parent, educator, or just curious to learn more, it’s a wonderful, insightful deep dive into our world.

Want to check it out? Read the full Playwork Primer at the link in our bio

Address

40 Barry Road
New York, NY
10004

Opening Hours

Saturday 12pm - 4pm
Sunday 12pm - 4pm

Telephone

+17326390316

Website

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