Support Kids in the Hive PlaySpace for Humboldt Kids

Help us keep our *kids in the hive* PlaySpace for Families with Littles alive at the Arcata Plaza Farmers' Market! Our PlaySpaces are open to all and totally free for families.

The Arcata Plaza Farmer’s Market (APFM) takes place on Saturdays in Arcata, CA & is open year-round, rain or shine. As part of the Ink People arts nonprofit, *kids in the hive* (www.youtube.com/kidsinthehive) started a consistent PlaySpace in September 2022. We have established a family-friendly presence there—offering a play area, arts & crafts, activities, and a few small events for families with small children.

Our grant through the county is over at the end of June 2024, so with this GoFundMe funding, we can continue our presence at the APFM, as well as provide Pop-Up PlaySpaces at other Humboldt County farmers’ markets during the summer.

Our PlaySpaces provide fun, social experiences for families, engaging them in community & building up social connections and parental resilience. We also introduce helpful social-emotional learning (SEL) information & tools, to help create more mentally & emotionally resilient kids and caretakers.

At our PlaySpaces we strive to: provide experiences for kids to form relationships with other children through interactive activities; provide a safe and equitable environment; give kids a sense of connectedness through social activities; and create plenty of opportunities for SEL development (playing with peers and with family members, participating in movement activities and breathing/mindfulness activities, etc.). These positive influences can help prevent, interrupt, and mitigate the effects of childhood adversity. Unfortunately Humboldt County has a high prevalence of toxic stress and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs).

We believe that this project is making a positive impact on the health and well-being of children and families in Humboldt County, helping to build strong & resilient kids and families. Please help us continue the work!

Thanks, MAC