Something is building at Kids Co.! Starting on Giving Tuesday, we are giving YOU a peek behind the curtain and sharing the story of Kids Co. like never before. What do we mean? You’ll have to stay tuned to find out.

Here’s a little hint: our story has something to do with one of Kid Co.’s most popular activities. You won’t want to miss a thing, so stay tuned here and follow us on social. We can’t wait to share our story with you!

PS. If you think you know what we’re up to, share your guess on Facebook or Instagram.. Don’t forget to use #givingtuesday!

When you give a kid a box…

Have you ever noticed how young kids often love the box the toy comes in more than the toy itself? Why is that? It’s because when kids are young, they see possibility everywhere. A box isn’t just a box. It’s a starting point for million different fun projects and adventures.

At Kids Co. we encourage and inspire a lifetime of curiosity, creativity, and wonder. We never want our kids to stop seeing the possibilities everywhere they look, and we foster that mindset with our staff too. That’s why, when we look around our centers, we don’t just see the wonderful, smart, creative, funny kids we care for each day. We see future engineers, architects, designers, builders, carpenters, politicians, civil servants, city planners, and so much more.

Fostering these future society builders means giving them safe places where they can play, learn, grow, experiment, and explore.

Our young society builders are so excited to dive into a fun and exciting project, but first…

Are you at work right now? Look around. Who do you see? Not at work? Think about your coworkers, co-volunteers, or members of your community. Are they all the same age? Of course not! Workplaces, volunteer groups, and communities are made up of a mix of people from all different backgrounds and all different ages. Each person contributes to the collective, strengthening the community with their individual contributions. Older members often bring experience and life skills, and younger members can bring new perspectives and fresh energy.

At Kids Co., we see so much value in having kids of all different ages working, playing, and learning together. That’s why each center brings all kids, from age five to 12, together. We encourage them to interact across age groups and to recognize that each individual, no matter their age, can bring something to the table.

For a project this BIG, our kids are going to work in teams. As they split up, we are so excited to see them mix it up across age ranges. Some of the older kids have done this project before. They are so excited to show their younger teammates how it’s done. And the younger kids’ minds are going a mile a minute as they think of all of the possibilities.

We’re building teams. We’re building community. We’re about to build something really BIG! Just what are we building?

Drum roll please…

The time has come. We’re about to share what’s been building at Kids Co. It’s one of Kids Co.’s most loved projects. Our returning kids have been waiting in anticipation, and so have you. Remember all those cardboard boxes? With just a few supplies and a whole lot of imagination, we are about to build a thriving cardboard city right here at Kids Co. For something this big…

It starts with a plan…

When we think about activities at Kids Co., we always start with the intention. What outcomes are we striving toward? What do we want our kids to learn? Once we know where we want to go, we can figure out how to get there. For example, we wanted our kids to explore science and engineering, while also building social and emotional skills, such as teamwork, initiative, and problem-solving, and the Box City project was born.

We encourage our kids to take the same approach. Our teams are thinking about what type of city they want to build. Will everyone build a commercial building? Will there be residential buildings too? Do we want a balanced city with different services? Or do we all want to build the same type of building, like different types of restaurants?

Now that we have a plan, we are just getting started. Over the next few weeks, we will continue to build our box city and our story. Visit our blog to read the full story.

What is high-quality child care?
It is a safe, nurturing environment where teachers support the development of the whole child. Teachers encourage curiosity, exploration, and learning through play. They are intentional in their planning and responsive to individual needs.

At Kids Co., our communities of learning help kids explore academic subjects like math, science, literacy, and the arts; develop social and emotional skills like responsibility, empathy, and initiative; and build strong, healthy, and meaningful relationships with other kids and adult mentors. Your support ensures that high-quality and reliable child care is affordable for and accessible to families throughout Seattle.

Giving Tuesday and Beyond

Something is building at Kids Co.