The Yard, an experimental playground filled with unconventional play items such as loose materials, spare parts, and tools, is reopening for its fourth season on Saturday, May 4. Located in beautiful Governor’s Island, The Yard offers kids the space to experiment with raw materials and foster their creative in new ways. However, this summer the Yard will be offering new programs for children ages 5-18 to unfetter their imaginations and explore topics such as art and environmental science.
From April 29-June 20, play:groundNYC is hosting an Adventure Play Club at the Yard. Students can be picked up from school and brought to Governors Island then dropped back off in Manhattan after the program. It will be held Monday-Thursday from 3-6pm. Other programs include school field trips, summer camp, professional development workshops and classes for educators, and open play on weekends from 12-4pm.
The Yard aims to give children more time outside to explore new concepts in the natural world around them. “Young people in New York face many challenges,” says Executive Director Rebecca Faulkner. “Increased urban density, the impact from climate change, a struggling transit system, and a lack of open spaces for them to play. But with more spaces like The Yard, where children can play freely, we can begin to transform the urban environment for the next generation, and subsequently for all of us.”
The Yard is located at 40 Barry Road, Governors Island. For more information, or to inquire about upcoming programs, you can visit play-ground.nyc, or email yoni@play-ground.nyc
Main Image: Children play freely in The Yard. Image courtesy play:groundNYC.
