State of Play: A Modern Play Space for Families
Help us open our intentional and modern indoor play space! We are offering art experiences, play passes, and branded items as thank you's.
Project Description
MISSION
It is our mission to create an intentional and modern play space where creativity, joy, and community are valued and encouraged.
OUR CHALLENGE
While typical play spaces are fun for one or two visits they can be overstimulating and overwhelming which is a challenge for some children and adults. The educational benefits are often unclear and the materials are uninspiring and unchanging. Grownups are there because they have to be, not because they want to be and the offerings are child-specific, making it hard to engage, connect, and collaborate with your child.
OUR OPPORTUNITY
It is our opportunity to reimagine indoor play spaces.
Welcome to State of Play: where we are reinventing play culture!
State of Play is a thoughtful indoor play space that promotes curiosity and wonder through the use of educational, sustainable and open-ended materials. Our programming will engage both children and adults, establishing a supportive and uplifting community of learners. Our inclusive experience is parent/caregiver accompaniment and geared toward children ages 0-5.
EXPERIENCE AND OFFERINGS
PLAY WITH US: Drop-in or reserve a spot online for a two hour open play session! Picture yourself arriving at our beautiful, state of the art facility...Check in with our staff, pop your shoes in a cubby and make your way around our 3,000 sq foot space.
You’ll see engaging art stations, building platforms and designated areas for playing, making and discovering. Our curriculum will frequently change, making in fun for your family to come back again and again.
LEARN WITH US: In addition to open play periods, we are inviting local artists, musicians, yogis, dancers, and storytellers to provide a variety of thoughtful and engaging classes and workshops throughout the week.
If your child is already enrolled in a full-time learning environment, State of Play’s unique and ever-changing programming can complement and enrich the experience they are getting at school or daycare. And if you’ve yet to dip your kiddo's toes into an educational setting, our space is a perfect introduction to learning and playing alongside peers.
CO-WORK WITH US: We realize that sometimes, parents and caregivers need time too! We are offering onsite co-working spaces available for you to utilize while your child(ren) engages in supervised play- so help yourself to free coffee or tea and get to work!
CELEBRATE WITH US: Rent out our entire space for birthday parties, a new sibling shower, or any other themed event you can imagine. Add-on a custom art experience or dance party to make your time with us that much more personal! A State of Play "Magic Maker" will help set up and break down your special event!
LOCATION AND HOURS
Our 3,000 sq ft facility will be located in Building L in The Cannery District of Bozeman. Having compassion and consideration for all families and their busy schedules, State of Play will be open 7 days a week.
PHILOSOPHY
State of Play’s philosophy is centered around our three areas of intentionality:
Education, Community, and Environment
EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT
Creativity and innovation need to be nurtured! From birth through age 5, children’s brains are forming a complex web of synapses that last throughout their lives, and greatly impact their social, emotional, physical and cognitive performance as adults. Open-ended play gives children the freedom and courage to explore and imagine, developing skills such as problem solving, perseverance, emotional regulation and collaboration.
Children have incredible instincts for discovery and their theories about how things work are far more impactful than our own agendas. At State of Play, our curriculum and offerings will prompt the beautiful question:
What happens when we follow a child’s lead?
COMMUNITY AND SUPPORT
Part of the community we are building at State of Play will be focused on creating a safe and informative space for parents and caregivers to access helpful resources from leading local experts about child development, education and parental support. Ours is just as much a space for parents and caregivers as it is for children.
State of Play is dedicated to being an inclusive environment. We believe that ALL people deserve access to high quality creative experiences. State of Play has already established its Equitable Access Program, a scholarship fund to provide families with donated open play sessions.
In an effort to make even more connections in our community, State of Play will create space for: Older Sibling Involvement, Homeschool Get Togethers, First Time Parent Meet Ups, Grand-Friend Gatherings, Preschool Field Trips AND Working Parent participation.
DESIGN OF OUR ENVIRONMENT
At State of Play, we consider an inviting environment a crucial part of our overall mission and philosophy. Our clean, modern and curated space will engage every guest, making it a place that grown-ups want to spend time in just as much as children.
When considering an educational setting for children, we like to divide the space into four quadrants: wet, loud, quiet, and dry, giving children the opportunity to approach the space in a thoughtful way that fits their needs and moods.
At State of Play you will see a variety of natural materials, sustainably sourced toys, and artist quality tools. You and your children can embrace getting messy…We’ll do the clean-up!
In addition to our modular stations that highlight rotating activities, our environment will feature a whimsical climbing structure, a glow space where children can play with light and shadow, a workshop for messy work with a curated recycled materials library, a soft area for older infants, and a cozy book nook!
CALL TO ACTION
We need $75,000 in order to build out our space and open our doors in Winter, 2021. To meet our goal, we are offering a variety of art experiences, private events, guest passes and branded State of Play items. If you believe in the importance of play and the benefits of a supportive community- please donate to our cause and make State of Play a reality!
THE FOUNDERS
Katie Dolen is a mother and an inspired, early-childhood educator, with a Master’s Degree in Art Therapy and over ten years of progressive teaching experience in NYC and LA. Before moving to Bozeman, she spent eight years co-constructing and teaching young children at Blue School; a Reggio-inspired pre-through-middle-school in NYC formed by the founding members of the Blue Man Group. "Something I’ve heard frequently from the families I’ve taught is that I have a unique ability to really see children- I feel so passionately about honoring their ideas and theories and I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to share my professional expertise and replicate the magic I’ve experienced with such a vibrant and growing community like Bozeman."
Kama Werner has over 20 years of experience in small business development and marketing. Raising two children in Bozeman has provided Kama with an important view of what the community needs in the way of thoughtful, child-led programming, making her an integral part of State of Play's team. “We love that play looks different for everyone, grown ups included! At State of Play, there is room for every learning style and perspective; we firmly believe that there is no wrong way to play!”
STATE OF PLAY ETHOS
The ability to play and engage with a child transcends race, gender, socio-economic status, political associations, learning differences and any other boundary we put around our capacity to connect with one another; this play space is a small gesture to attempt to break down any barriers that keep us from listening to and seeing each other and our children.
Thank You for your consideration of and support for this very special project.
Updates
The Campaign FAQs
Where will State of Play be located? State of Play will be located on the ground floor of Building L in the Bozeman Cannery District. We will begin our buildout upon the successful completion of our crowdfunding campaign. Our proposed opening time is Winter, 2021!
How big is the space and what will it include? The space is 3,000 square feet and will include a climbing structure, individual, movable and modular stations for frequently changing interactive provocations, a separate workshop space for the really messy projects, a variety of educational, sustainable and natural materials, and a welcoming entry area with cozy seating and shoe cubbies for shoes and belongings. There will be a small co-working area for parents and caregivers to work in while a State of Play educator explores alongside your child while adhering to a 1:4 adult to child ratio.
How long are the play periods ? Our play periods are 2 hours long- we will be capping our numbers in an effort to keep it intentional and enjoyable. We keep in mind the needs of this age group, their ability to sustain their focus, and we want to avoid an overstimulating and overwhelming experience. We plan on having a "closing circle" to gather friends on the rug near the "book nook" before they leave our space. We'd like to sing a song, hand out stamps or stickers and allow for a State of Play educator to reset the space and wipe down materials before our next guests arrive.
When are the play periods? Monday through Friday: 9-11am, 11am-1pm, 1-3pm, 3-5pm and Saturday and Sunday: 9-11am and 11am-1pm
Can I rent State of Play out for a special event? Yes!! On Saturday and Sunday afternoons, State of Play is available for private birthday parties, "sibling showers", or any other themed event you want to throw. Need sweets, treats and decor? We'll work with local kid-friendly bakers and specialized paper goods and party suppliers to help make all your Pinterest dreams come true! We will staff the space and take care of set up and break down of the party- making your event as easy on you as possible!
What will your cleaning protocol look like? The space will be cleaned and reset many times throughout the day to minimize the spreading of germs. We will be using the non-toxic cleaner, Force of Nature, which is EPA approved for the use against COVID-19. Any mouthed toys or materials will be sanitized after contact! We will be a no-shoe/sock only facility- in order to help limit the amount of street dirt in the space. Our cleaning protocols may be adjusted from time to time, in our discretion, in consideration of public heath guidance to do our best to keep and families healthy.
FUNDING
What if you don't reach your funding goal? If we fall very short of reaching our goal, to be determined in our absolute discretion, we will refund contributions, less processing fees. In our absolute discretion, if we come close to our goal, we will review our business plan within one month of the closing of our campaign to evaluate scenarios that would still allow us to move forward. If within one month we have not implemented an alternative scenario, we will refund all contributions, minus processing fees.
You believe in the magic of play and the power of community! Add your inspiration to this project- Help us make State of Play a reality!
Enjoy full access for your family to State of Play for an entire year (this will be a personalized access program to fit your needs!) Plus, host your own private party for 2 hrs. for up to 30 people, have a curated art experience, State of Play tote bag and iron-on patch, Your child's name will appear in a hanging art installation in our space.
Private party for 2 hrs. for up to 30 people, a personalized and curated art experience, a State of Play tote bag and iron-on patch, Your child's name will appear in a hanging art installation in our space
Private party for 2 hrs. for up to 30 people, a personalized and curated playlist and a DJ to crank the tunes, a State of Play tote bag and iron-on patch, Your child's name will appear in a hanging art installation in our space
1 hr. Private Art Experience for up to 6 in the workshop (to be used on a weekday afternoon), A State of Play tote bag and iron-on, Your child's name will appear in a hanging art installation in our space
2 Play Passes for the entire family to be used in our first two months, a State of Play tote bag and iron-on patch, $100 off a private party, Your child’s name will appear on a hanging art installation in our space
1 Play Pass for the entire family, a State of Play tote bag and iron-on patch, Your child’s name will appear in a hanging art installation piece in our space
A State of Play Tote Bag and an Iron-on Patch, Your child’s name will appear in a hanging art installation in our space
Rewards
You believe in the magic of play and the power of community! Add your inspiration to this project- Help us make State of Play a reality!
Enjoy full access for your family to State of Play for an entire year (this will be a personalized access program to fit your needs!) Plus, host your own private party for 2 hrs. for up to 30 people, have a curated art experience, State of Play tote bag and iron-on patch, Your child's name will appear in a hanging art installation in our space.
Private party for 2 hrs. for up to 30 people, a personalized and curated art experience, a State of Play tote bag and iron-on patch, Your child's name will appear in a hanging art installation in our space
Private party for 2 hrs. for up to 30 people, a personalized and curated playlist and a DJ to crank the tunes, a State of Play tote bag and iron-on patch, Your child's name will appear in a hanging art installation in our space
1 hr. Private Art Experience for up to 6 in the workshop (to be used on a weekday afternoon), A State of Play tote bag and iron-on, Your child's name will appear in a hanging art installation in our space
2 Play Passes for the entire family to be used in our first two months, a State of Play tote bag and iron-on patch, $100 off a private party, Your child’s name will appear on a hanging art installation in our space
1 Play Pass for the entire family, a State of Play tote bag and iron-on patch, Your child’s name will appear in a hanging art installation piece in our space
A State of Play Tote Bag and an Iron-on Patch, Your child’s name will appear in a hanging art installation in our space